Everyone involved in the little ‘misunderstanding’ had an alibi and there were no inquiries from the former lawyer’s family or friends—Greyson preferred to hire employees with no outside ties; it smoothed over complications if things ‘didn’t work out.’
Yes, Aldrich knew only too well the fate of his predecessor, especially since he’d been in charge of the cover up. The gardener had been only too happy that Mr. Greyson had re-landscaped the backyard of the estate—supposedly in preparation for the yearly charity dinner hosted by Greyson Inc.—and never questioned the extra large hole that was purportedly dug for the new evergreen. Nor had the man wondered why said evergreen was planted overnight rather than during the day; like most of Greyson’s employees, he had known when to turn a blind eye to strange happenings.
He had received a tidy bonus for the way he’d handled the situation; there was no body, no evidence and no questions were ever asked. He hadn’t dared inquire why the lawyer’s services had been...terminated. Now he wondered if perhaps he should have.
Damn! He crumpled the message in his fist. There was too much at stake and he wasn’t about to let a slip of a girl mess it up. He narrowed his eyes as he considered his next step.
*****
The journey from Stump River was...interesting. Mel took the first shift driving, getting them as far as Timmins before the throbbing in her arm forced her to abandon her role as chauffeur. Lucy however, was only too happy to take over. It turned out she was a bit of a speed demon behind the wheel, weaving in and out of lanes, passing transports and viewing speed limits as helpful suggestions rather than rules. While not usually a nervous passenger, Mel was only too thankful that the pain killer she’d taken made her a bit sleepy, causing her to sleep on and off for most of the journey.
It was well past midnight when they arrived in Toronto. Realizing she was soon going to be short on funds, Mel had tentatively suggested they rest in the car at the airport rather than getting a room. Lucy agreed, viewing it as all part of the adventure. Tipping back the seats, they dozed until dawn then used the airport facilities to tidy up and prepare for their flight.
Mel tried not to draw attention to the fact that she was feeling progressively worse. She wasn’t even sure if the airline would let her on the plane if they suspected she was really ill, in case whatever was wrong with her turned out to be contagious. Of course, the problem was just the cut on her arm—what else could it be—but would the airline listen to her explanation? No, it was best to keep things quiet.
While Lucy browsed for magazines, Mel snuck another peak at the cut. It was still hot to the touch and the redness was spreading, but the wound didn’t seem to be weeping at all. In fact, the cut was nearly healed, which was more than a little puzzling. To be truthful, her whole body felt...different; tingling as if each individual cell was up to something. A dull headache had been her constant companion for the past two days as well, and she had the strangest feeling of paranoia; as if there was someone else was in her head and privy to her thoughts.
She popped another pain killer and loosened her collar as a wave of heat came over her again. Wiping her brow with a trembling hand, she pasted a smile on her face when Lucy re-appeared with two coffees and several magazines.
“Here, this will make you feel better. It’s one of those special blends you always talk about.” Lucy sat down beside her, pressing a cup into Mel’s hands.
Mel thanked her and took a sip, waiting for the familiar rush that only a good cup of coffee could bring. The rush, unfortunately, was more of fizzle and she sighed heavily. Just her luck, the first cup of coffee back in civilization and it was a dud. Resignedly, she continued to drink the beverage, wondering if it was the fever that was making the coffee taste different or if the upscale coffee chain had managed to mess up one of her favourite drinks.
After what seemed like an interminable time, their flight was called. Mel stood, pleased that she’d had to change from her original Saturday flight to the one on Friday—Saturday’s hadn’t been able to accommodate Lucy. The thought of being home in familiar surroundings seemed immensely comforting and the sooner she was back in Chicago the better.
Boarding went smoothly, thank goodness, no one even giving her more than a cursory glance as she settled into her seat. As the flight took off, Mel closed her eyes and idly listened to Lucy chattering away. The pain killers had taken effect and she was pleasantly fuzzy headed. It actually took her a few moments to realize that Lucy had finally grown quiet. Opening her eyes and turning her head, she noticed the other woman was frowning and nibbling on her lip.