Her assistant tells me to go in, and I knock on the door, waiting for her curt “Come in” before I step inside.
Her office is large, neat, and a bit manly, even if she is the most elegant woman I know. In a way, I understand why people like Jane or even Chris respect her. She’s a very hard worker and made it in a male-dominated world when the odds were against her. I should probably give her the benefit of the doubt, but I just can’t.
Not only has Dad always painted her as a witch, but she also chose Nate to be the only man she’s close to.
It could’ve been any man, so why Nate?
“You called for me?” I ask as soon as I’m inside.
Aspen looks up from the stack of files piled in front of her. “No. I didn’t.”
“Knox said you did… It must’ve been a mistake. Then…”
“Wait.” She stands up and marches in my direction, then towers over me. It’s on purpose, I swear. She likes being taller, prettier, and older than me. She likes having the upper hand in everything.
The witch.
She crosses her arms over her chest and I do the same. What? She doesn’t get to be the only one on the defensive.
“Nate probably didn’t tell you this, but I believe you should know.”
A ball the size of my fist lodges in my throat. Tell me what? That he’s in a relationship with her and will marry her as soon as I’m of age and he divorces me?
Calm down, Gwen, calm down.
“Know what?”
“Kingsley’s accident might not have been an accident.”
So it’s not about her and Nate. Phew. “Wait. What?”
“They found a problem with his car’s brakes. It’s minimal, something that could have been caught during a checkup. But Kingsley hadn’t had his car checked in a while, so the police ruled it as an accident.”
“Yeah, so?”
“So? Do you really think Kingsley wouldn’t know what’s wrong with his car? That man notices everything.”
“Are you saying…？” The ball tightens and blocks my breathing. “Are you saying someone messed with his brakes?”
“I don’t know. Do you?”
“Of course not! But who would want to hurt him?”
“Seriously, now, Shaw? He has more enemies than the fortune he’s amassed. He might have been a doting father to you, but he was a ruthless devil to everyone else.”
“And Nate knows this? He’s aware of the suspicions but never told me?”
“He thinks it’s nothing. We have no proof and that means we can’t ask for a second investigation.”
“Then why are you telling me?”
“So that you’ll watch your back, Shaw’s spawn. You’re too out in the open for your own good. If it’s true and someone tried to kill Kingsley, maybe you’re next.”
“I didn’t know you worried about me.”
“I don’t.” She clears her throat. “I worry about the firm, and Nate, who will be drawn into every mess you make.”
“He’s my husband.”
“On paper.”
I purse my lips. “Maybe it’s not only on paper.”
“What?”
“N-nothing.” Shit, I almost told her our secret. Once again, my temper nearly got the best of me. I swear it’s her face. It’s too beautiful and too put-together and I hate it.
I hate her.
But I keep thinking about her words all day long. Like who would want to hurt my dad?
I decide to investigate on my own. Chris agrees to help me after hours and says he owes me an apology for when he was being judgy.
He drives me to the police station on the back of his Harley, and I demand to have the records of Dad’s accident, but they blow me off.
However, I don’t move from there until a detective from the NYPD who knows my dad lets me into his office and closes the door.
I sit on the faux leather chair and stare at Detective Ford. He’s tall, lean, and has a bald head and black skin. I wouldn’t call him friends with Dad since he goes against him sometimes. Seriously, Nate is Dad’s only friend. Everyone else is just an acquaintance. Oh, and Detective Ford has a strong sense of justice, so that puts us on the same side, because Dad definitely doesn’t have that.
“You’re not supposed to be here, Ms. Shaw.”
“I just want Dad’s records from the day of the accident.”
“Records,” he repeats with a slight narrowing of his eyes.
“Yeah. Who he talked to and everything.”