Page 24 of Submitting to Them
“That’s what witnesses say.I need to go there, give whatever help I can to the police.”
“Of course,” she says, tugging me into a quick hug.“Is there anything I can do?”
“Stay here.Stay safe.Can you do that?I’ll come home as soon as I can.”
“Yes, I can do that.Go.I’ll clean up from dinner.”
I look around at the scattered rose petals and the lit candles.Ella has already started getting containers for our leftovers and clearing the table.This was supposed to be a romantic interlude, just the two of us.And once again, work has come up.
No, not work.This is an emergency.Kristin could be in real danger.
Still, I say, “I’m so sorry.Rain check on tonight?”
“Hey, it isn’t ruined,” she says, setting down a glass container that she’s filling with edamame.“We had a nice dinner and a great conversation.I’ll be warming your bed when you get home.I really hope Kristin is okay…I feel bad for being jealous of her, now.”
“Oh, sweetheart.”I hug her one more time.“I love you.See you soon.”
She squeezes me back.“Go.I love you, too.”
I dial Jaxon Marsel as I leave Ella behind in my penthouse.
“Kingston,” he says.“Didn’t expect to hear from you again so soon.”
I called him after lunch today, to see about adding Ironwood’s security to my company’s protection protocols.“I’m going to need your services earlier than anticipated.”
“We were going to put together a proposal for you to review on Friday,” he says.“That’s not soon enough?”
“One of my top employees has just been forced into a van in front of the Tyler building,” I say.“I’m heading over to the police station talk to the detective on the case.”
“Come by my office after.Ryder and I will meet you there.”
An officer takes me directly to Detective Baldwin’s office.The brown-haired detective stands up and shakes my hand.“We have to stop meeting like this,” he says with a frown.
“Agreed,” I say.“How can I help you find Kristin?”
“Ms.Wayfield was taken when leaving the Tyler building,” Baldwin says.“What time did you leave today?”
I think back.“Around seven, seven-thirty,” I say.“We probably have footage of the lobby—”
“Yes, I’ve already requested it from the building’s security team.They’ve been helpful and accommodating.”
That good—they’ve been instructed to always cooperate with law enforcement, within reason.“If there’s anything else you need from them, or from our records, please let me know,” I say.
“At the moment, I want to know if Ms.Wayfield ever mentioned any personal problems to you,” Baldwin says.
I shake my head.“None.”
“Nothing like debts, or gambling problems?Drugs?Family issues with the same?”
“No,” I say, “we only talked about work.”
“Have you noticed anyone following you or Kristin?Or any of your other employees?”
“No.”
“Anything else suspicious?”
I shake my head.“There was the bomb threat, which you’re probably aware of.But the device turned out to be a fake.Then there was a hacking attempt.”
