Wilde at Heart (Wilde Security, #3)(54)

It did feel different. And, yes, his gut told him something was wrong. “I’ll go over to his place when I leave here, look around.”

Vaughn grunted. “I’m going to kick his ass when he turns up.”

“I’d pay to see that. Especially given your recent fashion accessory.”

Vaughn scowled down at his walking cast. “Fucking thing comes off in a week, and then I’m burning it.”

Since the twins had the office covered, Reece decided to pack it up and go get some work done at DMW Systems. But, first, a trip to Greer’s place.

Greer lived on the other side of a postage-stamp-sized park out behind the Wilde Security office. It was usually faster to walk over, but the wind had bite today and Reece opted to drive around the block. He pulled into the complex’s parking lot and scanned for Greer’s ten-year-old Jeep Cherokee, but didn’t see it.

Inside, the apartment building was light-years away from his in terms of style. Where his looked like a swanky hotel, Greer’s building opened into a drab corridor with mailboxes on one wall, elevators on another, and stairs in the back. There was also an empty desk, presumably for a security guard, but in all the years Greer had lived in the building, Reece had never seen anyone manning that desk.

Greer lived on the second floor, so Reece didn’t bother waiting for the elevator, which was notoriously slow, and pushed through into the stairwell. He took the steps two at a time and strode to apartment 211, a man on a mission.

His knock received no reply. He waited a moment. Pounded on the door again, harder. Still nothing. Or at least nothing from Greer’s silent apartment. The door across the hall opened, though, and a pretty woman with short dark hair peeked out.

“Sorry to disturb you,” he said gently, not wanting to scare her. “I’m looking for my brother. He lives here. Have you seen him?”

“No,” she said after the briefest of hesitations. “I picked up a package that was left by his door after it had sat there for a week. I thought you were him returning home, was going to give it to you.”

“So he hasn’t been around for a while?”

“I’m not sure. I mean, I usually pass him on the stairs or see him at the mailboxes, but it’s been almost two weeks since the last time I saw him.”

“I’d better take a look around his place.” Reece dug in his coat pocket, found his keys, and searched for the extra Greer had given him. The door opened easily, and he flipped on the light. Nothing moved. The apartment smelled abandoned even though Greer’s few possessions were exactly where they should be. There was food in the cupboards and some leftover Chinese still in the fridge, but he’d bet it was past its best-by date since the milk was also outdated by a few days. The sink was empty, the dishwasher full, but it looked like the dishes inside were clean, so it had been run. There was a blanket wadded up on one end of the couch and a pillow at the other, as if Greer had taken a nap there before he pulled his vanishing act. The bed in the bedroom was made with military precision, and his suitcase from Vegas sat next to the dresser, still packed. A quick scan through the closet didn’t tell Reece much. Greer didn’t have a lot of clothes, but it was impossible to tell if anything was missing when he had no idea how much had been there to start. Only things he didn’t find were Greer’s cell phone and wallet.

He returned to the living room and stood there for a second, at a complete loss. The whole place looked as if Greer would return at any moment. And maybe he would. He had before.

A sound from the door caught his attention and he turned to find Greer’s neighbor standing there. “I brought the package over.” She nodded to the box on the floor just inside the door that appeared to be from an online retailer.

Yet another clue that wherever Greer had gone, he had expected to be back in time to receive whatever he’d ordered online. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” She was wearing a huge sweater over leggings and the material swallowed her thin frame as she folded her arms over her chest. “Is he okay?”

“I hope so.” He grabbed his wallet and picked out a business card for her. “If you see him, I’d appreciate a call. My name is Reece.”

“Natalie.” She accepted the card, backed out into the hall, and waited for him to shut and lock the door. “I’ll keep an eye out for him.”

“Thanks, Natalie. And if you happen to talk to him, tell him his brothers are worried.”

Back in the Escalade, he called the office to tell the twins—and Jude, who must have arrived shortly after he left—what he’d found at Greer’s place. Cam suggested they file a missing person’s report, while Jude said they should wait. After all, Greer was a thirty-five-year-old man and could drop off the face of the earth if he wanted to—and he’d done so before. Multiple times. He’d eventually turn up again, just like the last few times he’d disappeared, and act like he hadn’t been gone. Vaughn agreed with Jude, and it was decided they’d give him a week—the same amount of time he’d been gone before—to show up. If he didn’t, then they’d reevaluate the situation.

Goddamn Greer. None of them needed this stress right now. And from him of all people? What the f*ck was going on?

Reece barely made it into DMW’s office before he was cornered by Alicia. “What happened to you last night?”