But with that conclusion came the part of Emma’s personality both Sam and Jacob had nailed.
Emma still had a crush, and I wasn’t sure how to handle that yet.
I watched Emma walk toward the front door of my home as she continued to make a few notes. I released the breath I was holding, ready to head to my room to go pack. I wouldn’t need much on the trip. My laptop. My paperwork. A couple of suits and my toiletries. I needed to call my retainer pilot to make sure the jet was cleaned, gassed, and ready to go for the trip tomorrow morning.
Emma, however, turned around on the porch and caught my attention.
“This might get me fired, but I’ll take the chance,” she said. “Mr. Steele, you’re bred differently than Miss Samantha, and I felt it needed to be said. I’ve worked under your employ for four years, and there have been many women you’ve courted on your arm. But none of them were like Sam. You deserve better than she can give you.”
“You’re right,” I said. “None of them were like Sam. Sometimes, a change is nice. But I will warn you right now, Miss Emma. You are treading on thin ice with your position. There are many women—and men—who would kill for your job. I suggest you start remembering the boundaries we put forth a couple of years ago, so I don’t have to fire you too.”
I watched her face morph into something akin to shock before she turned on her heels. She walked, her back straight and her head bowed, to the cab she had come in. I watched the cab pull away from the front of my home just as John came walking up the driveway, the signed paperwork in his hand.
I knew I would have to eventually deal with Emma and this debacle later.
But right now, I had bigger issues on my plate.
Chapter 10
Sam
“WHY, HELLO THERE,” Derek said.
“Hey, it’s Sam.”
“I know. Hence why I answered the phone the way I did,” he said.
“Right. Okay. I’m trying to compile a suspect list.”
“Do we really need to do this over the phone?” he asked.
“Yes, we do. I’m trying to compile this list, but you haven’t given me all the information I need.”
“Well, Miss Williams, it’s hard to get my hands on some things when I’m trying not to tip people off to the fact that something is wrong.”
“Not my problem. I didn’t instate that necessity. John isn’t only there to keep an eye on you at work. He’s also there to help you get the information I need. But, he’s also authorized to venture out on his own.”
“What the hell does that mean?” he asked.
“It means you’re no longer in control. The only way this happens the way you want it to is if it doesn’t hinder me getting the information I need. It if does, one well-placed phone call to the man in your office, and I have what I need within minutes.”
“I don’t do well to being strong-armed, Miss Williams.”
“Someone’s trying to kill you. You no longer have a choice.”
“Can you at least walk me through your train of thought?” he asked.
“Is that something that interests you?” I asked.
“Since you’re intent on reminding me of things I already know, yes. It does interest me.”
“I suspect Griggs or someone on your previous security team has something to do with this.”
“Why? Because they have access to my things?” he asked.
“Yes, but also because they seem competent and capable of handling something like this. But they aren’t.”
“Your suspicion of them is based on the fact that they can do their job?” he asked.
“And they aren’t. That is key. Someone got into your room and laid a letter on your bed, and you’re telling me a competent security team that specializes in high-profile clients who have the best technology at their fingertips couldn't catch it?”
“Okay, you have a point.”
“I did some digging on your team, and I found something strange,” I said.
“Can you talk about this anomaly?”
“Yes. According to some of their previous clientele, this team keeps making the same mistakes.”
“So, it could be that this is normal for them. Someone’s figured out their mistakes, and they’re exploiting them.”