Chapter 115 A Promise of Information

Eden’s POV:

I spend most of the crying, curled up in Noah’s arms and when we get up in the morning my face feels raw from tears. Hurriedly, I wash my face, trying to ease the red hue that has resulted from all that crying, before getting ready for work.

Noah insists on having breakfast before heading out, not that I have an appetite. If I had a choice, I’d just go back to bed and stay there but that isn’t an option.

Perhaps more so now than ever, I need to resolve this matter once and for all. And that means going to work. I need to find out who is stealing from the company. Noah is still unsure whether we should trust Martin and maybe he’s right.

Maybe no one should be trusted…

For the most part, my day runs like clockwork. I do everything like I’m going through the motions, completing a check list of tasks without stopping to think about what I’m doing or why I’m doing it. Fortunately, I don’t have any important meetings or I’d be useless.

It’s Friday and so for the first time in a while, I’m going home alone tonight as Noah will be visiting his granny. He’d offered for me to go with him but I’d refused, not really sure that I was in the right frame of mind to meet his granny for the first time. He’d also offered to stay with me but I couldn’t do that. His time with his granny is precious and I won’t steal it from either of them.

Leaving the office, I make my way down to the lobby before walking out onto the street. Martin had suggested that he drive me home, noticing my disorientated mood but I’d resisted, wanting some time alone. There’s one good thing about getting the tube. You get time to yourself. No phone calls. No one wanting to speak to you. Hell, people don’t even like making eye contact on the tube.

“Eden?” I practically jump out of my skin when I hear someone call my name.

Turning abruptly, I’m surprised when I come face to face with two of the company’s assistants. James Artie and his nephew’s assistants if I’m not mistaken.

“We need to talk to you,” the older of the two says.

She’s wearing a dark coat and her eyes are darting about like she’s scared we’re about to be seen together.

“Not here, Alice,” Holly Sinclair says nervously.

It’s weird. I haven’t seen much of her since my first few weeks at the company. Mostly because Noah had demanded that I keep my distance.

“What’s this about?” I ask.

“Miss Clancy,” Alice says, “we have something very important to tell you but we really can’t do it so close to the company.”

“Well, where can we talk?” I ask.

Both women stay quiet, neither of them answering my question.

“Come with me,” I begin.

“No,” Holly retorts. “We can’t be seen with you either.”

With a sigh, I try not to let my exasperation show.

“Alright,” I reply, checking my watch as I consider my options. “Meet me at the pub around the corner in about fifteen minutes.”

“Thank you,” Alice says, nodding her head enthusiastically.

***

Noah’s POV:

I’m surprised when I finish my visit with my granny and try to call Eden to receive no answer. It makes me anxious after everything that has happened.

She might not have worked it out yet, but I’m pretty sure that whoever killed her parents wouldn’t hesitate to do it to her too.

That’s why it’s imperative that the killer is found and put in jail as quickly as possible. The only problem is that I need to convince Eden that our best option is to tell the police everything we know. She’s never going to agree, too concerned with protecting Martin, but I think it’s our only option at this point.

No matter how much I think about it, this ends badly if we don’t involve the police.

I try her number again as I climb into my car but she doesn’t answer this time either. D*mn it! Why can’t she just answer the phone? It’s a little after eight and she’d said that she was going to head home early so there’s no reason to believe that she’d still be at the company.

I dial her office number just in case but again there’s no answer.

Flinging my phone down onto the passenger seat, I drive off in the direction of Eden’s apartment. I drive quicker than I probably should and arrive far quicker than I would be able to if I’d actually kept to the speed limit.

I climb from the car and hurry up to the door, buzzing her apartment. Waiting for her to answer, my impatience and concern grows. She doesn’t answer and I feel myself begin to panic. I consider calling Martin but I have no idea what I’d say to him.

Besides there’s a very real chance he’s the one that can’t be trusted.

The rational part of my brain that tells me not to worry is easily ignored in my panic. I think up all the places I can imagine her being and there aren’t many. Work… Home… The hospital…

I call the hospital but they haven’t seen her and that’s when I give in and call Martin.

“Good evening Mr Grisham,” he answers in that polite voice he always seems to use. “What can I do for you?”

“Have you seen Eden?”

“Not since she left the office at six o’clock this evening,” Martin answers. “Is she not at home?”

I swear into the phone before answering him, “no. I don’t know where she is.”

“Have you tried her grandmother’s house?”

“No…”

“Give me a moment and I’ll try ringing the house,” he says before the line goes quiet. I wait, barely breathing for what feels like the longest time.

“No such luck,” he says when he returns. “Are you at the apartment?”

“Outside.”

“I’ll come by and let you in,” Martin says. I should be grateful that he’s being helpful but all I can think of is the fact that this maybe killer has a key to my girlfriend’s apartment. “Then we can come up with a plan.”

“Thank you,” I reply, trying to put my fear momentarily aside to at least be polite. Eden would be so angry if she thought I was rude to Martin.

“You’re very welcome,” Martin says before the phone line goes dead.

I try to reassure myself that Eden is fine. She’s probably just fallen asleep inside or something… But no matter how much I tell myself that she’s fine, I don’t believe it and my fears are in no way relieved. I’m practically buzzing off the walls with nervous energy when Martin finally arrives to let me in.

I push myself past him and into the apartment, searching every inch for her but she’s not here.

“Is everything okay, Noah?” Martin asks and I turn back to look at him.

I’m unsure how to respond. Should I tell him the truth? What if he really has hurt her? Or what if someone else has? My mind is reeling with all the possibilities. I need to find her and if that means telling Martin the truth, then so be it.

“I need to tell you something.”