Who I Am With You (21 page)

“It does seem convenient the machine fell straight down.”

Unsure how to answer, Olivia simply nodded.

“You’ve been back at VDB Enterprises for a month?”

“A little under. About three weeks and two days.”

“You have an arrest record.”

“Is that a question?”

“Merely an observation. Since your return, have you come across any disgruntled employees? Anyone who may have beef with your family? Or the company?”

“No. Everyone has been wonderful. Better than I built it up in my head.”

“And why’s that?”

“I have an arrest record,” she repeated his earlier statement. “The last nine years haven’t been the prettiest for me and gossip trickles in.”

“So you were afraid there would be opposition to an ex-drug addict working for such a high profile enterprise?”

“To put it plainly, yes.” She sighed. “But as I said, as far as I know, everyone’s been supportive. At least to my face.”

Detective Schulte nodded again while writing in his tiny notebook and she tried not to tap her fingers on her desk. Cops. They had such impressive poker faces, an ability she wished for when the officer’s gaze returned to her.

“Tell me about Thomas Fillini.”

She jerked. “What about him?”

“You’ve known him since you were a child, correct?”

“I have.” Olivia pursed her lips, unsure where he was going. “He was my father’s best friend and an uncle to me.”

“Have you noticed anything different with him since you’ve returned?”

Confusion set in, but under it, a layer of unease began to manifest. She shifted in her seat, wishing she had a better answer.

“Everyone changes over the course of nearly a decade, Detective. That being said, he does have a short temper, something I didn’t notice before, but perhaps it’s always been there. The Thomas I see now is unhappy and troubled, which saddens me because I remember him being jolly and positive. Nothing got him down.”

“He’s also broke, in the middle of a nasty separation, and has vocally questioned the integrity and leadership of VDB’s CEO, Simon Greene.”

The full implication washed over her and she went with her gut instinct—to protect. “You think Thomas could be responsible for these incidents? He’s given his life for this company, started here fresh out of college. He’s family.”

Still, the hair on the back of her neck pricked, seeing how poorly the situation looked to a seasoned detective. Thomas’s outright dislike of Simon came across as suspicious, as if he orchestrated these so-called accidents to frame Simon in order to take over the position he clearly coveted. Was this new Thomas capable of that? The inability to answer the question filled Olivia with trepidation and sweat formed on her upper lip. Nausea erupted violently in her stomach to even consider his involvement and she pressed a hand to her quivering belly.

“We’re investigating anyone who had access to those forged permits. Including the man whose signature is on them.”

“Simon? Now you’re being ridiculous,” she scoffed. “The blame falls on him regardless. Why put himself in that position?”

“To swoop in and save the day, convincing all his naysayers he isn’t as incompetent as they think.” The detective reached up and scratched his wide nose, his small brown eyes not giving away a single detail. “Simon grew up around construction sites and equipment, working for his father. It’s the kind of knowledge whoever was responsible would likely have.”

No. No way. She opened her mouth to come to Simon’s defense but paused. Why was it easier to believe Thomas capable and not Simon? Shaking her head, she said, “So, you’re concentrating on those two?”

“Not necessarily. We have a couple weak leads, which I can’t discuss at the moment.” He set his notebook on the desk and leaned forward. “Despite your colorful past, Miss Van den Berg, I respect your opinion here. Not having been in this office, especially since Simon’s arrival, gives you a unique perspective. Fresh eyes, so to speak. You might see things others don’t, note interactions we may dismiss.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a business card. “If you think of anything else, please contact me any time of the day.”

On weak knees, she stood when he did, trying not to show how rattled she was by the two suspects on his list and the ramifications of each scenario. Moving around her desk, she posed another question.

“Couldn’t this be a random act of sabotage? From an outside source? A competitor maybe?”

Detective Schulte shrugged, tucking away his notebook and pen. “It’s possible, but they still had to have an inside connection. Access to VDB Enterprises’ permits and Simon’s signature to forge. Don’t worry. We’ll have this contained before anything else happens. Good day, Miss Van den Berg.”

