A mischievous grin spread across his mouth. “Well, just making sure you’re not sore after last night.”
She playfully punched him, relieved that he hadn’t heard her throwing up. “You’re so full of yourself, aren’t you?”
“Maybe a little,” he replied, his eyes bright. “But you still love me.”
Olivia smiled in response, snuggling against his chest. “Of course I do.”
~~~~~~~~~~
ALEXANDER TURNED TO OLIVIA later that morning as they stood by her front door, saying good-bye. “I can have all those boxes brought over to the penthouse. I miss having you there. So do Runner and Nepenthe,” he said.
She exhaled loudly. “I know. I miss them, too. I want to do this here. I don’t know why. I just do.”
He hesitated, wondering why she felt so strongly about that, but he didn’t want to make her angry with him yet again. It wasn’t worth it. Anyway, Marshall and Carter had agreed to sit watch outside of her house for the time being. “Okay, beautiful. Whatever you need.” He leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.
“I’ll see you later on,” she said, brushing her lips against Alexander’s.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she replied, watching as he walked down the steps and into the waiting SUV, Martin at the wheel.
Throughout the morning, she sorted through more boxes, still trying to figure out why she didn’t think the documents were buried in the chest.
Just when she was ready to give up, her phone began ringing. She was surprised to see Simon’s number appear on the screen. A smile crossed her face as she thought about how he had become someone she could depend on over the last few months, someone who would give her the advice she so desperately needed. “Hey, Simon.”
“Hi, Libby. I was just checking in on you to see how everything’s going. I heard about Melanie. How are you holding up?”
“I’m doing better. He came clean, Simon.”
His heart began racing. “What do you mean?”
“Alexander told me everything about my past. He sent over all this stuff his father had kept.”
“His father?” Simon asked in confusion.
“Don’t worry about that right now,” she replied quickly. “That’s not important. What is important is that all these photos, trinkets, stuff like that, have helped me remember things. I’m starting to figure it out. I know what those guys are after, Simon.” Her voice was excited and pressing at the same time.
“So, where is it?” he asked urgently.
Olivia hesitated briefly. She didn’t want to actually tell anyone the location. What if he found the documents and they got into the wrong hands because he was careless with them? Until Olivia could be certain they would be protected, she didn’t want to divulge the location to anyone.
“Come on, Olivia. You can trust me.”
“I have a pretty good idea, but I’m not entirely sure. I don’t want to say anything until I’m certain about its location.”
“I’ll come over and we can go get it now,” he said rather impatiently. “I mean, let’s go where you think it could be. Might as well try, right?” He laughed nervously.
Olivia immediately became suspicious of Simon. He was acting odd…almost a little too eager to help. She recalled their conversation several months ago during her run. At one point, he had said that he was paid to date her for the sole purpose of obtaining information about her past. It was entirely possible that he didn’t change things around in prison and was still on the payroll. Perhaps it was all a front. That would explain a lot of things. Why he was being so nice to her. Why the guy in Kiera’s house had gotten away even after Simon said he was out cold.
She sank into the couch, angry at herself that she didn’t see it all beforehand and now she had told him that she remembered. “Simon,” she said calmly, trying to hide her nerves. “I’m still trying to figure everything out.”
He exhaled loudly, his irritation apparent. “Well, you do that, Libby. I gotta go.” He hung up the phone, leaving Olivia with her unsettled thoughts about what she had just divulged to him.
She thought about letting Alexander know of her suspicions, but that would mean telling him she had been speaking with Simon. She knew for a fact that he would not handle that information well. He would make sure that she couldn’t leave the house without heavy security presence and, when the time came and she figured it all out, she needed to be able to get away without a tail following her. She had already begun to formulate a plan. But would it work?
~~~~~~~~~~
“SIMON, I HOPE YOU have some very good news for me after your phone call to Olivia today.”
“She remembers. She says she thinks she knows where it is.”
Donovan smiled. “That’s wonderful news. So where is it?”
Simon exhaled loudly. “She won’t tell me.”
“Why the fuck not?!” Donovan asked angrily.
“I don’t know. I don’t think she really remembers it all clearly. She said she had a good idea where it was, but wasn’t certain.”
“Goddammit, Simon! Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to make her remember. I want that box in my fucking hand by the end of the week or I will kill you.”
Simon’s hands began to shake. He had seen what Donovan's goons were capable of. He was not to be messed with. “Fine. I’m going to need a window where she won’t have her security detail with her. Burnham's been on her ass since the attacks.”
“I’ll arrange it and let you know the time and place. Get it done, Simon.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Oh, and Simon?”
“Yes?”
“Grant will assist you. At least he gets shit done.”
“Yes, sir.” Simon hung up, suddenly nervous about what he was going to have to do.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
PREMONITION
THURSDAY MORNING, OLIVIA WOKE with an unsettling premonition about what the day would bring. She couldn't shake the suspicion that something bad was about to happen. Ever since Simon's reaction on Monday, she was on edge about everything. For once, she embraced the protection detail that Alexander had set up for her.
As she walked back into her house after kissing Alexander good-bye, a chill came over her. The house was eerily quiet while she sorted through the last few boxes that she had been anxious to look at. She was desperate to know why the memory of the treasure map she drew for her father stuck out in her head, as if the chest wasn't buried there.