Broken Melody (Rock With You #2) Rock Star Romance (9 page)

Joe
held up his hands, hurrying to continue. “No, no…nothing bad this time.
Actually, we’d like to make you the interim managing partner of the department.
There is quite a heavy caseload here and we do need someone to manage the
department. That is, until we find a permanent replacement for Marshall.”

“Oh…Joe.
I don’t know what to say.” This was all becoming too unreal for her and her
mind was reeling.
Maybe running away to Scotland and living in a cave
wouldn’t be such a bad idea…

“I
don’t need a decision immediately. But I would need one soon. Say, next Monday?
That would give you the weekend to think it over.”

“The
senior partners back this idea?”

“Oh,
yes. They’re behind you being made junior partner. You have an exemplary record
with us.”

Melody’s
mind was racing. Apparently Ryan hadn’t told anyone about her affair with Logan.
“Did Ryan have anything to say about me, yesterday? About me being made
partner, I mean? Anything negative?”

“No.
He had nothing to say yesterday, other than to deny everything and proclaim he
was being framed. But nothing regarding any hindrance to you being made
partner. He’s actually been quite supportive of your promotion. Why do you
ask?”

Melody
shook her head. “It’s nothing…it’s just…some of the things he’d said recently,
his threats to derail my nomination for partner if I didn’t…acquiesce to him.
Honestly, I’m not sure what the truth is anymore.”

She
received a sympathetic smile from Joe. “Don’t worry. Right now, you’re exactly
what this firm needs. Young, hard working, dedicated. And with a winning track
record in court.”

Despite
her anxiety, she smiled. “Thank you, Joe. I’ll give you a decision on Monday.”
She blew out a breath, sitting back in her chair. “This has been one crazy
week. I’ve never had so many ups and downs crammed into so few days. I’m not
sure how much more I can handle.”

* * *

Melody
spent most of the day working through Logan’s interview answers, deciding the
best strategy to handle the counter claim from Ashton and then getting caught
up on the rest of her case load.

By
early evening, for the first time in what seemed like ages, she sat back and
gave a contented sigh. Her desk was still full of papers and files, but the
chaos was down to a minimum and she actually felt like she’d done a good day’s
work.

“Victoria!
Come take a look.”

Victoria
peeked around the door frame, a questioning look on her face. Melody spread her
arms wide.

“Look.
You can actually see some of the actual desk.” She pointed to a corner of the
mahogany desk visible between two stacks of case files.

“And
it’s thanks to you, Victoria. I couldn’t have dug out of this without you.
Thank you.”

She
got a shy smile in return. “It’s my job…and, well, my pleasure. I enjoy working
with you, Melody. I know we got off to a rough start, with Melissa and
everything else that’s happened.”

“I
didn’t give you a very fair start. You did land in the middle of a mess, in
more ways than one.” Melody glanced at her watch.

“Go
home. It’s late and it’s Friday. You’ve done more than enough today. Monday, we
have several filings due. Lori will be back and I want you to go over those
with her, have her help you.”

“Okay.
Thanks.” Victoria lingered in the doorway a moment longer. “Can I ask you
something?”

Melody
leaned back in her chair. “Sure. What is it?”

“What’s
he like? Logan MacKenzie, I mean. He’s just…well, I know I’m probably going to
meet quite a few famous people here. I knew that when I took the job. But he’s…I’ve
been a fan for such a long time. And he’s just so sexy. I know that’s really
unprofessional of me to say but… you know, I’m just a huge fan.”

There
was a part of Melody that wanted to share with someone exactly what Logan meant
to her, but now was not the time and Victoria was certainly not the person. She
shrugged, hoping the flush she felt creeping up her cheeks wasn’t noticeable.

“I’ve
only met him a few times, here at the office. He’s nice. Very professional.
Very private about his personal life, from the little conversations we’ve had
that weren’t about the case.”

Victoria’s
face fell in disappointment. “Oh. You two seemed somehow closer. Like you knew
each other. And you came in with him today. I just thought…it looked like you
were friends.”

Melody’s
inner warning bells were sounding. She’d have to make sure instances like this
morning didn’t happen again. If that were how closely others paid attention,
she’d have to make sure she paid even closer attention to when she might be
seen with Logan.

“He
happened to be in the lobby when I came up. Coincidence, I guess.”

“But
he wasn’t on your calendar…”

“We
talked about it yesterday…after the…incident in Mr. Marshall’s office.”

Victoria
shook her head, the disappointment on her face replaced with concern. “Such a
horrible thing. It must have been so terrible, being put in such a position,
hearing those horrible words.”

Melody
regarded the woman standing in her doorway, something tickling the back of her
mind. Words. Ryan’s words.
What the hell is it? What words
?

Of
all the people she’d come in contact with that day, Victoria was the only one
who had yet to say anything about the events in Ryan’s office. There had been a
few whispers, some stares and several people who had stopped by out of sheer
noisiness. There had also been a few colleagues who had stopped by to check on
how she was, if she needed anything. But the one person she worked most closely
with had said nothing.

The
warning bells grew louder. Melody tensed behind her desk, suddenly anxious to
be out of the office.

“You
know, it’s late. I think I’m going to head out now too. Take off, Victoria. Go
home. You’ve earned it today. Enjoy your weekend.”

Melody
rose and Victoria finally moved away from her door, heading to her cubicle,
gathering her purse. As soon as she’d turned off her desk light and waved
good-bye, Melody closed her door. She picked up the phone and dialed Logan’s
cell phone. He answered after the first ring.

“When
are you coming back? It’s late. I called earlier, but somehow ended up talking
to your paralegal. Victoria, I think? She said you were in a meeting, not to be
disturbed.”

Melody
closed her eyes, sighing in frustration. “I’m on my way now. I’ll meet you in
your room.”