She mumbled goodbye and returned to sit woodenly at her desk. Her mind conjured each man, looking for any tiny little hint they could be behind this, hating herself when she came to a single conclusion. Thomas did not come out looking good. He had access, means, motive, and it killed her. She remembered accompanying him and her father to baseball games, playing horseshoes with him at the Hamptons house during family barbecues. Thomas existed in so many of her childhood memories and she swallowed the growing lump in her throat. Would he have fallen so far that he’d want to hurt her family.

H
e should not be here.

The phrase ran on a continuous loop through Duncan’s shell-shocked mind as he followed Olivia into her grandmother’s house. Scratch that. Damn thing wasn’t a house, more like a mansion, and he was far from ready to meet Catherine Van den Berg. Dealing with Olivia’s heritage was one thing. She didn’t act like the snob he initially thought she’d be. He imagined this woman would be a different story entirely and buried the urge to snarl.

They’d gone to a barbecue joint for dinner and, on the way home, Olivia remembered she needed an old file from her dad’s office. The entire thing was innocent, he didn’t doubt her intentions, but he might have been a little more relaxed if there’d been time to prepare. He still wore his ratty FDNY t-shirt, for God’s sake. Not quite how he expected to meet the elegant matriarch of Olivia’s family. Sweet Jesus, he certainly couldn’t count on his winning personality. His mouth filled with cotton and, for the first time in twenty-four hours, he craved a pill—or four.

He was screwed.

A gray haired woman greeted them. “Olivia, what a surprise. Catherine is finished eating if you’re here to visit.”

“I don’t want to bother her if she’s too tired. I’m only here up a couple files of Dad’s.”

“She’s never too tired for you,” the woman replied before shifting her attention to Duncan, making note of his shirt. “Or a handsome visitor. Welcome, and thank you for all you do for this city.”

“Thanks,” he said, clearing his throat. “Just doing my job.”

Olivia glanced at him. “What do you think? Don’t feel pressured. I know this is a surprise and I totally get it if you would rather wait for another time,” she rambled.

Regardless of the words, he read the longing in her expression and saw how much it meant to her. He hated to let her down so he figured he might as well get it over with, knowing her time with Catherine was limited. She met his kids, only fair he returned the favor.

“If she’s up to having a grubby stranger in her room, I don’t mind. I’d like to see where your fire comes from.” The calmness in his voice surprised him, especially since his insides were twisted into a hundred giant knots.

She flashed a breathtaking smile and his heart responded with a thud. “Let me ask her.” Olivia jumped forward and pressed her lips to his. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Duncan watched her bound down the hall and laced his fingers behind his head. This was her only remaining family, he told himself. He sure as hell didn’t want to make a fool of himself, or worse, embarrass her. Christ, he was forty-four years old. He thought he’d moved past awkward first meetings with parents or grandparents. It’d been almost two decades since he met Leslie’s family and even then it hadn’t gone well. He ended up insulting her father and her uncle, knocking a bowl of punch onto beige carpets and stepping on the beloved dog, all in the course of a single afternoon. How he managed to move past that, he’d never know. Of course, now they all hated his guts.

“What have I gotten myself into?” he muttered.

“Catherine’s not as scary as you might think.” He flinched, forgetting the nurse had stayed behind. “Her bark is worse than her bite.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks. I should have dressed better,” he added as an afterthought.

“Oh, don’t worry. You look like a hero.” She winked.

Olivia returned and, judging from the expression on her face, Catherine must have agreed to meet him. He squared his shoulders and drew a deep breath as she reached over and squeezed his fingers.

“Thank you.”

He nodded distractedly and she led him into a large room littered with medical equipment. There wasn’t a chance to brace himself. Too soon, he found himself staring at a wisp of a woman with dry, brittle skin. She remained elegant, though, exactly the way he’d pictured her. In the midst of losing a battle with cancer her hair was styled and she wore an expensive-looking nightgown of silk with intricate lace detail around the neck, as if she refused to give in to the inevitable. He had to admire her tenacity, being stubborn in the face of death was a trait he respected and related to. In fact, it reminded him of Olivia and his chokehold of self-doubt loosened the tiniest bit.

