Chapter 272

“I need to find Andrew Archer,” I told Moose and Bert as I climbed into an association SUV. “I must speak with him. Let’s check his office at Archer Enterprises. If he’s not there, we’ll ask his secretary and tell her it's an important association matter.”

Moose drove us into the city and found a parking spot near the Archer’s building. We were welcomed at the first-floor reception desk and allowed to travel upstairs to Andrew’s office.

“He might say more if you two stay in the hallway,” I told my bodyguards. “Don’t worry, I’ll be safe. He wouldn’t dare do anything to me in his office, and I’ll scream if I need you.”

Moose eyed the vending machines near the elevator. “We’ll be right here, Miss Wilson.” He began digging in his pockets for change.

I looked in my handbag and found several quarters.

“You and Bert can call me Daisy,” I handed him the quarters. The extra large pair of Alphas were growing on me. They were genuinely nice guys, and I didn’t mind having them around.

“Yes, ma’am …I mean, Daisy,” Moose said with a smile. “We’ll be right here until you come back.”

I returned his smile and walked down the hall to Andrew’s office. The door was closed, so I knocked and waited for him to answer.

Andrew opened it a few seconds later and ushered me inside. He was ruffled and untidy, but he seemed glad to see me.

“It’s good to see you, Daisy,” he said. “How is Amy? I’m glad she and Elliot got out of town for a while.”

“She’s fine,” I said, glad Andrew didn’t know where Amy and Mr. Gray were hiding. “I was at Mr. Gray’s restaurant last night and looked for you in the kitchen office.”

“I was there until about eight o’clock working on the books,” Andrew said. “I’m sorry if I missed you.”

“Victor and I were there with William James and his girlfriend, Penny Carter.” I watched for any signs of recognition on Andrew’s face. “I was told you know her mother. She used to work as a maid in your grandmother’s home.”

“Lots of women worked as maids in my grandmother’s home.” Andrew smiled. “You have met my mother and grandmother. They are horrible bosses and went through a lot of help.”

“I’ll come to the point. Penny’s mother told me she had an affair with you,” I said and watched the smile melt from his face.

“You mean Tina, don’t you?” Andrew shook his head sadly. “I still feel bad for the way my grandmother treated Tina when she found out I was seeing her. It was brutal.”

He sighed. “I should have done something to help her. Or I could have checked up on her after she quit, but I didn’t relish crossing swords with Grandmama when I had just met Deirdre. My heart was full with her.”

“Tina told me you had affairs with all the pretty maids and that you told all of them they were your fated mate.” I watched Andrew’s eyes widen with shock as I spoke.

“That’s not true. Tina is still bitter about her treatment by my grandmother, and I don’t blame her,” Andrew admitted. “But Deirdre was my one and only true fated mate. We were in love.”

Andrew was acting like an innocent man, and his words made sense, but I had to be sure he was telling me the truth.

I had to ask him a personal question that was far from being any of my business. But this could be a piece of the puzzle I needed to solve the case.

“Tina’s daughter was born in August, nine months before Amy,” I said. “Is she your daughter too?”

“Tina never told me she was pregnant or that she was having my child,” Andrew said. “You’ll have to ask her that question. But if her girl is mine, please let me know. I’d love to meet her.”

Andrew seemed sincere enough that I believed him.

“The red wolves who mauled Mr. Gray attacked me outside of the restaurant last night,” I told him. “If Victor hadn’t arrived in time, I may have been injured or killed.”

“What time did this happen?” Andrew asked. He looked horrified, and I didn’t think it was an act.

“I went to the restaurant office to talk to you around eight o’clock,” I explained. “Our waiter told me you were still there. But the kitchen staff told me you just went out the door, so I went out the back to try to catch you before you left.”

“I didn’t see you,” he insisted with his hands in the air.

“I didn’t see you either,” I said. “Instead, the rogue wolves came out of the shadows and were about to pounce on me to rip me to shreds when Victor showed up.”

“I’m glad he got there in time,” Andrew said. “Those wolves must be stopped before they kill somebody.”

“Do you have any idea who they are?” I asked. “They are Alphas, and at least one is a female.”

Andrew grimaced. “I hate to say it, but I think they are my grandmother and mother. They are livid that you brought the old scandal back into the spotlight, and they find Amy, who they call ‘my bastard daughter,’ to be an embarrassment.”

“Do you have any proof?” I asked.

He shrugged. “No, but if you know how I could help you get some proof, I’d be glad to help.”

I walked to the door and turned. “I’ll think about it and let you know.”

After closing his office door behind me, I went down the hallway to look for Moose and Bert. But the area by the elevator and vending machines was empty.

Where did they go? It wasn’t like them to leave their post. They took this job seriously. Why would they leave me alone?

I was about to return to Andrew’s office when I heard pounding footsteps coming my way. It was Bert. He ran around the corner at the opposite end of the hallway, and when he saw me, he hurried to my side.

His face was flushed and sweaty. “Moose disappeared. I can’t find him. Miss, he would never leave his post. Somebody must have taken him.”

A shiver went up my spine. My instincts were telling me I was in danger. We needed to find Moose and get out of there.

“When was the last time you saw him?” I looked up and down the hallway. How could someone Moose’s size vanish? Or how could someone abduct him?

“I went to the bathroom after you went into Andrew Archer’s office,” Bert pointed to a door halfway up the hall that was marked a men's room. “When I came out, he was gone, and he hasn’t come back.”

“He wouldn’t just leave,” I mumbled. “Where have you looked for him?”

“This hallway is square with two connecting halls. I checked them all,” Bert declared.

He threw his hands in the air. “I wasn’t gone that long, and Moose would never leave his post,” Bert insisted. “He would never leave me alone with our charge. I’ve been his partner for seven years. This job is everything to us.”

“You start looking for him up the hall, and I’ll look for him down the hall,” I said. “I’ll meet you back here in five minutes.”

“No.” Bert shook his head. “I can’t leave you alone. Moose wouldn’t either if it was me missing.”

“But he could be hurt or sick somewhere,” I argued. “We need to find him quickly.”

“No. We need to go by the book,” Bert insisted. “I’m calling headquarters and asking for backup. I think somebody took Moose, and you’re in danger.”

I looked up and down the hallway, and I could have sworn I felt eyes on me. A malicious force was nearby, and it probably took out one of the best bodyguards in the world.

I had to call Victor. Moose could be dead. And even with Bert by my side, I needed help before it was too late.