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.
“I wasn't attacked. I’m just getting letters.”
“Is that what you call having your life threatened? Derek, I’m trying to contain the chatter. But people are already gossiping. Sooner or later, this thing’s gonna get out.”
“Then we’ll just have to stop it from getting out because that’s not an option,” I said.
“This person’s probably some disgruntled mailroom guy from the merger, but now he knows things are serious. He’s lashed out. Assaulted me. I have a bodyguard. And if someone’s watching like you think they are, they see all that.”
“You’re calling this person a ‘he.’ Any reason why?” I asked.
“No,” Jacob said with a shrug. “But I’m a pretty tall guy. Wouldn’t it take another tall guy to bash me over the head with something?”
He had a point, and it was a point I was going to bring up to Sam as soon as I was done telling him that John was sticking around.
“I’m worried about this, Derek. It isn’t going to end well. Did you know Gretchen was in here sniffling around?” Jacob asked.
“Wait, what?”
“Yeah. I’ve seen her around the office a couple of times. Just in the lobby, but I didn’t think much of it. Trying to see you. Get a slice of what she left. That kind of thing. But now that you’ve gotten so paranoid and you aren’t letting up on this bodyguard thing, I think it’s worth mentioning.”
“And seeing my ex wasn’t worth mentioning before? When was she here?” I asked.
“The day you left for Vegas and a couple of weeks before that.”
“Uh-huh. Funny. I ran into her in Vegas. Said she got a hot tip about me being there with someone's wife or something,” I said.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Was she really snooping around here for a scoop on you? Isn’t she still in Los Angeles?”
“I don’t know, but now that I know she’s been around here, it’s worth looking up.”