The Other Emily, page 11
Was Jimmy the one playing a game on me now?
Should I try to find him?
Or should I stay away from the person who had ruined a sizeable chunk of my life and concentrate on the present?
It was more than likely that whatever was happening to me now was based on more recent events.
The fact that someone had gotten into my condo and into my work computer made me feel like it was someone I knew well, which took me back to Kaitlyn. Was she just an overexcitable puppy-like assistant who ran her mouth too much, or was she much smarter and more conniving than I thought? She could also be the go-between, someone Mitchell could use to help him get revenge on me. But if he was out for revenge, he was going after the wrong person, because I didn't move the propane tanks that had exploded, and I didn't order anyone else to do it.
Frustrated by the circular whirl of questions going around in my head, I got up and went back to the conference room to find Jonah. I might as well help him get something done. But Jonah wasn't in the conference room. The monitor was dark, and his notepad was gone. I walked down an adjacent hall to his office. It was empty as well. That was strange. He'd said he'd be working all night.
As I moved around the suite, the silence tightened my nerves. There was no point in me staying here on my own. In fact, now I wished I'd left with Ethan and Sophia.
I ran back to my office, grabbed my bag, and then jogged down the hall and through the reception area. I locked the doors to the suite behind me and then pressed the button for the elevator. It seemed to take forever to arrive, and every nerve in my body was tingling with the arrival of my latest panic attack. I needed to go somewhere crowded, where there were people, where I could get help if I needed it.
Finally, the elevator doors opened. I got on, pressing the button for the garage twice in quick succession as the doors closed. When they opened, I ran out of the elevator and into the lot. There were at least a dozen cars in the garage. Obviously, there were other tenants in the building who were working today. I needed to relax and get a grip.
But I'd only taken a few steps when the lights in the garage suddenly went out, and my heart jumped against my chest as I froze in place. I couldn't see anything but dark shapes. I reached into my bag, searching for my phone. As I grabbed it, I could hear footsteps, but I didn't know where they were coming from or who they belonged to.
I fumbled with my phone, wondering if I should call 9-1-1. But what was my emergency? The lights in my garage had gone out?
Forcing myself to breathe, I turned on the flashlight on my phone, relieved to see no one around me. The sound of steps had stopped, too. Then I heard the closing of a car door. It was just someone else getting into their car, I told myself.
I moved forward. My car was about twenty-five yards away, parked in the slots assigned to my company.
And then the footsteps came back. They sounded like they were behind me now. I stopped, whirling around, aiming the light behind me. The footsteps stopped. I thought I saw a shadow move behind a car.
God! Was someone following me?
I turned toward my vehicle. I just had to get into my car and lock the door. I ran, then stumbled over a patch of uneven ground. There was so much terror racing through my blood, I couldn't hear anything but my heartbeat.
I could feel someone behind me. It felt like they were getting closer. At any moment, I expected to feel a hand on my shoulders, someone grabbing me from behind.
And then an enormous shaft of light lit up the space around me as a car entered the garage, headlights blazing, speeding straight toward me, blinding me. I flung up my hand as the car came to a screaming halt in front of me and a man jumped out.
Chapter Eleven
"Emily?"
It took me a second to realize it was Ethan. I didn't know what the hell he was doing here, but I was more than happy to see him. I ran forward, throwing my arms around his neck.
"You're okay," he said, giving me a tight hug. "Why are the lights out?"
"I don't know. They went off when I got into the garage. There's someone else around. I could hear their footsteps." I took a breath as I forced myself to step out of his embrace.
His gaze swept the area, as did mine, but even with the beams from his headlights illuminating the area, nothing seemed out of place. Maybe whoever had been following me had ducked out of sight when Ethan's car had come into the garage.
"Let's get you out of here," he said. "Where's your car?"
"Right there," I said, pointing to the white SUV parked about ten feet away.
He walked me to my vehicle. It was locked, and there was no sign that anyone had tampered with the car. I opened the doors, and he motioned for me to wait as he checked out the interior. Then he dropped to his knees and flashed the light from his phone on the undercarriage of the car.
That did nothing to ease my fears.
"What are you looking for?" I asked.
"Problems," he said vaguely. "I think you're okay. But why don't we switch cars? I'll drive yours out of the lot. You follow in mine."
I stared at him in surprise. "I can't let you do that."
"You can," he returned.
"But what if there is something wrong?"
"There's not. I just want you to feel more comfortable."
"I can drive my car," I said, steeling myself to slide behind the wheel.
"I'll follow you," Ethan said. "But let's not go to your place. Why don't we get a drink, maybe some food?"
I liked the idea of going somewhere besides home where I had no idea what else was waiting for me.
"Maverick's Burger Joint is about a mile from here," he said.
"I know it."
He gave me a reassuring look. "It's going to be fine, Emily."
I didn't think that was true, but I appreciated his attempt to make me feel better. "I hope so," I muttered.
He waited until I'd locked the door and then returned to his car. He pulled to the side so I could back out, then followed me up the ramp to the exit. When I got there, I realized both the entrance and exit doors were open, which was unusual. It was also probably how Ethan had gotten in without a security code and maybe how whoever had been in the garage with me had come in.
