Page 93 of The Innovator

The lawyer had already received several phone calls from other victims’ families voicing similar suspicions. One caller had received a text message from a family member on the plane minutes before the crash, saying his son had heard loud noises coming from the engine.

The tabloids were having fun with the headlines. I wanted them to splash the news all over the world. Perhaps the exposure would push Aunt Estelle to fear, and that would distract her, forcing her to make mistakes. Mistakes could lead to evidence.

What also settled my nerves was that Mom convinced the board members to postpone the voting. If my dad’s death was part of a murder scheme, then the company could earn a substantial profit from the class action lawsuit and ultimately save LaRue. Aunt Estelle had asked the Board of Directors to move up the meeting, which became an inconvenience and had them questioning why.

Suspicion floated in the air like dust particles, and Aunt Estelle didn’t like that.

There wasn’t much I could do but wait. Things were set in motion, and I could breathe easier. I’d finished my womenswear collection and was now starting my menswear collection. As I sketched the designs, I envisioned Grayson as my muse. He didn’t know I was creating a special accessory line for him. I hoped the factory could squeeze in the production for me. It was a late addition to the line, but once I saw the prototype, I knew it’d be successful.

I loved this man; I wanted to show him how I felt.

Another unforgettable thing happened in Paris: my mom approved of Grayson. We took her out for dinner on the evening before our return flight, and he completely charmed her. He was the first boyfriend to earn her approval from one sitting. Maybe he’d earned her approval because he wouldn’t release my hand as we strolled with Mom near the Eiffel Tower.

Tonight Grayson was going to sleep at my place, and I’d be at his tomorrow. I’d made room for his belongings and he’d done the same for me. He’d asked me to move in with him weeks ago, but I wanted my own space to work on my collection. His enormous house had enough space for me. However, it was easier to design something secretive for him at my place.

After a few hours of designing and picking out trims, my stomach growled. I glanced at my phone and it was a few minutes past noon.

I should have texted Grayson in case he was in a meeting, but I wanted to hear his voice and called him.

“Miss me already?” He answered on the first ring.

“Yup. Did you eat yet?”

“No, you?”

“Nope. Let’s have lunch together. I need a break. I’ll pick up something and meet you in an hour? Does chicken lo mein sound good to you?”

“Whatever you want, love.”

“See you soon.”

Love.

I wasn’t sure if he meant it as a casual endearment—that was said on impulse, or was it a Freudian slip? He had never said those words to me, and nor had I. We were both careful with our hearts.

I loved him more and more each day. It frightened me. I’d never felt this way with anyone—this emotion that overwhelmed me with joy and hope. With him, I could be anything. Even when I was stressed, he made me feel everything would work out. No man had sat with me in the dark just so I could heal.That took time and patience, and I appreciated every moment with him.

These days I didn’t need his companionship during the dark. I was getting used to seeing how the darkness offered me a sense of peace my body and mind needed. I hadn’t experienced that until now. The complete silence was like looking at the starry night sky. The vast unknown could be frightening, but it could also be a lovely sense of wonder. I was seeing the darkness in a whole new way because of him.

How would he react if I confessed my feelings to him? What if it scared him? I knew his heart had been fractured because of his uncle. What if my confession was too soon for him to accept? Maybe it was best to wait.

He’d been swamped with projects and the issue surrounding his uncle. I understood his anxiety because I knew my aunt had been involved in my dad’s death. Grayson and I were two souls on a parallel journey.

After placing an order for pickup, Ithrew on a knit top and jeans and rushed out in sneakers. I parked in the lot beside the restaurant and got out of my car as a homeless man wearing a gray hoodie approached me.

“Do you have a dollar to spare, miss? I’m very hungry.”

As I reached into my purse, strong arms grabbed me from behind. Another person appeared and slapped a cloth over my mouth and nose. I kicked and tried to scream as two men with ski masks hauled me away intoa black van. The homeless man hopped into the van, tossing back his hoodie. I didn’t recognize him. When the other two men yanked off their masks, I saw Paul, the city inspector. He met my eyes and smirked as he pressed the cloth firmly against my nose and mouth.

I tried to fight him, but the chloroform—or whatever it was—had gotten into my system. My vision blurred, and my body weakened as I lost consciousness.

CHAPTERFORTY-EIGHT

GRAYSON

After my status meeting ended, I hurried back to my office. The meeting went on for an extra ten minutes, but it was necessary. We had a lot of projects on hand, and it was best to see where everything stood.

I had expected Natalie to already be in my office, but she wasn’t. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. What people said about love was true. I thought about herall the time. I understood why my friends acted foolish when it came to their girls. I used to make fun of them when they’d declined a party or dinner invitation to go home to be with their girl. Now I was in the same boat. I’d decline every invitation to be home with her.

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