Chapter 12 – Something Bigger
Trying to find Star without a photo ID was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I’d started with the database of prostitution arrests in the last five years. She was too good not to be a professional, but I wasn’t convinced she’d have a record. Still, it was the only idea my instincts suggested, so I followed it.
My eyes were crossing looking at photo after photo of bleached-blonde mugshots when I noticed I wasn’t alone. Pausing from my nonstop scrolling, I looked up to see Nikki standing in my doorway, hip cocked, eyebrow arched.
“I was beginning to wonder what was going to make you look up.” Her rose-lined pink lips curled into a smile, and the tightness in my chest eased slightly.
“What’s up?” I asked. Derek and I might have come back to the office changed, but Nikki was the same as always. Teased hair, huge earrings, tight dresses. Funny how her efforts didn’t capture my attention so much anymore.
“I thought you might take me to lunch. Unless you’re skipping it again today?”
“Have I been skipping lunch?” My brow lined as I looked toward the clock. Already two.
“Come on,” she said, stepping around my desk and catching my arm. “I’ll let you buy me a salad in the cafeteria.”
“There’s a cafeteria?”
“In Building C.”
“I’m glad I’ve got you and Derek around. Otherwise, I might miss all the hidden perks of this complex.”
She exhaled a laugh. “The food isn’t that great, but they make a decent salad. And I think Derek said the bacon club isn’t bad.”
Outside, I noticed the season was starting to change. Soon the holidays would begin, but I was glad they were a ways off. I wasn’t in the mood. We walked quietly through the courtyard and entered the third building to our left. My thoughts were preoccupied with the search for Star and how I wasn’t finding a damn thing. She could be anywhere. Hell, for all I knew, she was from another city, another state altogether. Derek was probably right. I should just forget it. Count myself lucky and wait to see if anything ever even came of it.
That just didn’t sit right with me.
“Jesus,” Nikki broke through my distraction. “I’ve never seen two men more changed. What the hell happened while I was gone?”
My eyebrows rose as I took in her posture, leaned back in the chair, she had both hands on her hips as she studied me. Her salad appeared untouched.
“Sorry, Nik,” I said, picking up the club sandwich I’d ordered. “You’d be surprised all the shit that went down after you left.”
“I’ll take that as your funny way of saying you missed me.”
In spite of myself I laughed. “I was pissed at Derek when you left.” I took a bite. “But that was just the beginning.”
She leaned forward and poked her salad with her fork, not eating. After a few quiet moments, she shook her head. “Are you going to tell me?”
Dropping the sandwich, I grabbed a paper napkin and wiped my hands roughly. “First, you can’t tell Derek,” I exhaled. “He told me to drop it.”
A smile curled the side of her mouth. “You’re worried about me ratting you out to Derek?”
“Yeah, well, I’ve fucked up enough on this one.” I shook my head, throwing the paper on the table.
“Go on.”
“Derek called the temp agency after you left, and a woman came.” I felt like such a fool saying it out loud to her. “I thought she was your replacement, and I gave her access to everything.”
Nikki’s brow creased, and she leaned forward. “What happened?”
Clearing my throat, I leaned back. “I kind of… Well, I kind of slept with her.”
“What!?”
“In the office,” I hastened along. “And it turns out, she wasn’t your replacement. We don’t know who she was.”
Shaking her head, Nikki spoke. “Are you saying a woman who you thought was my replacement came to the office and you slept with her?” Her eyes blinked rapidly. “How long was she there before that happened?”
“Look, I fucked up, okay? I know it. We were drinking, and the next thing I knew, she was on my dick.”
Her face morphed into an expression of disapproval, which irritated me, but her words cancelled it all out.
“Everybody makes mistakes. Learn from it and move on.” She finally started eating. “What happened next?”
“That’s just it. Derek sent me to Scottsdale, and she disappeared. We got back, and his aunt told him Monica took another job.”
“Monica was the one you slept with?” She forked more lettuce.
“No,” I said, picking up a chip. “The person I met was named Star.”
Ducking toward her plate, Nikki pulled her paper napkin up quickly to cover her mouth. “Oh my god, her name was Star?” Giggles. “And you, an experienced detective fell for that?”
I was ready to go. “Look, I’m not in the mood. I’m trying to find out what the hell happened and fix it. Or at least get answers.”
“I’m sorry.” She shook her head and reached out to cover my hand with hers. “Seriously, I’ll stop teasing you.”
I took a sip of the cold drink I’d ordered, feeling less like talking than ever.
