Chapter 273

Trying to remain calm, I called Victor and told him what happened. He told me to stay where I was and stay close to Bert.

“I’ll be right there with more men,” he promised. “Do not go looking for Moose.”

After we disconnected, I stood beside Bert with my back against the wall. But the minutes seemed like hours as we waited for help.

Andrew came out of his office moments before Victor arrived.

“Daisy, what’s wrong?” Andrew asked.

“One of my bodyguards disappeared while I was speaking to you,” I explained.

Victor walked out of the elevator and took control.  “Andrew, my team needs to see your security video for this floor from the last hour.”

He turned to two armed guards he brought with him. “Search every inch of this floor. The first-floor receptionist and guards told me Moose didn’t leave the building. He’s here somewhere.”

Victor’s men began to search behind each door that lined the hallways while Andrew gave the order to release the security video to Victor.

I waited with Victor to see the video footage while Bert joined the search for his partner.

“What’s behind this door?” one of the searchers asked him.

Bert told the other searchers that he didn’t know what was behind a door across from the men’s bathroom because it was locked.

“It won’t be for long,” the searcher said. He used a tool on the knob, and the door opened. “We found him!” he yelled, causing everyone to run to see if Moose was okay.

Moose was lying unconscious on the floor of a supply closet from a blow to his head. There was a huge lump rising on his forehead, and blood had run down his face.

“Oh, no, Moose!” Bert said as he knelt next to his friend.

“He’s alive,” one of the searchers reported. “But he’s going to need an ambulance.”

“I’ve got one on the way,” Victor said.

A growling moan came from the closet that made Bert cheer. “He’s waking up! Moose, can you hear me?”

“Stop yelling,” Moose groaned. “My head feels like somebody hit me with a baseball bat.”

“More like a crowbar,” a searcher said as he held up the one he found near Moose for all to see. He placed it in a trash bag. “It needs to be checked for fingerprints.”

“What do you remember?” Victor asked the injured man.

“A moment after Bert went to the bathroom, I heard a woman crying for help. I opened the door to see what was wrong, and everything went black.”

Andrew dashed to us from his office. “You're not going to believe this, but the security cameras recorded nothing for the last thirty-nine minutes.”

“No, we believe it,” Victor told him. “One of our perps is a talented techie.”

“I’m sorry about all this, but I’ve got an important meeting in five minutes,” Andrew said. “My security staff will cooperate fully with your men.”

Victor nodded. “Thanks, Andy. I’ll let you know if they find anything.” Then, he gave orders to his men before guiding me to the elevator.

“I’m taking you to Alex’s,” Victor said as he held the Lamborghini’s passenger door for me. He locked and closed the car door before hurrying to the driver’s side.

“I hope Moose is going to be okay,” I said. My heart was still racing from all the excitement.

“I’ll text Bert later,” Victor said.

Victor was trying to hide how stressed out he was, and I had the feeling it was more than Moose that was upsetting him.  Maybe a stroll in Alex’s gardens would get him to loosen up enough to tell me what was on his mind.

When we arrived at the mansion, Alex was about to have lunch with Cassidy. They invited us to eat with them, and we accepted.

They couldn’t stop smiling and touching each other’s hands. I was happy for them. The pretty schoolteacher was perfect for my long-widowed father.

Victor was quiet throughout the meal. Alex noticed, but he didn’t say anything.

“Victor, I feel like walking in the gardens,” I said as we finished eating a delicious roast beef pastry. “Will you come with me?”

He nodded and helped me with my chair. I took his hand, and we walked out the front door and along the side of the mansion.

There were so many good memories of the early days of our relationship that I couldn’t help being in a good mood as they drifted through my mind.

Finally, we arrived at the rose garden, and I tried to get him to open up. I started by telling him about my morning.

“Your mom is helping me with the planning of your ascension ceremony and celebration,” I told him. “She has a lot of good ideas.”

Victor grew more tense as I spoke. Was there a problem at the association?

“Lana thinks the ceremony should be exclusive and held at the association,” I continued. “Then we’ll have a large celebration here. Benson will be in his glory.”

Victor tried to smile. His eyes looked worried and sad. I had to know what was wrong. I guided him to a bench, and we sat down.

“Tell me what is going on with you,” I said. “Please, Victor, I know there is something you are hiding from me. Our bond doesn’t let either of us hide these things from each other.”

He sighed. “Someone is trying to sabotage me to keep me from becoming the association leader.”

“Who?” I said. I couldn’t believe anyone would be so bold, but then I remembered the Alpha men who didn’t want me to be in charge of my family’s company. “What are they doing to sabotage you?”

He squeezed my hand and explained. “Some of my reports have gone missing, and my meeting notes have been switched to make me look unprepared and unprofessional.”

I was shocked. “You’ve got to stop them. I’ll help you go over your reports and notes ahead of time, and you could lock them in a briefcase.”

“The sabotage has been done insidiously,” he said. “If I stop them from ruining my reports, they’ll try something else. I believe there is an organized faction who doesn’t want me to be the leader.”

“You must root out these disloyal Alphas and replace them with your own people,” I advised.

“It will be difficult,” Victor said. “The faction members hide themselves and their intentions well. I’m not sure how to test my people’s loyalty.”

“It can’t be that many of the association’s employees who are involved in this faction,” I insisted. “If they were the majority, their coup would be in the open.”

“You’re right,” Victor said. “But it’s disheartening to think one of my assistants is involved. Only one of them could get close enough to touch my reports and notes.”

“Take Findlay to work with you,” I suggested. “Use him as your spy to ferret out the faction members. He is fiercely loyal to you. And you should talk to Alex about it.”

Victor kissed me. “Those are good ideas, sweetheart. I’ll discuss it with Alex before we return to the apartment. Let’s walk by the pond first.”

But as soon as we reached the pond, my phone rang. Caller ID told me it was Andrew.

“Hello, Andrew,” I said. I was curious as to what he wanted. Maybe a clue to Moose’s attacker was found. Sooner or later, all criminals make mistakes.

“Daisy, are you safe with Victor?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied. “He is here at my father’s estate with me. Why, has something else happened?”

“I didn’t know it when you were here earlier, but my grandmother, Martha, escaped from my family’s home on Lycan Square this morning.”

“Would she go to your office?” I asked.

“She came here once last year after she drugged her nurse and escaped,” Andrew revealed.

“Could she be the assailant who knocked out Moose?” I asked.

But he didn't have to answer. I saw Martha Archer try to hit Amy in the head with her cane because she thought Amy was Deirdre.

“It’s very possible,” Andrew said. “Although she wouldn’t know how to disable the security cameras.”

We were both silent as we pondered who Martha’s accomplice could be.

Andrew spoke again first. “I called because Martha is still missing. And you should know that the last thing she said to her nurse was she wished she could get her hands on you.”