Chapter 45
Abigail
“Chat?” he repeated, his tone making the word sound like an unanswered question. His surprise was clear, exposed by a faint stammer before he cleared his throat. “What… uh, what about?”
1 glanced at the dashboard clock, talding note of the time. That might work to my advantage, it was nearing lunchtime. “It won’t take long,” I promised, smoothing down the front of my blouse as though he could see me.” And since I’m probably cutting into your lunch break, I insist that lunch will be on me. Consider it my way of thanking you for hearing me out.”
There was a pause, long enough for me to imagine him debating whether to protest. “That’s not necessary,” he began, but I cut him off, my tone firm but still friendly.
“Busy with work for Alexander? I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.”
“No,” he said, “You’re not. I’m not swamped at the moment. I’m just not sure we have anything to discuss.”
“Are y
you really going to reject my request without even hearing what I have to say?” I countered, arching a brow even though I knew he couldn’t see it. “Come on, Daniel. At least let me make my case before you reject me.”
He sighed, and I could almost hear the surrender in the exhale. “Fine,” he said, sounding absolutely defeated. You’d never guess he was getting a free lunch. “Where do you want to meet?”
The question caught me off guard. I hadn’t planned this far ahead, but I quickly rattled off the first place that came to mind. “The Seasons Autumn,” I said smoothly, my confidence growing as I spoke. I had been there twice, once to celebrate my birthday, and secondly as Conrad’s date to a business lunch. It was one of those places where the waitstaff moved like choreographed dancers and the food was plated like art. Perfect. “Do you know it?” “Of course,” he said, his tone now a touch cautious. “Are you sure? It’s… well, it’s not exactly casual.” “Exactly,” I replied, pleased with myself for the choice. The Seasons Autumn would provide the privacy we needed without the stiffness of a private dining room. If Daniel was this reluctant now, I couldn’t imagine how awkward things might have been if I had mentioned a private dining room. “I think it’s the perfect setting.” Another pause. I could tell he was trying to piece together my motivations. Before he could argue further, a loud grumble from my stomach echoed in the silence of my car. I froze, mortified, although I was grateful he couldn’t hear it. The sound was a pointed reminder that apart from the meager bite of pie at Marcy’s, I hadn’t eaten all day. In my rush to get to the police station and then to Marcy’s, breakfast had been an afterthought–a mistake I was now regretting
Trubbed my stomach absentmindedly, a pang of guilt twisting inside me. “I’ll do better,” I murmured under my breath, a silent promise to the little life growing inside me, I’d been so caught up in my own whirlwind of emotions and tasks that I hadn’t stopped to care for myself or for the baby. That had to change.
“Mrs. Remington?” Daniel’s voice jolted me back to the moment. “Are you still there?”
My cheeks burned with embarrassment. I cleared my throat willing my voice to remain steady. “Yes, I’m here. Sorry, just got distracted for a second.”
There was a brief pause, and then he chuckled lightly. “Alright. What time should I be there?”
“The next one hour would be great.”
“So, I just ask for a reservation under your name when I get there?”
“Yes,” I confirmed, glad he couldn’t see my flushed face. “ll make the reservation as soon as we hang up. Thank
Chapter 45
you, Daniel,”
“You’re welcome, ma’am,” he replied. “I’ll see you there.
With that, I ended the call and immediately navigated to the restaurant’s website to secure the reservation. As I filled out the reservation details, I couldn’t help but feel a small flicker of satisfaction. Despite the way the morning had gone, I’d managed to get back some measure of control. The reservation confirmed, I set my phone aside and leaned back in my seat, exhaling deeply.
My eyes drifted to Marcy’s house in the rearview mirror. The peeling paint on the shutters, the overgrown yard, the faint light in the living room–It all felt so inconsequential now, like the backdrop to a play I wanted no part of. Without warning, my stomach let out a louder, insistent growl, and another wave of guilt washed over me. I really owed my baby better than this.
Without a second glance, I started the car and drove away, leaving the house, and the bitter encounter behind me. As I navigated the winding streets on my way to The Seasons Autumn, my thoughts drifted to Daniel. There was something about him. He was shrewd, no doubt about it, but there was also an air of mystery around him. He’d been kind when we first met, careful in how he handled information, but was he trustworthy?
That question lingered like an itch I couldn’t scratch. I couldn’t afford to make mistakes and let potential leads slip between my fingers like I had done with Marcy today, and for now, Daniel Woods was my best shot at uncovering the truth. That much was clear. But relying on someone else came with its own set of risks. I would just have to tread carefully.
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries wafted into the car as I passed a noisy food truck, and my hunger demanded my attention again as I began to crave croissants and scotched eggs. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, forcing myself to look away and focus on getting to The Seasons Autumn.
It was a good first step, one that could finally glimpse the scales in my favor. All I needed now was for Daniel Woods to live up to the potential I had glimpsed in him. And if he didn’t… well, I’d cross that bridge when I got to
- it.
+25 BONUS
