Page 63 of Sail Away
“Okay, but he still has something he wants to achieve, and I go back to him wanting this deal with Hans and wanting you out of the company doesn’t equate to these elaborate plans that have been in the works for months. And that brings me to my sister. Callie’s read the emails. I looked at the information you sent me. We’re missing something.”
Reid’s door rattled. A second later, Darcie came barreling in, all out of breath.
She held up the computer, pointing at the screen. “He plans on… plans on… plans on…”
“Slow down and breathe.” Reid took the laptop from her shaking hands and closed the door. “I’ve got your brother on speaker. Now what are you babbling on about?”
Her chest heaved. Her eyes were as big as golf balls as she waggled her finger. “Note. Fake. From Reid.”
“Look at me.” Reid took her by the biceps and made eye contact. “In through the nose, and out through the mouth.” He nodded as she inhaled sharply, then exhaled loudly. “That’s it.” He’d never known her to panic, so whatever had her spooked had to be something big. “Take your time.”
“Jag. You’re going to need to get involved now.”
“I already am,” Jag said.
“No. I mean officially.”
Reid ran his thumb over her cheek, wiping away a single tear.
“Why? What happened?”
“I found a note on the server,” Darcie said. “Preston plans on killing Reid and making it look like suicide.”
“He’s planning what?” Reid grabbed the computer.
“The best part is in your suicide note, you blame me for getting you hooked on cocaine.”
The laptop slipped through his fingers and landed on his toes. “Fuck.” He jumped up and down.
“I need a copy of that note and anything else you found,” Jag’s voice crackled over the cell.
Reid picked up the computer and sat down at the desk. He waved to Darcie. “Get my cell,” he said. “Jag. You’ve already got copies. At least, Callie does. I’m texting you the file names and directories now.” Reid clicked one of the other tabs and glanced over Preston’s elaborate scheme to get back at Reid.
“Holy shit,” Reid mumbled.
“What is it?” Darcie stood behind him with her hands on his shoulders.
“I thought he destroyed it.”
“What?” Darcie repeated.
Reid reached out with a shaky hand and circled his finger over the screen. He couldn’t bring himself to touch the words on the page.
“Erin’s digital journal, and her suicide note.” He split the screen between the note Preston had written pretending to be Reid and the one Erin had left behind. His stomach soured as he compared the two passages. Not completely identical, but close enough.
“And he used Erin’s words to write mine.”
12
“Relax. Everything is going to be fine.” Reid took Darcie into his arms and kissed her forehead. “Your brother and his friends are taking care of it.”
“It’s almost dinnertime. What if my brother can’t get this all sorted out before this Hans guy shows up, and Preston wants to cart you off to your death?”
“That’s not going to happen.” At least Reid hoped that wasn’t on the menu for dessert. Of course, he didn’t know if he was scheduled to die by bungee failure or diving disaster. Either way, he had no intention of having his heart stop beating anytime soon.
“It better not. You owe me a proper feelings discussion,” Darcie said.
He chuckled. “I owe you a lot of chats. One of which includes my undying support of your career choice.”
