Two
Tyler took Larry Amberson’s call at ten o’clock that morning, while he was pouring himself a cup of coffee from the locally grounded beans his late brother had bought him.
“This is urgent, Ty.” Larry said when he picked up the call.
“Hello to you too, old pal.” Tyler said, chuckling.
“I’m sorry I was rude, Ty, but this is really urgent and important.” Larry said again.
Tyler began to listen to Larry explain why he had called him out of the blue and not bother with formality, his face turning pale, and the woman standing in front of him squinting her eyes at him.
She was his partner at the firm, but she was also more than that. She was his best friend, and cousin. “What is it?” she mouthed, asking him.
Alex Paxton had served with him and also left to start the company with him, but he was the CEO. It was his money that started the firm.
“So, when she was attacked last night, all I could think of was you. We feel that it’s connected to her investigative work and her life could be in danger.” Larry finished.
“So you don’t know for sure what the attack was about?” Tyler asked and Larry sighed at the other end.
“No, not for sure, Ty, but it doesn’t look good at all. And she’s scared shitless.” Larry said.
Tyler frowned as he heard the story. “So what? You need me to send you someone from my firm?” he asked.
Larry said, “No, Ty. I don’t want you to send just anyone. I need you to do this yourself. I know you will be able to keep her safe and my wife would have to worry about her sister anymore. She cried herself to sleep last night from worry, even after we left Raina at the hotel.” He said.
“Don’t worry, my men are fiercely trained and they can take on anything. I don’t need to be there to protect your wife’s sister.” Tyler said, waving his hands at Alex to stop her from adding the jam spread to his bread. He was watching his carbs intake for now.
“You don’t understand Tyler. This people are dangerous. They already tried to kill her once, don’t you think they will try again?”
Tyler gripped the phone tighter. “Larry, listen. My team is highly trained. They’re professionals. I promise, she’ll be safe with one of them watching her. I don’t need to do this myself. You and your wife won’t have to worry.”
On the other end, Larry sighed, his frustration obviously transmitted. “Ty, I know your men are good, but this… this is different. It’s not just some random attack. Raina’s been digging into something dangerous, and now they’re coming for her.”
Tyler frowned, leaning back against the counter. “What do you mean, digging into something dangerous?” He asked.
Larry hesitated for a moment before he spoke, his voice low, as though someone could overhear him. “She’s been investigating a company called RavenTech. She discovered they’re connected to several mysterious deaths. The police labeled them as suicides, but she believes they were murders. Ty, whoever’s behind this wants her dead.”
Tyler’s hand froze mid-air, his whole body going tense. His heart thudded heavily in his chest, his mind going back to that dark night three months ago. The last words his brother had whispered before dying in his arms replayed over and over in his head. Raven… RavenTech. It was the only thing his brother had said before Tyler found him, his wrist slit, in his apartment.
The police had ruled it a suicide, chalking it up to the drugs they found in his brother’s system. They hadn’t believed Tyler when he insisted that his gut told him something was off, that his brother would never do this to himself.
But now… now it all made sense. The company’s name. The mysterious deaths. His brother.
“What did you just say the company’s name was?” Tyler asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.
“RavenTech,” Larry repeated.
Tyler stiffened. He could feel the blood draining from his face. This wasn’t a coincidence. “RavenTech was involved in my brother’s death.”
There was no hesitation in his voice when he spoke again. “I’ll do it. I’ll protect Raina myself.” He said.
“Oh God! Thank you, Ty. I knew I could count on you.” He said, sounding so relieved.
After hanging up the phone, Tyler stood still for a moment, staring blankly at the counter. This is it, he thought. This is my chance to find out the truth.
He turned to Alex, who had been watching him, concern etched on her face. “Get my car ready. I need to head to the hotel where Raina McNamara is hiding.”
Alex raised an eyebrow but didn’t question him. “What’s going on? Why are you taking this one personally?”
Tyler ran a hand through his hair, his mind still on his brother. “It’s RavenTech,” he said quietly. “They’re involved.”
Alex’s eyes widened. “RavenTech? You mean the same company…?” Her voice trailed off, knowing what it meant to him.
“Yeah,” Tyler said, his voice tight. “I need to find out what they’re hiding. And Raina might be the key.”