A Day In The Rye

Chapter 7

Massimo's Pov

It's been a week and Bruce has been able to speak with John and ask him questions regarding Skai's disappearance, he insists he doesn't know anything about it. He has a strong alibi and Bruce believes he's telling the truth, so he's ruled out and we're back to square one.

I'm in my office and I can't concentrate on anything... My door is flung open and Danielle walks in, I'm in no mood to deal with her crap today.

"what are you doing here?" I ask in a nonchalant tone.

"oh baby, aren't you happy to see me?" She says in a high pitched tone, which makes me want to pull my hair out.

I scoff,

"I have a lot of work to do, so I'm going to ask you one last time... what. Are. You. Doing. Here?"

She sits in the chair facing me

"I just came to see you and know how you're doing. I heard the bad news, so I came to see if there's anyway I could help."

"Well, thanks. If you know anything you can report to the police"

"You look tired, why don't you come with me, so I can help you relax."

She says in what I think is a seductive voice?

I roll my eyes.

"Go home Danielle."

I say with a sigh.

I look back to the papers I'm holding, I've been reading the same line for like 2 hours now. I can't concentrate knowing Skai is out there, I wonder where she is and what they're doing to her... At that thought, I feel a headache coming on.

"What do you see in her, that you don't see in me Massimo?! What?!"

She yells at me and when I don't answer, she seizes the papers from me and flings them. I just lean into my seat and watch her with my arms folded over my chest as she huffs and puffs.

"What you can never have Danielle... And for the last time, leave my office." i say cooky.

She slams her hands on my table

"I don't get it!... I thought removing her from the picture will help you notice me! See that I'm the one for you..."

I sit up straight now realising what she just said,

"What do you mean by removing her from the picture Danielle?" I narrow my eyes at her.

"What?... I-i d-did't say that" she stutters.

"Don't fuck with me Danielle!... What the fuck do you mean by removing her from the picture?!" I growl at her and she gulps.

I see her glancing towards the door, so I quickly move towards her and grab her arms and push her back into her seat.

"Answer me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

I raise a brow and pull out my phone, I call Bruce and inform him I'm on my way to his office. Then I call Chris and tell him to meet me there.

I turn to her and drag her up by her arm and lead us out of the door, towards the elevator. I stop by Tania's desk and tell her to clear my schedule, then I drag Danielle to the elevator and press the underground parking button.

"Where are you taking me?!"

"It'll be in your best interest to shut your trap!, or so help me God!"

She looks frightened and I don't care. At least she has shut up, because I won't be held responsible for what I'll do to her if she doesn't.

We make it to my car and I instruct my driver to take us to Bruce's office before opening the door for her to get in - I might be angry, but I'm still a gentleman.

Few minutes later, and we're in Bruce's office. I tell him what Danielle said and he begins probing her for answers, she of course starts to deny and feign ignorance. I'm beginning to get frustrated when Chris walks in.

"What's going on here?" he asks.

I fill him in and he tells me he remembers who the guy in the video is and was going to tell Bruce. The moment he mentions Jeff's name - who happens to be an employee back at the publishing house, his parents are shareholders in my company and they were able to secure a job for him here, I've never really paid much attention to him before. But I notice the moment he mentions Jeff's name, Danielle tenses and her eyes widen. I look at Bruce and he notices too

"Look here Danielle, I know you know something about Skai's disappearance and somehow this Jeff guy seems to know too. I'll suggest you start talking before he gets here, because you're about to be in so much trouble."

"It was all Jeff's idea. I only found out about it and promised not to tell anyone... I swear that's all I know."

I look at Bruce and he doesn't seem to be buying her story. He walks out and places orders for Jeff to be brought in for questioning.

Chris is just staring at her with a frown on his face and he looks moments away from pouncing on her. Bruce walks in and stands in front of her.

"I'm going to need your phone" Bruce tells her.

"What?! Why?!... Look I don't have anything against her, so why do you think I have a hand in her disappearance? Max say something."

She snaps at Bruce and then turns to me with puppy dog eyes. True symptoms of a psychopath.

"Just give him the phone Danielle." I sigh exasperatedly.

"No!" she snaps.

Chris walks towards her and he looks scary, she gulps and leans into her seat.

"Give him the phone now!"

He says calmly, too calm and that's never good.

He doesn't get angry easily, but when he does, you better relocate to outer space.  He clenches and unclenches his jaw, and his eyes are a bright red shade and that's never good. She brings out the phone from her purse with a shaky hand and extends it toward Bruce and just when he's about to take it from her, she let's it drop to the ground...

"Oops..." she feigns innocence.

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