“Catherine, this is Duncan.”

The woman’s attention locked onto him like a missile, her gaze honing in, taking a peek inside his soul, and he doubted she missed anything. Feeling too clumsy and big for the room, he gently shook her offered hand, which was fragile and light as a feather.

“Pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

“Don’t call me ma’am, call me Catherine. I’m dying, but I’m not old.” A raspy laugh escaped her lips, morphing into a cough. “Heard a lot about you.”

He couldn’t decipher the matter-of-fact way she spoke, it gave nothing away as to her impression of him. Olivia perched on the chair next to the bed, but he remained standing, digging into his days at the academy and holding his spine straight. Catherine’s stare never left his face.

To say it put him on edge would’ve been an understatement.

“What are you two up to tonight?” Catherine asked, shifting her focus to Olivia and fussing with the oxygen tube attached to her face.

“We tried this great new southern barbecue restaurant uptown. Awesome food,” Olivia answered.

Catherine closed her eyes, lost in what appeared to be a pleasant memory. “I remember a trip your grandfather and I took to Georgia. Some of the best food I ever tasted. Terrible humidity.” Her eyes snapped open. “Olivia, since you came to look for something of your father’s, why don’t you let me spend a few minutes alone with Duncan?”

Duncan’s stomach plummeted and Olivia questioned him silently with a raise of her eyebrows. Tempted as he was to beg her to stay, he offered her a reassuring nod. She touched his arm as she left.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Catherine spoke. “You’re making me tired standing there. Sit.” She motioned to the chair Olivia vacated. He wiped damp palms on his jeans, a move the woman surely noticed, and sat.

“Do I make you nervous?” she asked, confirming his suspicion.

An unsteady laugh escaped before he could stop it and he blurted an honest answer, “I don’t want to disappoint Olivia.”

“I appreciate that. Do you always dress in this manner?”

If he hadn’t caught the twitch of her mouth, Duncan might have taken offense. She obviously enjoyed playing the grouchy old woman, he mused, using her gruff manner to watch how those around her reacted. It allowed him to draw a full breath of air into his lungs. This behavior he recognized, understood. In fact, it wasn’t much different from the ribbing he took at the station.

“Trust me, if I’d known we were coming, I wouldn’t have shown up looking like a chump. I went straight to Olivia’s after my shift ended.”

“Is being a firefighter rewarding for you?”

He expected there to be disapproval in the question, but he found none. She appeared genuinely interested. Stop being paranoid, he ordered himself.

“It’s a family thing, same as yours in a way. My dad, uncle, and grandfather were all firefighters. Never considered doing anything else.” He shrugged. “Life might have been easier if I had.”

“Your family?”

“Destroyed.”

She skewered him with a shrewd look. “Is it really that bad?”

“Worse. I’m not sure how much Olivia’s told you, but I dealt the same way she did.”

“Drugs, anger, running away?”

Again, he searched her face for judgment. “Yes to the drugs and anger, no to running. It might have been kinder on my wife and kids if I had. I put them through hell and right now, I have no guarantee I won’t continue to.”

Sharing that pitiful piece of information filled him with a new kind of fear. He didn’t know if he could do what Olivia had mentioned the other night and step out of the past.

“You can tell a lot by how a man treats his ex.”

“I’m well and surely screwed then.”

“Maybe, but I also believe in learning from your mistakes. It’s how we grow. Olivia is teaching me how endless the healing process is. I know she’s farther along than you are and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.” A calculating smile spread across her pale lips. “Since her father is gone, it is up to me to ask ... what are your intentions with my granddaughter?”

Duncan rubbed his neck, trying to wipe at the sweat forming. When did it get so hot? “It’s a little soon for that,” he managed to say.

“Agreed. I’m still curious.”

“We’re taking it a day at a time. I don’t want to put any pressure on her, or me. I can’t guarantee it will be perfect, we both continue to struggle with demons, me more than her, but having Olivia in my life helps. Things don’t feel as bleak.”

