Page 31 of The Gilded Cuff
Yeah, definitely crazy.
Still, if he had stayed, she would have panicked. She needed her space, to reclaim herself again in whatever way she could. She was on the edge of falling off, losing herself to him and his world.
Despite her relief at being alone, the emptiness of the bathroom left her feeling oddly hollow. How had Emery’s presence become more crucial to her than her privacy?
After forcing herself through the motions of washing, she got out and threw on some workout clothes. She wasn’t a fan of competitive sports, couldn’t even name more than five professional football teams, but she loved to exercise. Tennis would be a welcome distraction. And with Cody, she might get some answers to her burning questions.
He was waiting in the hall outside Emery’s bedroom. He wore a gray t-shirt and black basketball shorts and running shoes. She bit her lip to hide a smile.
“What?” he asked curtly.
“I thought you’d be wearing a polo shirt and short tennis shorts. You look like you’re ready to go play a pick-up game of basketball.”
“Yeah…I’m not like the Bossman. He’s old school, all class and East Coast money. I’m from inner city Chicago.”
Cody lifted his chin. The shuttered, defensive expression on his face made her heart ache. He was as out of place as she was in this world of luxury.
She offered him a smile. “I’m from Manhattan, Kansas. I’m not exactly at home here either.”
Cody’s face softened. He handed her one of the two tennis rackets. “Let’s do this so I can get back to work.”
Sophie caught him by the arm, halting him. “Hey, you want to ditch tennis? I’d rather talk.”
The fleeting moment of trust she’d established with him faded. His spine stiffened and he slid back a step.
“If it’s about Emery, we don’t talk about him.”
He started walking. She rushed to catch up, trying to match his long strides.
She fisted a hand in his t-shirt sleeve to get him to look at her. “No. You will talk to me because last night he went into some sort of mental episode and locked me out.”
Cody froze. His fingers clenched the tennis racket.
“Emery flashed back the second he heard the clock chime and talked to me as though I were Fenn.”
“The chime? Of the clock in the hall? Shit!”
He tossed the racket and started running. Sophie dropped her own racket and ran after him.
Cody ran down the steps two at a time and skidded to a stop in front of the clock. He opened the wood panel at the base and ripped out several little pieces of metal, shoving them into his pockets. He studied the clock and the swinging pendulum with a deep scowl.
He flicked his eyes to hers. “Hans removed the parts from this clock years ago. It should never have been able to chime. I’m tossing these parts in the trash.”
“So who put the parts back in?” Sophie reached out to touch the rich smooth wood of the clock’s base.
“I don’t know, but I have to find out. If you ever hear that clock or any other clock chime in this house, you get me or Hans immediately.”
Sophie gritted her teeth. “Only if you tell me why.”
Silence passed, and Cody breathed hard as he considered her. “Fine, but not here. Let’s go to my office.”
She followed him down another series of halls, ever more aware of the massive size of Emery’s home. Cody paused in front of a gilded door with a keypad entry. He quickly punched in a code and the locks clicked. He gripped the brass knob and opened the door for her to enter.
Cody’s office was a cornucopia of gadgets and computer gear. She’d definitely stumbled into Batman’s cave.
“Welcome to the Larson Command Center.” He pulled back a cushy chair and let her sit down, then shut the door and picked up a little black box. He flicked a switch and the blinking red light on the side changed to a steady green glow.
“What’s that?” Sophie pointed to the box as he sat down in the chair next to her.
