Page 27 of Bad for Business
CAMILLE
I’ve never contemplatedmurder before, but I guess there’s a first time for everything and I might just kill Ryker Davenport.
I’m a publicist. My job is to cover up people’s mistakes. Could I get away with murder?
My phone vibrating on the counter pulls me from thoughts of committing a felony. I let out a loud groan when I see the caller ID. I want to ignore the call, but I know if I do, my dad will just call back. I have no option but to answer.
“Hello?” I answer, pressing the phone to my ear. My heart races. Does my dad somehow know that I haven’t seen Ryker since yesterday afternoon? Surely not.
“Camille,” he begins, his voice calm and composed and not giving anything away. “How are things going there?”
I bite my lip as I shift anxiously in the chair. I can’t quite tell my dad that somehow I lost Ryker and haven’t seen him in almost a day. The one time I let him out of my sight, he goes and disappears.
Rage flows through my veins all over again as I consider plotting his murder once again.
“Things are going according to plan,” I lie. The plan was definitely not to lose my client, but I know I’ll find him. I’ve beenscouring the internet for any traces of him getting into trouble yesterday or today, but whatever he’s doing, he at least hasn’t left a digital footprint of it.Yet. All I can really do until I find him is hope that he isn’t dumb enough to ruin the progress we’ve made with his board.
“I talked to Ryker’s father this morning. He actually seems mildly impressed with his son. Whatever you’re doing, keep it up. We’re getting paid, and he’s happy for now.”
My shoulders sag with a sigh of relief. “Ryker’s been doing great. I’m happy with our progress.” Until the fiasco yesterday, that is. I know Ryker isn’t his normal happy-go-lucky personality for me the way he is with everyone else. He hates that he’s forced to be with me for the summer, and I understand it. But yesterday was different. He was angry. Upset. Two things I didn’t expect to see from him.
And now he’s disappeared. Whatever’s going on with him, I need to figure out. We’re making progress. Even my dad thinks so. I don’t want to backtrack.
“I’m actually about to meet with Ryker to talk about plans for the next few days, so I have to go. Let me know if you need anything from me,” I tell my dad, attempting to keep my voice cool as I try to get him off the phone. I have to find Ryker, and sitting here talking to my dad doesn’t help me do that.
“Bye,” he responds, hanging up the phone without asking any more questions.
I set my phone back on the counter, allowing myself a moment to take a deep breath. When I first saw my dad’s name on my phone, I wondered if he somehow knew I lost Ryker. I didn’t expect him to be calling me with good news…well, as good as news can be when it comes to my father.
I set my elbows on the counter and let my head fall into my hands as I try to think of what to do next. I’ve planned for a lotof different scenarios this summer, and none of them included Ryker disappearing.
I don’t even know how I lost him. I waited outside the men’s locker room for almost three hours. Many people walked by and gave me an odd look, but I didn’t move from my spot in an upholstered green chair that wasn’t the least bit comfortable.
Finally, I gave up and sent him a text to meet me back at the house. I was up past midnight, just waiting for him to walk through the door. He didn’t. And the number of texts I sent him might beat a world record.
When I woke up this morning, I thought he’d be fast asleep in his bed. I threw open his bedroom door, ready for a fight, only to find his bed still neatly made.
And now it’s almost one in the afternoon, and there’s still no trace of him.
I weigh my options. I could keep waiting for him here, but something in my gut tells me he has zero intention of coming back to this house.
Which means…I have to find him.
With an angry sigh, I push myself off the counter and head to my room. It doesn’t take me long to gather my things and toss them into my purse. If I had to guess, Ryker’s back at the club, which means it’s time for me to head to Pembroke for the day.
My eyes land on Ryker immediately. He stands outside the golf pro shop wearing a wide grin as he talks to two women I don’t recognize. They both laugh at something he says. He wears a different outfit than what he had on yesterday, making me wonder where he slept last night and where he got the clothes.
I stomp down the backstairs of the club and head right for him. He’s too deep in conversation with the women to even notice me coming. Luckily for me, he doesn’t see me until it’s too late for him to escape.
His eyes connect with mine, and the wide smile he was giving the girls slips at the sight of me. Something like fear might even flash through his eyes. Good. I hope he’s scared. I’ve spent the last day wondering where the hell he is. Apparently, he’s got enough time on his hands to flirt but not to send me a simple text back letting me know that he’s alive.
“We need to talk,” I say, my voice void of any emotion. I’m actually shocked by how composed I keep it despite the way my blood boils with rage at seeing his face.
“I’m busy,” he immediately responds. He gestures to the two girls, as if I care at all that I’m interrupting his conversation.
I look at one of them, a blonde with a bob who looks about my age. I’ll give it to her. She gives me a warm smile despite what I’m sure is not the nicest look she’s getting from me.
“Ryker can’t talk right now,” I explain. “He’s in trouble, and I need to talk to him.”
