What John answered seemed to jive with what I saw on the security feeds. Figuring this out was going to require a much deeper dive into the employee list. I’d have to get back to my house or Derek’s before I placed a call to Lance to see what he could dig up, but I knew I could do it. This person was good, but I was better.
I was always better.
My phone buzzed with a message from John, and I opened it. My eyes scanned the words as I got up from the chair. For now, the only hard evidence I had was Jacob and his wounds in the hospital. Plus, I wanted to make sure Derek wasn’t running his mouth on things he didn’t need to be running his mouth on.
Jacob didn’t arrive on time. Went to go f
ind him. Found him face first, unconscious.
That would explain how Jacob broke his glasses and confirms the story of him getting whacked in the back of the head. I was angry that John hadn’t been with Jacob every step of the way, but in his defense, I hadn’t ordered him to do that with Jacob. He was only ordered to watch over the installation of the cameras in and around Derek’s office. He had taken up Jacob’s protective detail of his own volition.
I just wished he hadn’t been so sloppy about it.
Chapter 19
Derek
A Few Days Later
JACOB WAS IN THE HOSPITAL for four days before he was released. I had a new pair of glasses made and rushed to the hospital for him so he could be discharged as quickly as possible. Even though I told Jacob to go home and rest, he still wanted to stop by the office for a few things. So, I told him to meet me in my office as soon as he got to the building.
I was going to make sure this man went home to get some rest.
I was also going to make sure a bodyguard was sent with him.
“Knock, knock.”
“Hey there, Jacob. Come on in,” I said.
“Don’t give me that pitying smile. I promise I’m fine,” Jacob said.
“You were beaten unconscious four days ago. You’re not okay,” I said.
“About that. You told me if I ever remembered anything to let you know.”
“Yeah?” I asked. “Did you remember something about the voice?”
“No, but things are coming back to me a little differently. I mean, I was hit twice, and there was a voice, but I also tried to scare the person off.”
“What do you mean? Did you try to swing at them or something?”
“Have you seen me? Hell, no. But I did respond to them,” he said.
“Do you remember what you said?” I asked.
“I told them special precautions were being taken, and they wouldn’t win. Not when going up against you. I’m wondering if that’s why I wasn’t hit again. You know, to shut me up more.”
“You’re sure you said that,” I said.
“I can hear my own voice clear as day,” he said.
“Well, I still want John on your detail. I know you don’t like him following you around, but you’ve been attacked, and we still don’t know by whom.”
“But it’s scaring people, Derek. Everyone’s beginning to ask questions, and I don’t know what to tell them.”
“You don’t have to tell them anything,” I said. “Just say you feel better with him around after being attacked. That would be anyone’s logical move.”
“It wasn’t your logical move,” Jacob said.