Three Rivers (39 page)

Griffen figured he didn't want to know why, all he knew for sure was he had to get in touch with Althea — as soon as possible.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Althea pulled away from the hotel entrance and immediately called Jenna through the Bluetooth in her car. She needed some of Jenna’s trademark sensibility to help her get her head back on straight.

"Hello?"

"Jenna? It's Tea. You got a minute?"

"Sure girly. I don't have to be on rounds until tonight, so I'm just puttering around the apartment and fixin' to clean up after Aubrey's latest arts and craft disaster with Johnny."

They always let their southern accents come through when it was just the two of them talking and it was helping to soothe Althea's nerves.

"Oh lordy, I don't wanna know," Althea chuckled, grateful for the humorous image to distract her harried mind.

"How'd it go with Griffen?" Jenna asked, bringing Althea back to her worries.

"Well, the night was great, but when I woke up he threw this bomb on me."

As she took her shortcut home, avoiding Liberty Bridge construction traffic, Althea relayed the whole story, preparing herself for an honest second opinion.

"And where are you now?" Jenna prodded after a moment of silence.

Althea sighed, "Headed home. I wasn't thinking clearly and didn't want to keep saying things I couldn't take back."

"So you ran and pushed him away?"

"I guess I know whose side you're on."

"There aren't sides Tea, honey. What he did was totally messed up. He should've been honest with you the whole time, but at least he was eventually? And don't you think he's right — would you have really wanted to know he was doing this?"

"He could've just not done it at all. Or asked for my help."

"Seriously, Tea? You would never be receptive to any bad words about Jack. You would've flipped no matter when he told you."

"Dammit, don't you ever get sick of being right, Jenna?" she grumbled. "Argh, that's Griffen calling again." She groaned. He'd been calling her throughout her conversation with Jenna, but she wasn't ready to talk to him quite yet.

"Are you just going to ignore him?"

"No..."

"
Tea
."

"I know he and I should talk more, I just need to sort through it is all. It's a lot to take in and you know how secrecy from men really upsets me."

"Well, he just tried to call
me
now. What do you want me to do?"

"You can call him back. I'm almost home anyway. I need to see what David wants, then I promise I'll talk to Griffen. Thanks honey."

"Sure."

Griffen's head was spinning as he raced around his suite and prepared to run after Althea.

He'd been so caught up in thinking Jack was guilty, he may have exposed Althea to real harm by snooping around
CMU
the day before.

Why else would David be messing around at Althea's house without her knowledge? On this of all days?

Of course David could've heard Griffen was there asking about his star assistant. He wasn't sure why David would be at Althea's house, rather than coming straight to him, but he didn't have time to wonder about that. All he could do was whatever it took to keep her safe.

After calling to request the valet bring his car around, Griffen quickly dialed 911, giving them Althea's address and informing them an attempted murder was possibly in progress.

He couldn't rely on the police to come in time, he needed to be ready to handle this himself. It'd been years since he'd put himself directly in harm's way, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to face down a badass or two.

David may be desperate, but so was Griffen and he'd fought worse men and won.

Only difference? This time the stakes were so much higher because he actually cared about someone — about
anything
. The only thing that mattered to him was that Althea was safe.

Griffen was more than ready to lay his life down for her, even as the thought of harm coming to her twisted his heart and stomach into angry knots.

He called Althea. No answer. His pulse pounded in his ears, drowning out her voicemail greeting.

"
Althea, it's me again, Griffen. I know you need space, but it's important. David's dangerous, you need to stay away from your home. Please! God, I hope you're listening to these."

He cursed, knowing the chance of her hearing his messages before she walked right into danger were slim to none.

Griffen hurried to his suitcase in the closet, unzipped the inside pocket and grabbed his gun case and knife.

Griffen had done a lot of things he wasn't proud of on his investigations over the years but today he knew he'd do whatever it took to protect Althea.

He'd do it over and over again and be proud of it.

He may have failed Jack when he was alive and then doubted him in death, but he wouldn't — couldn't — fail Althea. Jack would've died for her and so would he. Griffen would rescue her for Jack, for Johnny, for the girls and
goddammit
for himself, too.

He strapped the knife to his ankle and fitted the gun in his back waistband.

With his weapons secured, he ran out of his room.

"Althea! What're you doing here?" David asked in shock as she walked in the door. He turned abruptly, his hands behind his back.

"Good morning to you, too, David. I do live here, you know," she laughed.

"I know that. I just mean why aren't you at work? Is everything okay?"

He was standing near the basement door and seemed nervous, but Althea was too overwhelmed to care. She needed to sort through all that Griffen had told her and then she would call him. That was the right thing to do. Talk through it after she had her feelings under control.

"I had a morning appointment, so I came back here to get ready. What do you need? Are you looking for something?"

"I thought I left something in the basement during Johnny's party."

"In the basement?"

"Yeah, there were those trays you needed remember?"

"Not really, sorry. What did you leave? Maybe I saw it."

"Nothing important. Just something work related."

"Oh no, that sucks, was it research or something?"

"Yeah...or something."

"I'm sorry — haven't seen anything and I don't think I can help you look. I've had the worst morning. I'll look for it later, okay? I don't mean to be rude, but..."

"Are you leaving for work soon?"

"I don't know. I may take a nap. Why?"

"Oh, so you aren't leaving?"

David's eyes kept darting around the room and he was making her very nervous.

"David. Are you okay?"

"Okay? Uh, yeah. Since you're here and not leaving, maybe we can catch up." He seemed far less casual than his words. "Were you with that Griffen guy?"

"David, it's not really any of your business." His eyes were wild and her response made him look frantic. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"Yeah, just wondering what's up with that guy is all. He was on campus asking about Jack yesterday. Do you know anything about that?" His eyes kept glancing around the room, still apparently looking for something.

"Well, I guess that makes sense. He was looking into Jack's last couple weeks."

"Did he have any thoughts? You know, about Jack?"

"I don't want to talk about it. I'm seriously tired."

"Oh. Okay. Uh, here, let me get you some coffee."

She plopped down in the living room, hearing the distant hiss and hum of her
Keurig
. She was frustrated he wouldn't leave, but barring her being flat out rude to David, he seemed intent on staying and finding the work material he'd lost.

David returned a minute later and handed her a cup. Althea thought it odd that his hand was trembling, but figured it was just her own nerves making her see things that weren't there.

"Thanks David." He stood in front of her as she drank it. "Aren't you having any?"

"No. I'm good, thanks," he said softly, looking at his watch.

Griffen hurried to the front of the hotel and jumped into his car, practically knocking over the valet as he stepped out of it. Feeling desperate, Griffen called Althea yet again.

No answer.

Desperate, he dialed Jenna's number.

Another no answer.
Shit!

His mind tormented him as he gripped the steering wheel so tight his hands ached. Everything was a mess. All he could think about was getting her away from David in one piece, but he was helpless if he couldn't get in touch with her.

Each moment that passed was another second she was in danger. She could already be injured for all he knew. Griffen had to force his brain to relax as he changed lanes quickly, cutting off a slow car to his right.

With the Boulevard of the Allies suddenly opening in front of him with a series of green lights Griffen breathed a little more easily and pressed the accelerator hard as he hurried toward the Liberty Bridge to cross the Monongahela River to Althea's home.

His heart eased a little when he saw Jenna returning his call.

Several minutes had passed since Althea politely drank the coffee David had given her, yet he was still making no move to leave. Instead, he was simply staring at her in a completely unnerving way.