A Billionaire's Redemption - By Cindy Dees Page 0,54
deep in his psyche. Hell, it was part of why he refused to remarry. He never wanted to be that vulnerable to—or victimized by—another human being again.
Gabe turned his back on Green and murmured to Officer Radebaugh, “Keep me in the loop, okay?”
“Of course,” the young officer replied, startled.
Gabe beat a retreat before he put his fist through Deputy Green’s smirk.
He scowled his way through the reporters who, for once, seemed to catch a clue to leave him the hell alone. Either that, or their source inside the police station was so good, they didn’t need to bother him for details about Melinda’s tape.
When he got home, he took an overdue shower, which finally cooled down his temper. He wasn’t normally a particularly volatile person, but with both Willa and Melinda under serious threat, the strain had put him on edge.
Melinda had insisted that they have an amicable divorce, which in her world meant the two of them stayed in touch and occasionally went out to some event or other together. Given how vicious she could turn in an instant, it was easier to go out with her a few times a year than to make an active enemy of her.
And it wasn’t like he’d been a perfect husband. He’d been the one to go haring off to the far corners of the world in search of oil. She might have traveled a lot, but at least she’d stayed mostly on the same continent. Although truth be told, it was easy to be in the same room with Melinda and feel a million miles away from her. When she was working on an academic project, she’d never had time or attention for anything or anyone else.
He made himself a bite to eat, and strolled out into his living room at loose ends since he’d planned to spend the day with Willa. But the phone call from the police had put a kink in that plan. He called her, but Willa’s cell phone went immediately to voice mail.
He sighed. As a senator, she might not necessarily pick up her own messages. Hence, he left a generic message thanking her for last night and hoping they could do it again soon. It wasn’t the one he’d have liked to leave for her, telling her that she’d blown him away, he couldn’t get enough of her and would she please consent to spending many, many nights in his bed forthwith.
He watched the news, returned a few phone calls from the office and found himself pacing his living room impatiently in under an hour. He tried Willa’s number again. Still no answer. Damn. Sometimes he really hated dating busy women with careers that took precedence over him.
His rational self rolled its eyes at his selfishness, but his emotional side acknowledged that Melinda had done a number on him that he was now taking out on Willa. It wasn’t Will’s fault she’d been named to her father’s senate seat.
He would like to call again, but he didn’t want to make her feel like he was stalking her. She’d already had one too many creeps in her life. He glanced at his watch, frustrated. How much longer until he could reasonably call her again?
* * *
Willa stared at her cell phone in dismay. That was the fifth call today from Gabe. He was now calling her every hour on the hour, and his messages were getting steadily more urgent and taking on a tone of worry for her safety. She couldn’t avoid him forever, although she’d really love to. When Louise called, a strange note in her voice, and asked if Willa could swing by the big house, she jumped on the request.
The mansion was in an uproar when she arrived. Her mother was sobbing at the kitchen table, Louise was hovering over Minnie and wringing her hands, Louise’s son, Marcus, was striding around the garden with a shotgun and George was nowhere to be seen.
Willa couldn’t get a straight answer out of either of the women in the kitchen as to what was going on, other than it was just horrible and who would do such a thing? At a loss, Willa headed out for the backyard. Marcus wasn’t in view, but she caught sight of George’s broad-brimmed straw hat and headed for it.
“What’s going on?” she asked the older man.
“Never seen anything like it, ma’am. Dead animals keep showing up in the garden. First it was that rabbit. Then a cat, and today a