“I’m sure Derek was pissed,” she continued, “but I have to say, the way you two have been acting, I would think it was something bigger than a rogue temp who turned out to be… what? A spy?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know what she wanted. That’s why I’ve been working so hard. I need to know.”
Her lips poked out and she nodded. Then she picked up her drink and took a long pull from the straw. “And that’s it? There’s nothing else?”
Images of Elaine’s smile, her shiny blonde hair, her green eyes trickled across my memory in a cool stream. I blinked hard. “Pretty much,” I said quietly.
“You sure?” Nikki leaned forward on the table, allowing the top of her dress to dip forward. From this angle, I had the full view of her awesome cleavage, but it didn’t matter. All I wanted was Elaine.
“Yeah.” I lifted my drink and took another sip.
She sat back in her chair. “Wow. You’re seriously hung up. Is it on this Star person? Is that why you’re so obsessed with finding her?”
“What?” my voice rose. “No way. Elaine’s nothing like that psycho.”
Her smile returned as her voice softened. “So tell me about Elaine.”
My eyes closed briefly, but it was pointless trying to resist. “She’s beautiful. I…” I couldn’t say that. “I want to be with her, but she lives in Wilmington, and long distance isn’t her thing.” I picked up the silverware knife and rolled it in my fingers.
“But you’d do anything to see her again.” Nikki’s voice was gentle, and my gaze blinked to hers. The warmth in her eyes was almost unbearable.
“Anything.”
She leaned forward then, but this time when her hand covered mine, there was no confrontation, no teasing. Her voice was serious. “Patrick,” she said quietly. “You’re in love.”
Jerking my hand back, I put the knife back on the table and stood. “It was less than a week. And now it’s over.” Pain radiated through my chest, but I kept it together. “Now I just want to find out who the fuck is messing with me and why.”
I started to go, but then I remembered and stepped back, fishing in my pocket for my cash. Nikki’s lips were pursed as she watched me toss a couple twenties on the table. She didn’t say anything, but I had a pretty good idea what she was thinking—like it mattered.
“See you back at the office.”
The wind outside had picked up, and damp air hit me straight in the face. It looked like a storm was rolling in, but I didn’t mind. I actually hoped it would rain. Lately, I’d sought out all sorts of unpleasant feelings, anything to match or block out the raging noise in my chest. A storm felt exactly right at this moment.
* * *
Two more days of studying URLs and the whois database compiling locations for the phishing scam went by. Two more days of scrolling through endless mugshots from all over the New Jersey area trying to find that face went by. Time was passing, but nothing inside me was changing. I searched for Star obsessively, but mugshot after mugshot was blurring my memory of her. It wasn’t like I’d gotten a long look at her before we started drinking anyway, and I was losing my motivation to find her. I was losing my motivation to do anything. Elaine’s face was all I could see.
By Friday afternoon, I was sitting behind my desk feeling like I was going crazy when my phone rang. I picked it up without even looking at the face. “Hello?” I heard my tone—impatient, tense, frustrated. Then I heard the voice that took my breath away.
“Patrick?” Her voice was high, and it sounded slightly nervous.
Every muscle down to my core tightened at the sound. “Elaine?” I wasn’t sure what to say next. She’d called me. “How are you?”
Her throat cleared, and my eyes closed. I could see her perfectly in my mind.
“I, um…” Her voice became quiet. “I…” A sound like something covering the phone filled my ear. I couldn’t make out what was happening.
“Elaine?” I repeated, my whole body tense. “Is everything okay?”
A sharp sniff and my chest clutched. Was she crying?
“I’m sorry,” she said, clearing her throat again, but I heard the smallest tremor as she spoke. That’s when I knew she was struggling for control.
Another sniffle, and I couldn’t take it anymore. “What’s wrong, baby?” My voice was now gentle.
“Oh, Patrick.” At that she completely broke down. “I miss you so much.”
Emotion flooded my limbs, making me temporarily weak. In an instant, I was on my feet, grabbing my keys and wallet. “I’ll be there in six hours.”
“No,” she sniffed, her voice tenuous. “I can’t let you do that.”
I was unable to stop the smile crossing my face. “You couldn’t stop me if you tried.”
“Oh, god,” she breathed. “Patrick…” From her tone, I could see her beautiful eyes close, the smile on her lips. “It’ll take longer than six hours. I checked.”
“I’m walking out the door now,” I said, giving Nikki a brief wave as I pushed through the main glass entrance. “I’m not stopping until you’re in my arms.”
A little laugh met my ears, and my heart felt like it flew out of my chest to where she was. “Please be safe,” she whispered.
“Don’t worry.”