Arcanum Hominem (#1)

Chapter 57

I sat down on the couch and went through the cameras. Today looked like a busy day at the office. People were going in and out of Chase's office, yet he didn't step a foot out of it himself in the past two hours I was watching the cameras. Killian still wasn't back yet and I wasn't sure when he would be home. Staring at the cameras gave me an idea, but I wanted to get it done before Killian came home. I didn't need to add more to his list of what he wanted to talk about when he got back. The longer I stared at the cameras, the more I wanted to leave until I couldn't take it anymore. 

I was going to pay Chase a little visit at his office. 

Maybe while I was there, I could sneak a peek at his schedule and even take a picture, which would help us with this operation and see if he ever met with anyone who was apart of the organization. Surely this could help Killian if he recognized a name, right? I dressed in business attire before I could change my mind and took the car, driving straight to Cutler Industries. My stomach was doing backflips and I had to focus on the road and not my thoughts in order to calm it. I'd never done anything like this before and Killian wasn't here to stop me or tell me whether or not this was a bad idea. But then there was the thrill I was feeling of not being held back by anyone and making my own decisions. That feeling outweighed the others. 

I made it to the building in no time and parked on the side of the road. Since I was familiar with the building because of last time and the cameras, it was easy to get to Chase's floor, which was restricted. When I exited the elevator, I was immediately stopped by two men standing directly in front of the doors.

"Stop right thee ma'am, let's see some credentials." One of them held his hand out and I pretended to be confused.

"Credentials? Why do I need those? I'm just here to see Chase, he's my dad." I gave them a polite smile and they glanced at each other, confused looks on their faces. 

"He doesn't have kids. Show us your credentials before we forcibly remove you." The other guy narrowed his eyes, placing his hands in front of him. I glanced down at his hands and back at his face. How do I convince them to let me through? A door opened and I glanced over their shoulders to see Chase exiting his office for the first time today. Perfect timing. 

"Chase, hey!" I waved to catch his attention and one of the guys grabbed my arm. "Hey!" I twisted my arm to get out of his grip and chopped his throat with the side of my hand, making him wheeze and let go immediately. 

"Scarlett? What are you doing here?" Chase had paused in front of his office door, a smile on his face. "Guys, get out of her way. That's my stepdaughter." He motioned for them to move and they nodded before walking away. 

"So you're the big boss here, huh? I've never visited you at your job before." I smiled when I reached him and he chuckled as he pulled me in for a hug. 

"This is your first time, isn't it? And I wouldn't say all of that, I just run this building, the owner is actually the big boss. Anyway, what brings you here? Let's go to my office and talk." He gestured to the door behind him before opening it. I walked in and raised my brows at how spacious the office was. There was a large painting of a horse behind the massive desk that sat in the room. There was a bookshelf in every corner it seemed and there was another door in the room that was across the room. 

"I honestly just wanted to apologize for my behavior at dinner the other night. It was just mom getting in my head and I wish I would've handled the situation better." I apologized, actually being sincere. I felt a little bad, even though I knew he was the target. Might be the target. I couldn't change the fact that I've known him for years and established a connection with him. He sat down at his desk and gestured to the chair on the other side. I sat down, leaning back into it. 

"There's no need to apologize. I totally understood your reasoning. I'm just happy that you came in the first place. And meeting your husband was just the cherry on top. He seems like a great guy and he also looked a little familiar, though I couldn't put a finger on it. Maybe he just has one of those faces." 

I tried not to freeze when he said Killian looked familiar and put a smile on my face instead. "Yeah, he probably just has one of those faces." I chuckled as I glanced at his desk. Where would he keep his schedule? Were there drawers on the other side that held information?

"Probably. So, what are you doing with your life now? Did you hear about what happened at your college campus? Crazy news." Chase shook his head, looking worried. I did freeze that time. Was he talking about...

"No, what happened? Was it bad?" I asked, actually interested in what he had to say.

"Well, apparently there's one student missing, believed to be kidnapped and another was shot dead in his dorm room. The police still have no leads and it's been months." His eyes widened and mine widened with him, pretending to be shocked. 

"Whoa, I definitely didn't hear anything about that. I'm glad I wasn't there for that. I hope they find some answers soon." 

"As do I. So, about your husband. Is he finan-" Chase was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Enter!" He raised his voice loud enough for whoever was on the other side of the door to hear. The door opened and a woman entered, eyes widening when she saw me. 

"Oh sir, I am so sorry. I wasn't aware that you were in a meeting." She apologized and was about to leave but Chase raised his hand. 

"It's okay Lacy, what is it?" he asked, mouthing 'sorry' to me. I gave him a smile and shooed him with my hand, letting him know that it was all good. If he had to leave, that would be perfect for me to find his schedule.

"There's a man named Archer waiting for you downstairs. He said it's urgent." Lacy told him and Chase's face dropped for a split second before a smile appeared on his face. Who was this Archer that made Chase's mood change so quickly? 

"I'll be there. Thank you, Lacy."

She nodded and left, closing the door behind her. Chase stood up and I followed his lead. 

"Looks like you have to go, I'll see myself out then." I gave him a smile.

"Nonsense! Show yourself around the office, I know you love books and I have plenty of those. I probably won't be long, but if you do have something to do before I get back, you don't have to wait up for me. It was nice seeing you, I hope you visit more." He walked around the desk and gave me a hug. I hated that I felt bad, knowing that he probably played a part in Killian's parents' death, but I couldn't help it. 

"Thank you," I smiled and he nodded before leaving his office. I was completely alone. I wasted no time and went straight to his desk, going through his drawers. Though technology was more convenient, Chase always liked to write everything down as well, so he would probably have a planner somewhere here. Everything was beautifully organized, which made it easy to find the planner with his schedule in it. I pulled out my phone and began taking pictures. He had over twenty meetings a day, the most I saw being fifty. Who was he meeting with and why did he need to have so many meetings in a day? It seemed a little excessive. I didn't pause to look for any names and took pictures until I was at the end of the planner. I hurried and placed the planner back in its spot. It was as if it was never touched. 

Exiting the office wasn't a problem at all. The guards remembered who I was and just nodded at me as I got on the elevator. The one whose throat I hit glared at me and I gave him a sly wink as the doors closed. I chuckled to myself just imagining the face he made after seeing my wink. 

As soon as I stepped out of the building, I sped walked to the car, and drove off quickly. Only when I was a nice distance away did I start breathing normally. I did it. I came up with a plan by myself, made a decision to execute the plan, and successfully went through with the plan, all by myself. I mentally patted myself on the back. It was now late in the afternoon, still enough light to get lots done before it was time for bed. I smiled when the familiar road appeared and when I drove into the driveway, my smile dropped. I parked the car and turned it off, yanking the key out of the ignition, and just sat there. 

Killian leaned on the doorframe of the front door, glaring at me.