Page 35 of Betrayal & New Beginnings

“Why are you taking her car whenIknow full well your car has nothing wrong with it and you also knowIdon’t need mine today,”IaskedVince, but my eyes were focused onArchersinceIwasn’t ready to lookVincein the face yet.

“Go take a look at her car andI’llexplain the rest to him,”Archersaid toVincewho nodded and walked out the door.

I looked over toArcher, waiting for newsIhad a feelingIwasn’t going to like.

“You said she told you she doesn’t think the ex knew where inGeorgiashe was headed, andIbelieve her.Jackconfirmed he first toldElliehis address right before she moved here,”Archerstarted to explain, butIhoned in on one point.

“You talked toJackabout this?”Iasked wondering how he took that.

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “Iknow we all talked about it, but right after the phone call at the bar,Istarted having some questions myself.Vincereached out to some contacts you guys still have over there to get in touch with himASAP.He’spissed and ready to kill that mother fucker, but also couldn’t talk long since he’s knee deep in his mission.Heanswered a few questions we had and said as soon as this mission is done, he’s signing his exit paperwork and taking the first flight home.”

He paused, as if carefully choosing his words next. “Yousaid she mentioned that she originally left him without taking her stuff, and she waited until her friend could go with her to retrieve them a few days later, at a time sheknewhe was supposed to be working,” he said asInodded to confirm. “So, it’s not just that he knew she was here at the pub, but he also knew when she arrived at his house to collect her things, very quicklyImight add.

“You know how he found her.”Itwas a statement because it was the only reason why he would bring this up.

He nodded, then continued. “Myworking theory is that he put a tracker on her car.Ifhe knew where she worked, he could have gone there one day during her shift and put it on her car, knowing she would have to come back at some point to collect her things, and he would want to know when that was.”

“Shit,”Igrowled, knowing this was entirely plausible but also not liking where he was going with this.

“He showed up at the house moments after she did, beat her, and left—probably assuming she would still be there when he returned a few hours later.Shewasn’t.Buthe realized she had only moved the car a few blocks away—something we know she did temporarily while staying with her friend because she didn’t want him to have access to her car.”

All the dots were connecting in my head fromEllie’sstory, and it made sense, but also made me livid.Thinkingabout how he stalked her, only to beat her senseless, had me raging.

He sensed my anger and told me to calm down and let him finish.

“A few days later, when she was recovered enough to make the long drive, she retrieved her car and moved here.Heconnects the dots once he pings her location to realize she’s parked behind a building that has both a restaurant as well as a security company.”

“Ellie said she told him her brother was, quote ‘starting up a new business with hisArmybuddies,’ but didn’t give him any details about it or the fact that it was a security business,”Itold him, seeing where his mind was going.

“Okay, well, even if he didn’t know aboutRangerShield, she used to work at a pub, and there is a pub right next to where her car has been parked pretty much night and day for the last few weeks.Myguess is he kept calling there, hoping to hear her voice or confirm she works there, and he did.Whichis why he called again whenTammyworked because he wanted to torment her again.”

“So,Vinceis checking her car for a tracking device?”Iasked, assuming that was why he needed to “borrow” her car.

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “Wedidn’t want to worry her ifIwas wrong.”

I understood that, but my guess was he wasn’t wrong.

“What do we do when you are correct?”Iasked him, letting him knowIthought his suspicions were more than valid.

He smiled, clearly appreciating my confidence in how his mind worked, but then his smile changed.

“Hold that thought.BeforeVincegets back,Iwanna talk about something else,” he said, his eyes boring into mine. “Ichecked the cameras in the building this morning to make sure we didn’t have any blind spots in any of the entrances or exits.”

I nodded, not sure where he was going with this.

“Also wanted to check the hallway on this level soIcould see in case someone did actually gain access,Iwanted to be able to see them clearly from the moment they got off the elevator and all the way to your door andJack’s,” he said.

I now realized where he was going with this.He’dseenEllieand me leave her apartment last night and head to mine.He’dseen me kiss her up against the door.Icursed every possible wordIknew in my head.HowcouldIhave forgotten the cameras?

“I don’t knowJackas well as you andVincesinceIdidn’t serve with him, butI’mstill happy to take on the brotherly role of protector for her,” he said, staring right at me. “DoIneed to be stepping in as a brother right now?”

His question wasn’t asked in anger, but rather as a message.Amessage of “it’s none of my business, but at the same time it is.”Ididn’t know how to answer him becauseIhonestly didn’t know whatEllieandIwere myself, butIalso needed him to know that.

“I won’t do anything to hurt her,”Itold him, whichIknew was vague, butIalso didn’t really want to get into it with him.

“I didn’t say you would,” he started to say, but was interrupted.

Just then the door opened andVincewalked in, holding something.

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