AUTHOR'S P.O.V
Alistair stared at his friend, willing him to talk. They'd been in the car for over thirty minutes, heading for the event, and yet the guy hadn't uttered a single word. It had always been like that. As a social butterfly, the quiet was uncomfortable.
He sighed, unscrewing a bottle of whisky. He poured himself a glass, shifting in his seat. He did not know how to tell him. God, he was impulsive and a bit too yielding where Ariana was concerned. She'd come to mean a lot to him so did the statue in front of him.
He cleared his throat. "Uh... I got you a date." He delivered cooly despite feeling apprehensive. He calmly waited for a reaction, and like always, he was disappointed when he received none.
"Dammit, Reed! Are you human at all!" He said, drowning the glass of whisky he held in one gulp. He'd done all he could and though he could see an improvement, he felt like he hadn't done enough.
As he glanced at Reed, memories flooded his mind.
He remembered how he'd struggled to acquire a meeting with Reed. He'd had to hire a detective and worse, he'd had to wait for a whole damn year. Only to be met with a broken man.
The memory flashed before his eyes like yesterday.
He was getting impatient. It'd been a whole fucking year and still he didn't have anything on the man. He needed the collab. It'd be a boost to his company.
He'd set meetings but Reed Lanchester was as invisible as dust, sending representatives in his place. He'd gone as far as inviting him to his parties but nothing. Alistair wanted to meet the man himself. Hell, he didn't even know what he looked like.
His personal secretary knocked on the door, interrupting his thoughts. He didn't answer and as expected, she showed herself in. Another employer would've fired her on the spot but not him. He had an informal relationship with his thirty-two year-old secretary.
"What now, Sloane?" He asked, scowling at her in irritation.
She rolled her eyes, marching towards his table. She handed him a tablet. "Detective Wallace sent this."
It was the address of Reed Lanchester. He smiled, taking it from her. "Why didn't he email it straight to me. Or come see me?"
"According to him, he's busy and he wasn't interested in having his hair turn white, waiting till you picked his calls or read your emails."
He rolled his eyes. "Well I'm on my way to see Reed Lanchester."
"Well good luck. Hope he doesn't sue your ass for stalking."
"I am not stalking, lady. I am simply finding the whereabouts of a ghost." He said, grabbing his jacket as he made his way out.
When he arrived, the automatic gate allowed him entry. He barely noticed his surroundings as he rushed for the doorstep. No sooner had he pressed the doorbell than the door opened.
A maid ushered him in, leaving when he stated his intention. He stood in the living room, waiting patiently. Seconds turned into minutes and minutes into an hour and yet no one appeared. He could sense that the atmosphere wasn't right but he couldn't put a finger on it.
Reed Lanchester wasn't getting rid of him easily, he thought, making his way upstairs. He knew he could be arrested for trespassing or some shit but he didn't care- he'd pay his way out. He'd always been a risk taker, never one to play by the rules.
He ended up wandering hallways, wondering what the hell he'd gotten himself into. But then, he heard it- a faint sound, but loud enough for him to catch it. He headed in the direction and was met with a woman crying. He walked towards her, asking what was wrong.
