He was obviously expecting her to respond with teasing, as she normally would have, but she just couldn’t muster it. “Did your guy find something out?”

“Yeah,” Jack said, his tone changing to the professional one he used for work. “We uncovered an email trail. It was deleted from the server, but my computer guy somehow dug it up. I don’t know how the hell he does it, but he’s good.”

“What email trail?” Her voice was a little wobbly, but she was speaking softly, so she hoped he wouldn’t notice it.

“Between Sean Moore and the CEO at the time, Tom Earnest. It looks bad. Whatever happened, I think Moore was definitely involved.”

“What about Caleb?” She felt like her whole existence was poised on the edge of a cliff, and she was either going to fall backward onto the ground with a bump or fall forward into an endless void.

“He could be too, but he’s nowhere in the email trail. We still need more information.”

Kelly took a long, shuddering breath and sank down onto the bathroom floor, huddling up and trying to process this news. There was still a chance that Caleb might be innocent.

She wished she didn’t want it so much.

After a minute passed without her saying anything, Jack asked slowly, “You okay?”

“Yeah.” She felt almost like crying, but that was probably just the aftermath of the emotional night she’d had.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Jack said, sounding a little hesitant. “We don’t have any real proof at this point, and even if he didn’t do this, you know he’s still not a good guy.”

“I know he’s not a good guy.”

“There’s no happy, rainbow-filled wedding for the two of you at the end of this.”

“I know that.” She stiffened her shoulders, Jack’s wry words actually helping her pull herself together. “I’m not a fool.”

“I know. But shit happens, and sometimes we’re not as smart as we should be. You’ve put yourself in a bad situation here, and I’d like to see you get out of it in one piece, if possible.”

“I get it. I want that too. So what needs to happen now? You said I might be able to—”

“Did you find out where they store the paper corporate records?”

“Yeah. There’s a storage area in the basement of the main headquarters, I guess. Caleb said that’s where they keep their old files. He was complaining about email, and I used that to ask him about paperwork. He says they only keep important stuff, and it’s all in fireproof cabinets underground.” She’d found out that information—like so much else she’d needed to know, by manipulating conversations to go the way she needed them to. She hated doing that to Caleb now, but she didn’t know enough yet to give up. “Why? What do you need?”

“There’s nothing in any electronic records we can access, so we need to check the paper records.”

“They’re not going to keep written proof of murder in the storage room.”

“You never know. But that’s not what I’m expecting to find. I want to get the personnel record of Earnest and then see if there’s anything on Moore or Marshall in there.”

“They evidently keep the storage area locked, but Caleb’s assistant has a master key in her desk. I saw her take it out when I stopped by last week. I might be able to—”

“No, no. My guys can do it. It’s too dangerous for you to try to get in there yourself.”

“But it’s dangerous for your guys too.”

“Yeah, but they’re professionals, and you’re not. Just give me a week or two, and we’ll figure out a way to get in there.”

Kelly bit her lip, hating the idea of waiting that long before they had concrete proof one way or the other.

Jack evidently sensed her hesitation. “You’re okay with keeping this charade up a little longer, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Just try to hurry it up.”

“I will. I want you out of there as soon as possible. In fact, you can probably leave now if you want.”

“I’m not going to leave until this is over. You might need something else from me, and I’m not going to walk away when we’re almost there.”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “I didn’t think so. Just be safe and hang tight, and my guys will get to the records as soon as possible.”

“Okay.” She hesitated before she added, “Have you talked to my mother lately?”

“Yes. She calls every day.”

“Is there—” Kelly broke off, hating how awkward she felt talking about her own mother. “Is there anything new with her?” Even if she’d wanted to, she couldn’t have a conversation with her mother. Talking on the phone would be risky, and Caleb had a bodyguard following her around all the time, because her supposed bloodthirsty Armenian ex-boyfriend with gang connections was still a threat, so it was very difficult to sneak away for a covert meeting.

“She’s going downhill, healthwise,” Jack said, his tone changing. “But she’s just as determined as ever. I’ve never met anyone as driven as she is.”

“Yeah.” She sighed, feeling heavy and poignant. “My dad’s death consumed her whole world—even more than mine. It’s an obsession for her now. Nothing is going to soften her at this point. Let me know if…if her health gets even worse.” Her mother was supposed to have at least another month, but those kinds of prognoses were never perfectly accurate.

“I will.”

“And call me if you find out anything else.”

“Will do.”

She hung up the phone and stepped into the shower, since she needed to be wet if anyone had heard her in the bathroom like this. She soaped up and rinsed quickly, deciding not to wash her hair. She’d washed it yesterday evening before the party, and it took forever to dry.

She turned the shower off, dried off, and put her nightgown back on, since she hadn’t brought any clothes into the bathroom with her.

The bedroom was still empty when she opened the door. Caleb was probably working, distancing himself from her to get his bearings back after last night.

It was just as well. Even if he wasn’t guilty, she couldn’t get any closer to him than she already was.

He’d pulled away this morning. It was good. It was better.

It was nothing to be disappointed about.

“Good morning,” came a warm, cultured voice from the bedroom door, which had just opened. “I was trying to get back before you woke up.”

Caleb walked in the room, barefoot, bare-chested, wearing only a pair of black trousers. He wasn’t smiling, but there was something oddly hesitant in his eyes.

Kelly whirled around, startled, gaping at him.

He blinked, his eyes slipping down to her body but not lingering. “I was hungry,” he explained, his voice low and almost sheepish. “I thought maybe you would be too.” He nodded down at the tray he was carrying, which Kelly had barely registered before.

On the tray were a silver coffee pot, two mugs, a small bowl of fruit, and a covered plate of what smelled like waffles.

“Oh,” Kelly mumbled, all of her newfound purpose and clarity exploding into bewilderment again.

Caleb’s eyebrows drew together, and four little lines appeared on his forehead. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. I guess I am kind of hungry. I just took a shower.”

He gave her a little smile. “I see that. But since you’re still in your nightgown, I figure maybe you’re still up for breakfast in bed.”

She made herself smile back at him, feeling ridiculously nervous and self-conscious. “Of course.”

As she came back to the bed, Caleb put the tray down on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked oddly self-conscious too—she couldn’t remember ever seeing him appear so out of place. The uncharacteristically hesitant look in his eyes made her belly clench strangely.

Smiling at him shyly, she came over and sat on the edge of the bed next to him. “Hi,” she said, feeling silly, like she was on a first date or something.

“Hi,” he said quietly, studying her face closely, as if he were trying to read her mind.

She shifted, trying to feel her way back to familiar ground. “I thought you’d left.”