hesitated over the call. This had a fifty-fifty chance of going bad. He clicked into the call and put Colin on speaker. “This is Dameon,” he answered.
“Good morning. This is Colin, Grace’s brother.”
“Yes, good morning. I was trying to find a reason to call you myself. Thank you for beating me to it.”
“Is that so?” Colin asked.
“Friday was a bit awkward and I wanted to clear the air.”
“How did you plan on doing that?”
Colin was a ballbuster, Dameon had to give him that. “I’m not really sure,” he said honestly. “Grab a beer, prove by example I’m none of the things that were assumed about me.”
It took Colin a minute to respond.
The silence made Dameon want to add something, but instead he let the moment linger.
“Are you suggesting you’re not pursuing my sister?”
“No. I’d like nothing better than for Grace to let me take her out. She’s determined to make me work for it. Thinks she’ll find trouble with her boss.”
“If I told you she has legitimate reasons to feel that way, would you back off?” Colin asked.
Dameon actually had to think on that. “I wouldn’t want to cause her any problems at work.”
“Good.”
“But that doesn’t mean I’d give up.” And why was he having this conversation with her brother? “I may have to lie low until my company is through the city’s red tape.”
“That’s part of the reason for my call.”
He waited. “I’m listening.”
“The city hosts an annual holiday party. It feels more like a networking event than a personal office gathering. Many of the city’s brass attend. I thought perhaps if you came you could talk to the other departments, city council members . . . you know, the people who have to give you a green light on your project. Perhaps it would expedite or at least give a face to your name when it’s time for their signatures.”
Dameon couldn’t help but feel like he was missing something. “That sounds like a perfect idea. Is there a reason why you’d help me with that?”
He really wanted to hear that Grace had put him up to it.
“I’m a nice guy,” Colin said, nearly laughing as he did.
“Who practically took my hand off when we met,” Dameon called him out.
“I have reason to be jumpy.”
“You’re referring to the incident with Erin and her late husband?” Dameon asked.
“Grace told you about that?”
“She did.”
Again, there was silence.
“Then you understand my suspicion of anyone pursuing my sister in less than normal ways.”
That didn’t sound right. “I’m not sure I’m following you.”
“You reached out to her on Facebook, right?”
“I did.”
“That’s strange, don’t you think?” Colin asked.
“A lot of people use Messenger for texting.”
“But you called her.”
“Okay, yeah. But in my defense, I like your sister. And I’m pretty sure the feeling is mutual.”
He heard Colin sigh. “Don’t you see the similarities?”
“Between calling Grace on Messenger and Erin’s husband trying to kill his wife? No, Colin, I don’t see the similarities.”
“No. I don’t mean that. I mean between you using Facebook to contact Grace and Brandt using a dating app to approach her.”
Dameon was completely lost. “Who is Brandt?”
“Desmond Brandt. The man who tried to kill Erin and who manipulated his way into Grace’s life.”
Dameon’s jaw slacked. “What?”
Colin started to stutter. “Oh . . . no. She didn’t tell you that part, did she?”
All the fragmented pieces of the conversation swirled like leaves blowing in the wind. Finally, they settled into a neat little pile. “You’re telling me that the dead man used Grace to get to his ex?” The hair on his neck stood on end.
“Sh-shit. Not exactly. But, oh, damn . . . Grace is going to kill me.”
“What do you mean, ‘not exactly’?”
“Oh, no . . . no more from me. You’re going to have to get the details from Grace.”
“At the Christmas party you’re suggesting I go to.”
“Right. That. Only it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to mention this phone call at the party.”
“So I just show up at a random party without an invitation . . . How does that take away from my stalker reputation with your family?” Especially now that he knew the depth of the stalker concern for Grace.
“You’re a resourceful man, I’m sure you can find an invitation if you try hard enough.”
Yes, he was all that. “Tell me one thing, Colin . . . Did he hurt her?”
Dameon held his breath while he waited for the answer.
“Not physically. But she’s not completely the same since it all happened.”