“Okay, Delilah, listen to me. You keep him out in the main area. You tell him exactly what we talked about and that it’s all you know. I’m going to send a security guard over to keep observe. When is Carlos coming?”
“He said he’s coming right over.”
“Okay, just a second. I’m going to make a call,” Brandon said and I heard him dial someone else on a cell phone. “Joseph? Hey, this is Brandon. Yeah, I need that private security we talked about. Can you send someone over to the Dating the Rich office right away? Great, I’ll tell her to expect you. Thanks again, brother.”
My heart raced as I looked out the conference room in fear that Carlos would already be there. If he knew we were trying to set him up, there was nothing I could do to stay safe. This whole thing was so dangerous and I had already agreed to put myself right in the middle of it all.
“What’s going on?” I said as I tried to calm myself.
“Remember the head of the security company that was at my house the night we came home from the theater?”
“Yes. Well, I think so.”
I did remember the security guard. I remembered him and Brandon going into the house while I stayed outside waiting for them. It had only been a few days before, but it seemed like it had been weeks, or even months since that night.
“His name is Joseph Rigs and he’s coming to you right now. Put him in a cubicle and let him pretend to work there so he is right by you when Carlos arrives. Okay?”
“Um, yes.”
“Call me when Carlos leaves.”
“Okay, but what if something happens?”
“Delilah, listen to me,” Brandon said calmly. “Nothing is going to happen. Just tell him the same thing you said over the phone. He just wants to see your eyes when you say it. Use your acting skills.”
“Okay, I’m going to go now. I’ll call you when it’s over.”
I had barely been able to hide my nervousness as I talked to Carlos over the phone. How on earth was I going to hide it when he was there in person? I closed my eyes and took a couple deep breaths as I tried to calm down.
This had to go off without a hitch. The whole rest of the plan only worked if I was able to convince Carlos that Brandon was actually doing illegal trading. If Carlos thought he could use the illegal trading as leverage, he would go after even more money. The guys would be able to tape him as he blackmailed Brandon, and hopefully, we’d be able to get that information to the police to use against Carlos.
Everything in the plan worked together, so I had to do my part.
“You’ve got this, Del. You’re a kick-ass actress. You survived losing your husband. You can deal with this,” I told myself as I felt my body calming.
“Del, someone is out here for you,” Mattie said as she peeked into the conference room. “He says his name is Joseph Rigs.”
“Oh, yeah! Yes. Okay, I’m coming. Can he sit in your desk for a minute?”
“What? Why?”
“Just trust me. Okay? I need him to sit there.”
“Fine by me,” she said. “Have him do some of my work while he’s there, too.”
I quickly met with Joseph and got him sitting in Mattie’s spot. He had on some collared shirt and slacks and looked a little more dressed up than the others around us, but it would have to do for the time being.
“Thanks for coming. You can sit here. That’s my desk there. Last time when Carlos came, they just brought him straight up. I think that will happen again.”
“Sounds good. I’m ready,” he said. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Thank you.”
I closed my eyes and tried to keep myself calm as I waited for Carlos to arrive. My thoughts went to Connor and how I had pretended to be calm after my husband’s death. I had used my acting skills back then and I’d use them again now.
When Spencer passed away, it felt like I wouldn’t be able to move, let alone actually take care of my child. Yet I found the strength. I fought to be there for my son and to give him a stable life that wasn’t filled with fear. It hadn’t been easy, and this wasn’t going to be easy, either.
I was terrified. My stomach churned with the unknown