“Should
I make a reservation…”

“No.
No reservations.” Melody could hear the rising tone of her voice and she took a
deep breath.

“Is
everything alright? You sound a little panicked.” Logan’s voice was heavy with
concern.

“There
are some things here that just don’t make sense. I’ll be there in a little bit
and we can talk. I’m fine. Can you order dinner? In your room?”

“For
you, I’d order the moon if they’d deliver it. I’ll order wine as well. I’m
having the feeling you’re going to need it…that we both will.”

* * *

“I
think she’s somehow connected with Ryan.” They’d had dinner and Melody was
curled up on the sofa, a glass of red wine in her hand. Logan sat at the end of
the sofa, her bare feet in his hands, slowly rubbing the bottom of her feet.

“Ryan
is missing. And when Joe came to offer me the interim partner position, he said
he didn’t give him permission…”

“Melody.
Slow down. One thing at a time. Start with Ryan.”

“Okay,
sorry. He’s missing. Or at least he’s not answering his phone. Joe said Ryan
had called him last night, told him he was resigning... And when Joe tried
calling back, there was no answer. He tried Ryan’s house, but the housekeeper
said he wasn’t there. And today there was no answer. But then he was in his
office. I saw him there…” Her words trailed off as the thoughts in her head
swirled in a maelstrom.

Logan
looked up at Melody, a bemused look on his face. “Melody?”

“It…it
was like he was waiting for me, or knew I was going to be there.” She closed
her eyes, brows drawn together in concentration. When she opened them, her gaze
was fixed on Logan.

“Logan,
when I went to get the file, what happened? With Victoria, I mean?”

“Nothing.
I went into your office, she went back to her desk. She’d asked if I wanted
anything and I said no.”

“Could
you hear her? Do you remember anything else? Anything at all?”

Logan
frowned, the corner of his mouth drawing down. “She may have been on the phone.
But honestly, I wasn’t really paying attention.” He colored briefly. “There was
a call from Claire right then, and I was distracted by that.”

“Oh,
we never listened to her message. Or did you?”

Logan
shook his head. “No. Not without you there. Not falling into that pattern
again. But go back to Victoria. What is it you’re thinking? That she’s got
something to do with Ryan?”

Melody
shrugged. “I don’t know for sure. But it’s odd; she was hired by Ryan. Ryan
knew when you’d be at my apartment, and he repeated some of our phone call. And
then today. He’s there, when I am? Joe said, as a partner, Ryan would have
access to almost any place in the building.”

She
sat up, pulling her feet away from Logan’s hands. “What if she’s a mole for
Ryan? What if he planted her in the office, to keep track of me, of us?”

Logan
shook his head. “If it’s true, it explains a great deal of things. But was she
listening with her ear to your door? How would she know what we said on the
phone?”

“Victoria
can listen to my calls, from her desk. Melissa could as well. The phones are
set up that way. With Melissa, we’d have conference calls through that system.
But all Victoria has to do is press the mute button, hit the extension line I’m
on and listen in. There’s nothing on my phone that even shows whether she’s
listening.”

“So
any conversations we’ve had, she might have heard, and then repeated them to
Ryan?”

Melody
nodded and swallowed hard. Logan’s face was suffused with the same anger she’d
seen in Ryan’s office and she was startled by its intensity.
I never want to
be on the receiving end of that anger…ever.

“Bastard.
Fucking bastard. Is there nothing he wouldn’t do to hurt you? I wish now I
would have hit him again.”

Melody
shook her head in disbelief. “I’m stunned…if it’s true. Remember, I really
don’t have solid proof, just a whole bunch of coincidences and hunches. Nothing
solid. But I think we need to be more careful, not only of Ryan, but of
everyone else.”

“Aye.
I agree. We lay low.”

He
turned to Melody. “And among the ‘everyone else’, there’s Claire. She’s called
again this afternoon, left another message.” His cell phone was lying on the
coffee table, looking innocent enough. But Melody knew it was a ticking time
bomb.

“We
should listen to them, Logan. You can’t avoid her forever.”

Logan
picked up his cell phone, flipping open the display. After a moment he set the
phone between them on the couch. At the sound of the woman’s voice, as the
lilting Scottish accent filled the room, Melody’s hands went cold, her body
numb, as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice water over her head.

‘Logan…it’s
Claire. Please…I know you’re there. Pick up…please.’

“That
was today, in your office. This was later.” Logan tapped a button on the phone.

‘Logan.
Please. I know you’re avoiding me, but we have to talk. It’s important. Please
call. I need to talk to you. There’s something you need to know.’

Logan
picked up his phone, flipping the display closed. “Well, nothing much there.”

“Will
you call her? Or answer her call?”

Logan’s
nonchalant shrug belied the tension in his body. “I will, I suppose. I just
don’t want to hear how much she loves me and all that bullshit, or how she
wants me back.”

Melody
was silent, the echo of Claire’s voice in her mind.

“And
then there’s the pain it’ll cause you…already is causing you. I can see it in
your face, in your eyes.” He slid across the couch, pulling her against him.

“Even
though I tell ye I love ye, you’ll have doubts. It’s just the way the mind
works. The heart knows, but the mind plays tricks on ye.”

He
held her hand, tracing the lines on her palm. “You’re in my heart, Melody and
nothing will take that away. Nothing. She’s of the past, ye ken. And all her
asking or pleading won’t bring her into my life…
our
life.”

His
fingers were beneath her chin, tilting her face to his. “Ye believe me, don’t
you, Melody? I don’t like seeing you like this, knowing that something from my
past is playing a part in how you feel.”

“I
know…and I believe you. I do. And you’re right. My mind is going in a thousand
directions, none of them good. And none of them the right way.”