“I understand how you feel,” I say. “If you need a reference, I’ll be happy to give you one.”
“I won’t make you lie for me,” she says with a bitter shake of her head. “I slept with Mr. Knight, I helped a blackmailer trap Mr. Alexander in a murder rap—”
“To be fair, it was an honest mistake.” I’m not holding it against her.
“Yes, because I’m such a god-awful secretary, you didn’t let me open your mail.”
I don’t have a good answer for that because it’s true. I’m standing in the office trying to think of a nice send-off when the glass doors open, and a face I never expected to see here emerges.
Slayde pauses in the doorway when he sees Nikki and me standing there. “Hi,” his voice hesitates. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“I was just taking these files away for Derek.” Nikki takes off toward the back office, and I’m left facing the son of my nemesis.
“Would it be okay if we talked in your office?” He steps forward, and his expression is conflicted. “Star told me what happened. I just... I need to ask you some questions.”
“Of course.” I step to the side and motion for him to enter.
He walks in, but doesn’t take a seat. Instead, he steps to the bookshelves and puts his hands in his front pockets as he studies my photographs of Melissa and Dex. I step around my desk and take a seat.
“You hired this guy Bennett to be your private investigator?” He asks, turning to me. “You didn’t know anything about him?”
“I knew his work history,” I say. “I needed someone to work cases here when I moved to Wilmington. He came highly recommended, and Bennett is a common enough name. I’m sorry, but you never entered my mind.”
The young man nods and paces to the other side of my office. “No, I’m sorry.” He stops and faces me, those ice blue eyes burning with intensity. “I’m sorry for what he did to you, the blackmailing and the forcing you to turn yourself in. I’d never have wanted him to do that. I’m not about revenge.”
Nodding, I lift the Montblanc pen off my desk. “I believe you.”
“It sounds like a line, but I’m not sorry I went to prison. I was a waste of space, an ungrateful killer.” He pauses and rubs an inked hand over his mouth, glancing down. “Doc changed my life. I’d never have met him if it weren’t for what you did.”
I knew a little of Slayde’s story. Patrick had explained his transformation to me when we debated whether Lane should spend time with Kenny now that she was dating an ex-con. Based on how I knew him, the answer was an automatic No. However, since leaving prison, Slayde had started over, taken control of his life. He rescued Kenny then he rescued his entire work crew and was named a hero. We’d decided he was one of the rare success stories of the penal system, and it was obvious Kenny couldn’t be more in love.
He looks up at me. “Do you know where this Bennett is now?”
“I haven’t had a chance to look into it,” I say. “It’s only my first day back in the office. But I’m sure I could find him for you.”
“Would you?”
I’m just leaning forward to wake up my computer when a cold voice breaks through our conversation.
“No need to look,” the man says. “I’m right here.”
Slayde spins around just as my head snaps up to see none other than Robert Bennett in the entrance to my office. He’s smiling, leaning against the doorjamb. His brown hair—the same color as his son’s, I notice—is neatly trimmed, and he’s dressed neatly in khakis and a short-sleeved shirt, as if he were just out taking a drive and stopped by the office.
Despite his casual appearance, I’m on high alert. He wanted revenge, and I’m not sure he’s satisfied. Momentary silence fills the air as the three of us assess one another. My attitude is angry, defensive, but I can feel waves of rage rolling off of Slayde. His fists clench, as does his jaw. I’m on guard against what he might do. At the same time, I recall his reputation for control.
“What do you want?” Slayde’s tone is low.
“Shane?” The man says, pushing off and taking a step toward us. “I wasn’t expecting you to be here.”
“My name is Slayde,” the young fighter replies. “Why are you here?”
An evil smirk crosses my former PI’s face, and his dark eyes narrow. “I’ve been keeping tabs on my old employer, waiting for him to be strong enough to get back to work.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
My brows rise. Slayde might be tamed, but a lot of his old ferocity still exists.
“Take it easy, son,” Bennett says, stopping in his tracks. “This is for you. Everything I’ve done has been to avenge your honor.”