Although, I still had no idea if the lights going out had been deliberate. It wasn't like anyone had grabbed me. And they had had the opportunity to do that. I'd heard footsteps, but no one had gotten close enough for me to see them.
But wasn't that the whole point of this reign of terror I was living under? Someone wanted to scare the hell out of me, and they were succeeding more and more each day. Now I would be constantly on edge, always looking over my shoulder, suspecting the worst from any unforeseen situation, like the lights going out.
Despite trying to tell myself that it could have been a coincidence, I knew it wasn't. Someone had cut the lights when I'd entered the garage. They'd been waiting for me.
Who?
The word screamed at me as it ran around my head in unrelenting repetition. Someone from my office? Was it Jonah? Was the guy I thought was my friend secretly trying to drive me crazy? He'd known I was in the office. He'd asked me to help him after my friends left. Had he known that request would make me stay alone on my own in the office?
I stopped at a light and ran a hand through my hair, then turned up the air conditioning, because I was sweating through my shirt. Looking in the rearview mirror, I saw Ethan behind me.
That brought forth another question. Ethan had left with Sophia. Why had he come back at just the right time?
Could I trust him?
My gut twisted into another knot.
Everyone was looking like a suspect. But it wasn't everyone; it was just one person, and I couldn't imagine Ethan having any kind of motive. He was the only one in my life who couldn't possibly think I had wronged him.
Coworkers might be jealous of my success, angry about my alleged favoritism from Francine, my good luck at getting to step in for Mitchell. And if I looked outside my work life, there wasn't really anyone to think about, except those people further back in my past, my high school friends, maybe Cassie who thought I'd pushed Kimmy Taylor down the stairs and had done the same to Mitchell. Hell, maybe it was Kimmy herself, although I hadn't seen her in a decade. And then there were the people I'd known when Jimmy and I had pulled off his cons. There were too many of those to count.
With a sigh, I hit the gas, thrilled to turn in to the restaurant parking lot a few minutes later. It was almost six, but it was a Sunday night, so hopefully we'd be able to get a table at the popular restaurant. I hadn't eaten all day. And I was hungry. But first, I just wanted a glass of wine and a chance to feel safe enough to take a full breath.
Ethan met me by my car, and we made our way into the restaurant. After a momentary wait, we were ushered to a table by the back wall, which was quieter than those near the bar and kitchen. I sat down and let out a breath. Ethan rested his arms on the table as he gave me a thoughtful look.
Then he said, "Want to tell me exactly what happened?"
"First, I have a question for you. Why did you come back? How did you know I was in trouble?"
"I didn't know, but I had a bad feeling. When I left your building, I was parked out front, on the street. After Sophia and I got in the car, I saw someone come speeding out of the garage. It looked like the guy I'd seen in your conference room earlier."
"Wait? How did you see Jonah?"
"When I took my call, I walked by the conference room. You mentioned you were sticking around to work with him, and I wondered why he'd left. I couldn't get it out of my head. Luckily, Sophia's apartment was just a few miles away. I dropped her off so she could get her car, and I headed back. When I saw the garage door open, my bad feeling got worse."
"I'm so glad you came back. I didn't know Jonah had left until I went looking for him. I was thinking about what Sophia said, so it took me a few minutes to pull myself together and seek him out. I was shocked when he wasn't in the conference room. When I realized I was alone in the suite, I left immediately. As soon as I hit the garage, the lights went out.
I turned on the flashlight on my phone, but I couldn't see much, and I started to panic. I could hear footsteps behind me, but I couldn't see anyone. I thought I heard a car door open and close. I felt someone's presence closing in, and then you came roaring into the garage. That terrified me, too, until I realized it was you." I paused. "You seem to show up when I need you the most."
"Why do you think Jonah left without telling you?"
"I don't know. Maybe he thought I was tied up with you and Sophia. I should ask him." I took out my phone, then paused as the server took our order. When that was done, I sent Jonah a text, asking him why he'd left without telling me. He answered immediately with a sad face emoji and SORRY in all caps, adding Palmer had gotten a flat tire, and he needed to help him get home.
"Does he have an explanation?" Ethan asked.
"His partner got a flat tire, and he had to leave. He apologized."
"Do you believe him?"
"A couple of days ago, I wouldn't have thought twice about Jonah disappearing, but everyone I thought was a friend is looking like an enemy."
"That's what your enemy wants. Their goal is to make you feel rattled and paranoid."
"They're doing a very good job," I said, happy to see my wine arrive. I picked up the chilled glass of chardonnay and took a bigger gulp than normal. "Thanks for suggesting this. Being in a busy restaurant feels like the safest place to be right now."
He took a swig of his beer. "Did you actually see anyone in the garage?"
"No. I just heard footsteps. And before you ask, I've never seen the lights go out in the garage like that. It's never bright down there, but it's always lit. There are a dozen other companies in the building that use that garage. You saw how many cars were in there, even on a Sunday. I never think twice about parking there. And I've never seen the gates open like they were."
