“You can’t be up here.” I move toward her but she backs away and moves closer and closer to the edge of the building—the unsealed section.
“Hey, now.” I freeze, not having a fucking clue how to proceed. “Don’t keep walking, you’re going to fall.”
“I don’t care,” she mumbles and I’m not all that sure she’s actually in the here and now.
She’s of slim build with blonde hair shaped into a bob. Her delicate features and petite frame make her look like a fairy. I almost expect her to throw fairy dust at me.
And where the fuck that thought came from, I’ve no idea.
Shaking my head loose of my stupid thoughts, I ask, “What’s your name?”
She ignores me.
“How did you get up here without being seen?” I try to slowly edge closer to her but she’s watching every move I make.
“I’m used to being on a construction site. They’re all the same with their safety precautions, and other routes in and out of places.” She smiles before quickly running onto one of the beams sticking out into thin air. She sits astride it, watching me.
My heart is in my friggin’ throat. What the hell is her deal? Surely someone saw her.
I drop to my ass and return her gaze.
“Why does he love you?”
Is this about Ramon?
“I don’t know who you mean,” I bluff.
She chuckles, calm as pie. “You know who I mean. Why does he love you when he didn’t love my brother?”
Brother?
She can’t miss the confusion on my face. I have no idea who the hell her brother is.
“He was in love with Ramon, you know. Young love. First love.”
“Andrew Griffin,” I let the name fall from my lips and wonder why the hell no one else considered her as the one behind the McKenzie problems.
There’s no way she has been working alone, because the shit that has been stolen, and the girders are too damn heavy for her to handle.
“Yes, my brother. He had his whole life ahead of him but he chose to take his life because he knew Ramon would never be his. Ramon killed my brother,” she spits.
“Like fuck he did. They were each other’s experiment and your brother got too attached. Your father is the one you should be talking to. Ask him what he said to Andrew the night your brother got behind the wheel intoxicated.”
Her eyes narrow. “You’re lying,” she accuses, getting back to her feet in a liquid motion.
I wish she’d move from the ledge before she falls over. No matter what she’s been doing, or paying someone to do, she doesn’t deserve to die.
So as not to startle her, I get to my feet and edge slightly closer.
Her eyes suddenly snap to me. “You weren’t even around when my brother and Ramon were together, so how do you know what happened?” She advances slightly before she stops herself.
“Ramon went to see your father the other day,” I admit. “He accused your father of pushing Andrew to drink that fateful night, and your father wouldn’t meet his gaze.” I move closer still. There’s now about two feet between us. “What do you think that means, huh?”
I shouldn’t be antagonizing her, but she’s making my blood boil with her accusations. This is because of the evil her father has fed her over the years.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Now she won’t meet my gaze.
Inhaling, I try a to change the subject. “Why won’t you tell me your name now that I know who you’re related to?”
She shrugs and reminds me of a lost, little girl. Someone who is craving love but never actually received it.
“Angelina,” she whispers.
I just catch her name as another gust of wind whirls through the building. My ball cap goes sailing through the open space, which momentarily distracts me. Angelina’s cry has my head whipping around, back to her as she wobbles on the steel girder.
Watching her lose her balance is one of the most frightening things I’ve ever witnessed. Without thought to myself, I throw myself forward into nothing.
Chapter Nineteen
Ramon
Signing more and more paperwork is really becoming a chore I can do without. I love the construction element and getting my hands dirty, but everything else after a few days starts to piss me off. Today is one of those days.
Nothing is right. Jackie has been in and out of my office every five minutes with one problem or another. Half of her questions, I’m sure she knows the damn answers to. I feel like screaming in frustration.
“Ramon,” Jackie comes screeching into my office again as though her ass is on fire.
With my elbows on my desk, I rest my head in my hands and try to breathe through the annoyance.
Feeling as though I have everything under control, I lift my head and sigh. “Jackie, you are really trying my patience this afternoon. What now?”
She can’t speak and looks to be in a panic, but she can point.
Jumping up from my desk, I stick my head out of the open window and follow her finger.