Because I Can (Necklace Trilogy 2)

“You should ask Tyler about it,” she says. “He had to have sent it.”

“Tyler wouldn’t send it to the office when he knew she didn’t work there,” Dash interjects.

“And Tyler knows about it anyway,” I add. “I went to that meet and greet thing with him and his father, and it fell out of my purse. I had it with me to go put it in a lockbox and never got the chance. After the meeting, when I talked to Tyler about it, he seemed pretty broken up about the idea of another man in her life.”

“Well, any idea that she ran off with the other man is null and void if he sent her the necklace.”

My brows furrow with a thought. “Right, but maybe he knows it got lost. I should call the delivery company and see if a claim was filed.”

“While that’s a good idea,” she agrees, “something about this situation feels weird to me. I mean, Allison left abruptly when she was very up and coming at the firm. Why? And of course, logically she did resign and pack her things and leave, or so I assume. If true, that should rule out something far more nefarious.”

“She did resign,” I agree. “That’s the only reason I’ve restrained myself from going down a rabbit hole of too much worry.”

“Barely,” Dash comments, rotating to face me, his hand on my knee. “We both know you’re barely restraining yourself.”

“Okay barely,” I admit. “Bella is right. Something feels off about this. You know it does, Dash. And why won’t she return anyone’s calls? Not even Tyler’s.”

“Assuming the man who sent the necklace to her was the man she was dating, he clearly didn’t leave with her. Hmmm.”

“Hmmm never goes anywhere good,” Dash murmurs, sipping his coffee.

She ignores him and continues as if he hasn’t spoken. “It kind of seems like she’s on the run, doesn’t it? Maybe from the guy who sent the necklace or even Tyler, though I really don’t think Tyler is the stalker type.” Her cellphone rings and she glances down to where it sits on the island. “That’s the record exec I’ve been dealing with.” She’s already on her feet, answering the call. “Hey, Cooper.” She listens a moment. “Yes. Yes. I can meet. I’m dressed for the weekend, but—right. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She hangs up. “I think this is good. I hope it’s good. I have to run.” She grabs her purse. “Did you check Allison’s social media? And maybe she has a dating profile?”

“She has none,” I say. “I looked. That is, speaking of social media. I didn’t think about looking for a dating profile. I’m not even sure how to do that.”

“I’ll check the hot dating sites,” she offers, “and see if I can find her, though I’m certain that will be challenging. As for social media, she has an Instagram. She just uses a cute nickname to keep her professional name protected. Shelly at the office forwarded me a post she did way back when. I’ll look for it when I’m at a stoplight.”

My pulse leaps at the promise of a link to the woman I’ve come to know and yet don’t know at all. “What’s her nickname?”

“A southern girl and her cat,” she says. “She has a Balinese kitty. Beautiful girl, too, like Allison herself.”

A kitty cat, I think, feeling yet another bond to the other Allison, despite not sharing my home with a furry child. I’ve longed to adopt a kitty, but my rental doesn’t allow it. Cute kitties aside, Allison having a social media presence is encouraging. Really encouraging actually. I now have a new way to reach out to Allison and to check in on her.

“And I’m sorry,” Bella adds, “I have to go.” She points at me. “If I find out you’re seeing Tyler and Dash—”

“Never,” I say. “I have never done anything but argue with Tyler.”

“With your clothes on?”

My cheeks heat and there’s a pinch of anger in my chest that I push aside for one reason: she’s reacting to me out of love for Dash. And as painful as it is now, I do appreciate this about her. I like that she protects Dash and as bad as that might feel to him today, I believe it affects his life in a positive way. “There is nothing between me and Tyler, Bella,” I repeat, “and yes, of course, I had my clothes on.”

She studies me a moment and then says, “Okay good.” She looks at Dash. “You know what to do.”

My heart races with the potential meaning behind that statement, but before I can ask her to clarify if that means keeping me or getting rid of me, she rushes to the door and disappears.

CHAPTER NINE

You know what you have to do.