"I think the garage doors were deliberately left open, or they opened when the lights went out in case it was an emergency. With the power off, the gates might not open, which would trap vehicles inside the garage."
"That makes sense. This is good. I need your objectivity. I was feeling panicked even before I entered the garage, so maybe things weren't as dire as I thought."
"I'm not saying you imagined anything, Emily."
"I wish you could say that. I'd rather think I was just being paranoid than that there was something to be scared about."
"You're not being paranoid. Something is going on. And I suspect the lights were part of it. But we can't solve the problem right this second, so what are you going to eat?"
His pragmatic question eased my tension and gave me something else to think about. I picked up the menu. The burger choices were so vast and varied, I couldn't focus. Luckily, I'd been to Maverick's before. "The Surfrider," I said, putting down the menu.
"That looks good," Ethan said. "I'll join you. With sweet potato fries."
"Me, too. That's funny. Most of my friends opt for regular or truffle fries."
"Nothing better than the sweet potato fry."
I smiled. "I have to agree, and I'm a connoisseur when it comes to burgers and fries."
"Really? How did you get to be so experienced?" he asked.
"A steady diet of fast food as a kid. I have a fondness for the burger over tacos, chicken tenders, or pizza, because whenever I was sad, my mom would always take me out for a burger. Burgers and a trip to the beach solved all problems. She probably should have been taking me for salad or vegetables, so I would have started a love affair with a healthier option, but it was always a burger. There's a place called Tommy's. Do you know it?"
"I know it," he said with a nod. "Late-night chili burgers at Tommy's. Nothing better."
"Slightly better if you add the chili fries with onions."
"Good point."
"So, tell me a little about yourself, Ethan. I don't know much about you. Did you grow up with two parents? Any siblings?"
"Yes. I grew up with two parents, who were probably too young to have me. My mom got pregnant when she was nineteen and my dad was twenty. He was a surfer, and she was a student. They did whatever jobs they could get to keep us afloat. My dad worked at a fish and bait shop on the wharf and taught surfing. My mom was either working in retail or restaurants. They were always trying to make ends meet, sometimes not so successfully. But they were good parents. And when I was eight, my younger brother was born. I quickly realized that he would be my responsibility as well as theirs, but that was okay with me, because I loved him the second he was born."
I leaned forward, fascinated by the emotion I heard in his voice, making me realize how distant Ethan had been until now. "What did your parents think of you joining the Marines?" I asked.
"My mother was terrified I was going to die. My father distrusted institutions of any flavor, so he wasn't a fan of me signing up. But there was no money for college, so that wasn't an option. And I couldn't see myself working for next to no money like my parents had done their whole lives, always barely scraping by. When Steven started talking about joining up, I decided why not? I liked adventure."
"That's really how you thought about joining the Marine Corps?" I asked in surprise "That it would just be an adventure? You weren't worried about being killed?"
"Did I mention I was a stupid nineteen-year-old who didn't give it a lot of thought?"
"It must have been a shock when you found it was more than an adventure."
"I wanted to quit at least six times in the first week, but there was something about it I liked. I found a structure I'd longed for. My parents had had no rules. They were too busy working or enjoying the little free time they had to worry about what I was doing, and I was going down a dangerous road. With some distance, I could see that. When I joined the military, I grew up fast. I realized that there was a much bigger world out there, and I wanted to see it. I found a patriotism I hadn't really known I had. It felt good to protect my country, to feel like I was doing something that mattered. And while I missed my little brother, I was part of a very close team."
"It still must have been terrifying at times."
"It was, but I survived."
Hearing the passion in his voice as he described the military, I wondered where all that drive had gone, because he didn't seem to have it anymore. Even Tom had wondered why he was just drifting from job to job. "Why did you leave?" I asked.
"It was time," he said. "Coming home didn't turn out the way I had hoped, but it was still the best decision."
"Because Steven died."
"Yes," he said flatly.
"Do you miss being in the military?"
"I miss my unit, my friends, but I don't miss the action." He paused as the waiter delivered our food. "This looks good."
It did look good, but I was a little sorry the arrival of the food had interrupted our conversation. But Ethan was already digging in, so I did the same.
For a few moments, we just ate in comfortable silence. As we finished up, Ethan said, "Let's get back to you, Emily."
I sighed. "Do we need to?"
He smiled. "Tell me when you decided to be a director."
That was the easiest question he had ever asked me. "In high school when I joined the drama club," I answered. "I didn't know if I could actually do it. I didn't have an education. In fact, most of my school records were faked at one point or another. But I always loved the movies, escaping into a story that would take me far away from my life. I wanted to be a part of that world. I thought about acting, too. But that felt too close to the life I wanted to leave behind. I also thought about writing, but while I'm good at seeing the big picture, I get impatient writing down details. I see them in my head. I want to make them come to life through action and dialogue. So when I was in college, I focused on classes in directing, thinking that was my path. Only there aren't many female film directors, so I knew it would be an uphill battle."