His skin pricked in her silence and he fidgeted in his seat again. Catherine’s features formed a perfect, unreadable mask. Damn, he’d hate to play poker with her.

“I realize it won’t be easy for either of you to ever move beyond the events of that day, not completely,” she began, her voice growing weaker.

“No, ma’am.”

“I hope you don’t fall back into a place where you’ll drag my Olivia down with you. You’ve been fair with me. I’m only returning the favor.”

She had voiced one of his biggest fears, the chance that he somehow caused Olivia to relapse or get hurt. Duncan didn’t want to do to her what he had done to Leslie. Screwing things up was his specialty, that part of him wasn’t gone. As amazing as Olivia was, she couldn’t cure all his ailments. He had to do the majority on his own.

“All I can say is I’ll try my hardest and damndest to take care of her. I’d give you my word, but it isn’t worth much lately.”

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit.”

Catherine fell into a coughing fit and Duncan grabbed the water glass on the bedside table, holding it as she sipped from the straw.

Once recovered, she reclined and said, “It takes a certain bravery to stick with your particular profession in the wake of what happened September 11th.”

“I don’t know how to do anything else,” he grumbled.

“You’re still fighting, though, and I can relate. I’m not done here. The end is close, closer than I want Olivia to know, but she’s my reason to linger. Not the business, not the money, Olivia.” She wheezed, pausing to catch her breath. “Her courage gives me the strength to face what’s coming next.”

Strange as it sounded, Duncan felt a kinship with this woman. Maybe because they shared Olivia, or maybe because, like she said, she was a fighter, too.

“Are you ready to let your granddaughter have the same kind of peace?”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s convinced herself that working for the company is what she
has
to do, to honor you and her parents. The added strain isn’t good for her.”

Catherine’s eyebrows raised, so high it reminded him of his mom doing the same thing when he stepped over a line. Too late to take it back now.

“She told you this?”

“No, I see it. And I see the joy baking brings to her. She’s not the girl you remember. This Olivia takes pleasure from simple things—perfecting a batch of cupcakes, chilling on the couch with a good movie, visiting a toy store with my kids, going for a walk in the park. It doesn’t make her less of a person to not enjoy the hustle and stress of the corporate world. Better, in my opinion.”

“You think you know what she needs better than her family?” Disdain laced her tone.

“Maybe, considering we have spent the same short time span with this new version of Olivia.”

“She’s falling back into the girl she was before, filled with determination and ambition.”

“Which puts unnecessary stress on her.”

“I’m giving her a legacy.”

“But does she want it? Have you even asked?” His mouth went dry as soon as the words exited his mouth. Rein it in, McMurray, he lectured silently.

“Olivia is a big girl. It was her decision to return to VDB. Not mine.”

“Are you sure about that? That she didn’t do it
for
you?”

“I appreciate your honesty and your arguments are noted.” She smoothed her blanket daintily with trembling fingers. “I want to make her happy.”

Shuffling drew his attention to the doorway and he watched Olivia reenter. Catherine was nearly asleep so he whispered goodbye and patted her hand, then stepped outside to let Olivia do the same. Neither of them said anything until they were on the street. He turned to her and she blindsided him by planting a big kiss on his lips.

“What was that for?” Tension seeped from his body. He felt like he’d faced the damn Pope.

“I’m happy you got to meet her. Thank you.” She grinned. “I think she liked you.”

“How can you tell? The woman would kick ass at Texas Hold’ Em.”

She considered it for a second, eyes crinkling in amusement. “Wow, you’re right. I’d never bet against her, not with her ability to keep a straight face.” Her stare turned earnest. “I know her pretty well and she seemed content when we left.”

He wasn’t convinced. His disturbed mind kept highlighting things he could have done better, emphasizing the dark things he’d said and insisting he’d overstepped with the stuff about Olivia’s career. It dragged him farther and farther down. When they got to her house, he feigned a night with the guys instead of staying with her. Pulling away from her curb, and without another thought, he picked up the phone.