"I haven't thought about that house in years. You never go there?"
He pulls open one of the drawers on the cabinet. His hand dips inside. "I don't have time. You should stop there on your way back from Martha's Vineyard. It's close."
"No." I shake my head wishing I hadn't mentioned my brief work trip when we spoke on the phone last night. "It would feel strange to go there after all this time."
He waves a set of keys in the air. "It would give you a break from everything that's been going on here. Take the keys, Rowan. If you feel like stopping there tomorrow, do it."
I stare at the key fob. "I'll take them but I doubt I'll go there. I want to get back to help you and Caleb find Asher."
"I'm not sure how much help Caleb is going to be." His voice cracks. "I called him an hour ago and he was in a meeting. He brushed me off."
"Was it about shirts?" I ask half-jokingly.
"Shirts?" He scowls. "No. Caleb hasn't been in the office in more than a week."
"What?"
"I had a mess to clean up when I got back." He motions towards the door. "I need to go back in to the office tonight."
"What's Caleb been doing? Where has he been?"
"I have no idea." He pushes the keys to the Hamptons house into my palm as he scoops up another set. "I'll ride down in the elevator with you. I'll call you as soon as I know anything."
Chapter 25
"I said that I'm here to see Caleb." I push past Ruby who is surprisingly weak considering she looks like a miniature football player in expensive heels.
"He's busy, Rhonda." Her hand leaps to my shoulder. "If you'll wait in the foyer, I'll see if he has a minute for you."
"It's Rowan." I spin back on my heel to pronounce my name slowly. "I'm going to find him. I know he's here."
I actually don't know that. It's more of an assumption than anything. I'd tried texting Caleb twice but I'd gotten no response and then I'd called. It rang at least seven times before it hit voicemail, which tells me that he didn't even glance at the screen. I've called him before when he's been consumed with work and each of those times, he's hit the ignore button in short order. This time is different.
"You can't just walk through his apartment."
"Yes, I can," I spit back defiantly. "You need to let go of my arm now."
Her eyes dart to the closed door of the library. Each time I see that door I have to chuckle to myself. Caleb may like to collect old books to display on the shelves, but he never reads them. Typically when I stop by, I'll scoop up a few to take home to read in bed. I always bring them back. I've teased him more than once about that room being my own personal library.
"Thanks for the heads-up." I nod in her direction as I swing open the heavy wooden double doors.
"Rowan?" Caleb catches sight of me the moment I step into the room. "What the hell are you doing here?"
I should take offense at the greeting. I won't though. I've caught him in the middle of something. I can tell by the panicked look on his face. I've never been a 'gotcha' type of woman. Caleb owes me nothing but the woman standing next to him looks guilty as hell. The moment my eyes rake over her I see why. The bright, brilliant and very large diamond ring on her left hand speaks of a commitment that should be keeping her from standing alone in rooms with an incredibly handsome and sexually insatiable single man. "I need to talk to you, Caleb."
"What is it? What's wrong?"
I take in the muted fear in his tone as my eyes scan the room before they settle on a framed photograph. It's black and white and sitting atop a table. I stare at it, soaking in its meaning and value to him. It has to be important for him to display it out in the open like this. I instantly wonder why I've never seen it before.
"Rowan? Are you okay? What's happened?"
I pull my gaze up to meet his just as my eyes fill with tears. "Caleb," I whisper his name softly.
"Get out, Sonia," he says harshly as his eyes lock on mine. "Leave."
I take a step to the side wanting to cower away from his anger.
"Caleb, I…" the woman starts to speak. "I don't understand."
"You need to leave now." His hand flies into the air. "You have to go."
I don't break his gaze as I sense movement beside me. I listen to her footsteps as she walks briskly out of the library closing the doors behind her.
"Tell me what's wrong?" His hand leaps to my chin. "Tell me why you're upset."
I shift my body to the right, look past his shoulder and focus on the picture of Caleb and me on the day I graduated from high school. He's staring at me, I'm smiling into the camera and there's absolutely no denying the raw emotion on both of our faces.
"You have a picture of us." I nod towards the table.