Finding Tessa by Jaime Hendricks (good story books to read TXT) 📕

jumped through hoops every time Trey called. When they were competing for the manager job, everyone worked overtime. Jace didn’t want to be the first to leave while Trey was in the office. He wanted to show his dedication.

Jace and Tessa had adopted Candy right before he was promoted. Tessa had called him, late one night when everyone was burning the midnight oil, and said Candy was vomiting and she wanted to take her to the after-hours clinic. Jace promised he’d be home in ten minutes. Left in a rush. Realized two minutes into his ride that he’d left Candy’s new pet insurance papers on his desk, so he turned around and went back.

When he got inside, Trey was in his office, his head leaning back on his chair, looking like he was taking a nap. Until he heard a grunt. And then he saw Rosita on her knees between Trey and the desk.

“What the hell is going on?” Jace shouted.

Rosita got up so fast she bumped her head on the desk, and Trey scrambled for his pants.

“Jace. Shit!” Trey said. “Wait.”

“Don’t you dare say it’s not what it looks like. Is this what I’m competing against for the job? I guess I’m the one that’s screwed.” Jace looked at Rosita on the floor, her expression half embarrassed, half smug.

“Jace. Wait.” Trey stood, buckling his belt in record time. He smoothed down his damn sweater vest. “Listen. Wait. Fuck!”

No, of course his happily married boss didn’t know what to say. Was this a consistent thing? An affair? Or was Rosita just trying to one-up Jace? He never asked. He walked out in disgust.

Jace was promoted two days later.

And Rosita never forgave him. All that “overtime,” and she didn’t get the job.

But now, what did it mean that she didn’t show up for work? She was set to take over Jace’s project. She should’ve been happy as a clam. That thing with Trey happened months ago. And it stopped. Right?

“I have to ask you a question, Trey, and I need an honest answer.”

Another sigh, indicating he knew what Jace was about to ask. “What’s that?”

“Were you with Rosita after work last Thursday? She showed up late to the thing with VistaBuild. And you showed up with Aleesha hours later.”

“That’s not relevant to—”

“Trey!” Jace cut him off. “Come on, man. Tessa is missing, and I just found out the other day that Rosita threatened her, and now Rosita is missing. Something is going on.”

“Rosita isn’t missing. She’s just not here.”

“You didn’t answer me.”

There were a few seconds of silence before Trey spoke. “Can you come in? We’ll talk when you get here.”

“Fine. Give me a half hour.”

Jace hung up and quickly showered and dressed and headed to the bank. When he walked in, the coworkers he locked eyes with quickly looked away. The Lovett Road Killer is here! Small waves, a few close-lipped smiles and nods.

He walked right past his dark office and went right for Trey, who was just ending a phone call. The phone slammed into the cradle, Trey’s face tense. He nodded to Jace to shut the door, which he did. He pulled up his slacks on both legs and got comfortable in the seat in front of him.

“No news on Tessa?” Trey started.

“Nope. Nothing,” Jace said, but he was done beating around the bush. “What’s going on between you and Rosita? I need to make sure she has nothing to do with Tessa being missing. Her whereabouts are unaccounted for during the time the cops think something happened to Tessa. I’ll go to the board if you don’t tell me the truth.”

That was a threat he should’ve made months ago, but he admittedly dropped it once he got the promotion. He’d never know if he earned it or if it was hush money, and it bothered him.

“Nothing. I’m a happily married man, Jace.” Trey nodded toward the picture of himself and Aleesha on one of the islands. “I love my wife and my kids.”

“Where was she last Thursday?” He was more insistent. He wouldn’t back down. Not now.

Trey’s face stiffened, his eyes guilty. The kid caught with his hand in the candy jar. “Okay, okay. She was with me.”

“Jesus Christ, Trey. So, it never stopped?”

“It did. I swear.” He had his hands up defensively. “Then, I don’t know. What do you want me to say?”

Jace shook his head back and forth. “How could you do this to Aleesha?”

Jace loved Aleesha. The first time they met was a few years ago when she brought in a batch of Bahamian rum ball cookies to the bank. She had that charming island accent and her hair was in long braids and she smelled of fresh roses when she grabbed him for a hug. Jace had been to barbecues and holiday parties at their house and she was a perfect, accommodating hostess, a fantastic cook, and did part-time administrative work for a doctor’s office while the kids were in school. The complete package. Trey was a lucky man, and Jace couldn’t believe he’d jeopardize his marriage and his children for Rosita.

“I wish I had something clever to say, but I don’t.” He shook his head softly, looking at the picture again. “Aleesha is a better person than me, I guess.”

You guess? “Not good enough. But whatever. So, you were with her on Thursday? When?”

Jace could tell Trey didn’t want to give up the details, but at this point it was that or his job. Which paled in comparison to Jace and his freedom.

“She left when you did, yes. We had plans to meet at her townhouse. We knew we had to . . . rush . . . She had to be with you and Andy and Kyle, and I had to go home to . . .” He let the statement fade, not wanting to say he had to go home and be a doting husband and father before he came back to meet them at Jupiter’s with his wife mere