Bad Intentions

7. Hidden Camera

Jaxson

First thing in the morning I went to Hudson and Co and was told that Cedric was out of town. I thought it was a bunch of bullshit. I remembered his girlfriend who works at the mall where we got Issy. When I walk into the pet store she notices me. "Back for another dog?" She asks me. "No, I was actually wondering where Cedric is." I tell her. "He's on some type of business trip. He's been back and forward for months."  "Do you know what type of business?" I ask her. She shrugs "beats me, and aren't you his rival company" I nod. "Just tell him next time he breaks into my house or even goes near my daughter I'll kill him." I say meaning every word. Bella is a child, she doesn't understand why it's wrong, but I do. "He did what?" "He broke into my house" I repeat myself. "That's not possible."  "Well he did, just make sure you tell him." I say leaving.

"Do you want to cancel your meeting?" Shawn asks me. "What?" I ask him regaining my focus. "Dude what's wrong with you? Your mind has been somewhere else since you got here." "Cedric broke into my house and talked to Bella the night I went out with you guys." I tell him. I've been trying to figure out how he got in. The door Penelope said was open locks from the inside. No one ever uses that door, and if it was open how'd he get back there? That's the middle of our yard. We have gates. "Wait are you serious?" He asks me and I nod. "I just don't understand how he got in." "Fuck how he got in Jaxson, we need to go beat his ass. Bella is a child." He was almost as pissed as I was. "He's on a business trip. I already went to look for him." I tell him. "That's bullshit!" He says and I nod. "Do you think Milo knows where he is?" I ask him. He shrugs "Milo isn't coming back until later tonight he went to visit his mom." "Maybe Cedric is with him" I say. Shawn gets cut off by my phone ringing. "Hello" "Jaxson oh my god" Penelope says on the other end of the phone. She sounds terrified. "What's wrong? Are you two okay?" I stand up looking for my keys. "Yeah yeah, Bella's asleep." She says rushing her words. "What's wrong?" I ask her. "I just checked the cameras on my phone. That guy that Ava works with was here."  "We have cameras?" I ask her sitting back in my chair. "Yeah, Ava put them up and put the app on my phone." "What's the password?" I ask her taking out a piece of paper. "I don't know. Ava set it up. I can send you the video."  "Okay, and it's fine calm down he's not going to come back anymore"  I tell her. "Good, I have food on the stove" she says. "Okay, call me back if you need anything." I tell her. "What's that about?" Shawn asks me as I wait for the video to come through. I share it to my drive and pull it up on the computer. "Come look at this." I tell him and he comes around my desk. The video shows Cedric unlocking the door with a key holding a small brown teddy bear. He slips pass the kitchen where you can see Penelope washing dishes, and goes straight upstairs. He passes by every room looking inside and taking a picture. Once he gets to Bellas' room he steps inside. Then the video stops and switches cameras and shows Bella backing up into the corner of the room. She was scared of him. He squats down and says something to her and she shakes her head no. He talks to her for two minutes straight. "What do you think he's telling her?" I shrug my shoulders "she said he told her that he was on a secret mission and that she couldn't tell anyone he came by," "wow" he says and I nod. Cedric holds his hand out with the bear and Bella slowly walks up to him and takes it. She sits it up on top of her bed and he takes a picture of her. He opens his arms and she hugs him. I hate this guy. Once he leaves her room she takes the bear from on top of her bed and stuffs it under her bed. "She's smart" Shawn says. "I know but I need to teach her not to trust everyone. She hugged him." I say. "Yeah but she put the bear under the bed. It has a camera in it," I shake my head no. "He wouldn't go that far," I tell him. Shawn rewinds the video a little bit then pauses it. "Look at the bears left eye" he says. There's a red spot in it. "Cameras can pick up other cameras" he says. My eyes widen. "I have to go get it out of her room." I tell him grabbing my keys. "I'll cancel the meeting." He tells me as I get on the elevator. "No,  just delay it for about an hour. I'll be back." I tell him.

When I get home Bella and Penelope were eating. "Is something wrong?" Penelope asks noticing me first. "Daddy" Bella cheers and gets our chair to hug me. "Can you go get the bear Cedric gave you?" I ask her and she nods running upstairs. "You watched the video." She says and I nod. "Why was he taking pictures of the house?" She asks me. "I have no idea. He's a really messed up man." I tell her and she nods. "Bella said she doesn't like him" She tells me. "That's good, she needs to know that she can't trust him." I tell her. Bella hops down the stairs with the bear. "Here you go" she says handing it to me. "Thank you, I'll see you later okay." I tell her and she frowns. "Can I go with you?" She asks me. "I have a meeting." "I'll stay in my playroom" she holds up her pinky finger "Okay fine, but you have to be good." I say holding mine out as well.

She didn't want me to put her down in the elevator so I carry her into my office. She was already sleepy. I wasn't expecting Shawn and the people I'm meeting with to be inside my office. "Oh" I say caught off guard. Shawn comes and takes Bella from me and the two of them leave. "I'm sorry I'm late Mr. and Mrs Miller. I had to get my daughter." I tell them taking my seat behind my desk. "Oh it's no problem. We know what it's like to have kids and work so hard at the same time. We have grandchildren now. Do you have anymore kids?" The women asks. I shake my head "No, just one." I tell them. "She's beautiful, she looks just like Avas' sweet little girl, doesn't she hunny?" "Yeah that's what I was thinking." Her husband says, speaking for the first time. "Actually, Ava is my wife, Bellas mom." I tell them wondering how they knew Ava. "Oh, that's amazing, how you guys both have such successful companies" I nod. "How do you know Ava? If you don't mind me asking" I ask the couple. "We've done work with her dad's company over the years." Mr. Miller says. I nod "In my opinion, it should be her company. He can't even have a proper meeting without Ava being present." Mrs Miller adds and her husband laughs. She wasn't wrong. "So what can I help you guys with today?" I ask the two of them getting back on topic. "We want to retire and travel the world a bit." Mrs Miller says. I nod "I'm not sure how I can help you with that" I respond. "We aren't looking to make a deal. We want to give our company away. We were hoping you knew someone who wants to start a company and actually knows what they're doing." I'm confused. "You want someone responsible enough to take over your company." I say getting the details right. "Yes, our children don't want to take over it and we don't want to necessarily sell it" Mr Miller says. "Well, I can't think of anyone right now, but I'll get back to you" I tell them. We all stand up and I shake their hands. Once they leave Shawn comes back in holding a sleeping Bella.  He lays her on the small couch. "How'd it go?" he asks. "They want to give their company away to someone" I tell him. "Can you handle two companies Jaxson?" He asks sitting down. "They don't want to give it to me, they want to know if I knew someone who wants it. Do you want your own company?" I ask him. He starts laughing "and lose all my freedom? I'm good" he says. I roll my eyes "Come on let's make a plan" I tell him.