Present Day
Chloe sat in the conference room, staring at her computer screen, and tried to concentrate on work, but her thoughts kept drifting to how desperately she wanted to see Hunter again. The more she thought about Hunter, the more she was reminded of the tragedy of her previous relationship. She made no apologies for leaving after he had fallen asleep. She had made many rules for herself over the years, which she adamantly followed, and when it came to sex, sleeping over was never an option.
Arthur entered the room, breaking her out of her thoughts, and took a seat across from her. “Good afternoon, Arthur.”
He got right to the point. “Expansion for the future is a very immediate goal. I would like you to assist us with opening and setting up a second location, which means we would need two business plans: one for this office and one for the new location.”
She didn’t like being in one place for too long, but gave consideration to what he was saying. If she did stay, she would have more time with Alice. She would also have the possibility of seeing Hunter again, which excited her. She quickly shook off the thought; she couldn’t allow herself to risk feeling the pain of loss again.
“I would also like to extend an invitation for you to join Walter and myself at dinner next weekend in New Orleans with other colleagues in the area, as well as some friends from other professions. I thought it might be an excellent opportunity for you to network your services.” His tone suddenly changed to indicate the power he intended to exude. “With my supporting recommendation, of course.”
Just like her father, Arthur was used to getting what he wanted, and his means of getting it was threats and intimidation. Arthur’s flaw, however, was in underestimating Chloe. The animosity she felt toward Arthur at the moment was only one issue. New Orleans was a completely different issue. Jack Lawrence was there, and in a room full of strangers, she didn’t want to risk being spotted. She had no idea if Jack, or any of his associates, would even attend a function such as this, but she certainly didn’t want to take the chance of finding out.
Chloe narrowed her eyes at Arthur, revulsion in her gaze. “Of course.”
Arthur must have taken her response as acceptance to his invitation and stood to leave. He spoke to her in an almost demanding tone, once again reminding her of Matthew. “Next Saturday. The reception starts at three, dinner is at five. Formal dress. I’ll have my secretary get you the location and directions.”
“I’ll let you know if I can make it,” she said.
Arthur cocked an eyebrow at her, ready to do battle in an effort to get his way, but the hard stare he was receiving said to bring it on.
“I carry quite a bit of weight in many circles. While at this dinner, I could help you immeasurably.” He shrugged his shoulders in an attempt to challenge her. “Or not.”
She leaned forward and replied in an icy tone, “My career has done just fine over the years. I doubt your recommendation, or not, would change that.”
“Well, maybe that’s something we should put to the test.”
“You don’t want to test me, Arthur.”
If Chloe was ever able to unnerve a man with a single look, it showed on Arthur’s face. The outcome of the conversation obviously wasn’t what he expected. He simply nodded and left the room. For the first time in years, Chloe’s temper got the best of her and before she knew what she was doing, her half-empty coffee mug was sailing across the room, then shattering against the door.
“Dick.”
The conversation with Arthur solidified the answer to the question she had been contemplating earlier. She needed to finish her work and get the hell out of Louisiana.
***
“Is there any reason to believe Arthur or Walter might have connections to Jack?” Chloe asked Alice a little while later when Alice came to check on her.
If Chloe decided to go to New Orleans, she had to be as sure as she could be. In all reality, there was only one reason she was even considering going, and that reason had woken up alone.
Alice’s jaw almost hit the floor. “You’re not going to go, are you?”
“I’m just asking.”
Alice leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table. “If you go, although I can’t even begin to wonder why you would, even if you do see Jack or anyone who works for him, he’s not like your father and never has been. True, there is a chance he would call Matthew, or even David. But after eight years, Jack might be curious enough to try to get you in a room alone and hear your side of the story.”
Chloe thought of the possibilities if she did come face to face with Jack. “It’s still dangerous.”
“I’m not disagreeing with you.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door and a smile beamed on Alice’s face as Willetta entered the room, rolling a vacuum cleaner behind her.
“I hear there some broken glass.”
“I’m so sorry,” Chloe said. “It’s my fault. If you want to leave the vacuum, I can clean it up.”
Willetta waved a hand at Chloe while surveying the broken coffee mug, then gave Chloe a look of understanding. “Mr. Arthur?”
Chloe smiled, a little embarrassed. “Mr. Arthur.”
“Mm-hmm.” That was all Willetta had to say as she plugged in the vacuum and was done seemingly before she started. When she was finished, Chloe and Alice said their goodbyes as Willetta left the room, softly closing the door behind her.
Chloe leaned over in her chair, picked up the newspaper from the floor, and set it on the table. “Did you see this?”
Kristin was the latest victim, missing for more than two weeks and found at the bottom of a ravine by a group of college students out enjoying a weekend of camping and not worrying about homework.
“You and I both know it wasn’t an accident.”
Alice’s voice shook. “I’m going to be next, aren’t I?”
Chloe reached for her friend’s hands and held them tightly. “No. Nobody else is going to die.”
“How do you know? I have kids, Chloe.”
Chloe tightened her grip on Alice’s hands. “Alice, listen to me. Your kids are not going to grow up without you.”
Alice’s voice was choked with tears. “How do you know?”
“Because I’m going back.”
Chloe thought about all of the women she had once known, and a few she hadn’t, who had been dying over the years because her father wanted to punish her for running out on him. She thought of Alice and her boys and realized that he would eventually find her, and when he did, her boys would grow up without a mother. The thought made Chloe sick to her stomach.
“He’s doing this to hurt me and it’s working. He’s killing me, Alice. If I go back, I think he’ll stop. He’s doing this to get me back. I can only hope that once I’m back, he won’t feel the need to continue. We don’t know how many more are out there for him to hunt down. I have to try to stop him. It’s my fault this is happening. I sacrificed you guys when I selfishly ran away. It’s my turn to sacrifice myself so that you and your children are safe.”
Chloe could see the relief for her children’s safety slowly wash over Alice, but when she looked up at Chloe, there were questions in her eyes.
“There’s something else bothering you,” Alice said. “And I don’t think it’s just about being face to face with your father again.”
Chloe decided not to tell Alice about Hunter. Her weekend with him and subsequent feelings she couldn’t understand were more than she wanted to think about. All Chloe knew was that she was going to miss him and didn’t want to talk about it. “I’m just distracted. I have a lot to do before I leave.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“No,” Chloe said. “This is all me.”