Chapter 1 - The Woman They Were Looking For
“For what?”
Dominic’s question stopped the man in the doorway.
“They have a search warrant,” he said. “Financial records. Vehicles. Computers.”
Evan moved toward the garage entrance.
Dominic lifted one hand.
“No one touches anything.”
Hannah stood beside the SUV, clutching her bakery tote.
“Excellent,” she whispered. “A complete evening.”
Dominic looked at her.
“You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“I would love to hear that from someone whose garage doesn’t need its own traffic system.”
Before he could answer, footsteps sounded beyond the doorway.
A woman in a navy raincoat entered with two agents behind her. Her identification hung from her neck. She had gray-streaked hair, sensible shoes, and the expression of someone who had heard every possible version of surprise.
“Dominic Vale?”
“Yes.”
“Special Agent Nora Bennett.”
She presented the warrant. Dominic read while Evan called his attorney.
Then Bennett noticed Hannah.
Her eyes narrowed.
“Hannah Mercer?”
Hannah’s stomach dropped.
“I feel like I should stop answering that question.”
“We went to your apartment an hour ago.”
The garage became very quiet.
Dominic lowered the papers.
“Why?”
Bennett kept her attention on Hannah.
“We need to speak with you about Bell Street Bakery.”
Hannah’s fingers tightened around her tote.
“I didn’t take the money.”
“What money?”
“The twenty-four hundred dollars. Ask Scott to check the cameras. I asked him three times.”
Bennett exchanged a glance with the agent beside her.
“Who is Scott?”
“My manager. Scott Delaney. He fired me tonight.”
“For missing cash?”
“Yes.”
“And then you came here?”
“No. I got into the wrong car.”
Nobody spoke.
Hannah looked around at the expensive vehicles, armed security, and federal agents.
“I understand how that sounds.”
“Tell me anyway,” Bennett said.
So Hannah did.
The rain. The rideshare. Her dead phone. The warm back seat.
When she finished, one of the younger agents looked at Dominic with obvious disbelief.
Dominic’s expression remained unreadable.
Bennett glanced at the bakery badge hanging from Hannah’s bag.
“Did anyone ask you about delivery invoices this week?”
Hannah went still.
Dominic noticed.
“A man came Tuesday,” she said. “Gray hair. Brown messenger bag. He said he was checking supplier accounts.”
“What was his name?”
“Leon something.”
“Leonard Voss?”
“Yes.”
Bennett’s face changed.
“Did he leave anything with you?”
“No. He asked who approved invoices from Northline Distribution.”
Dominic’s eyes moved toward Evan.
It happened quickly, but Hannah saw it.
“What?” she asked.
No one answered.
“Oh, no. Absolutely not. If my terrible night has subplots, somebody needs to explain them.”
Bennett stepped closer.
“Mr. Voss has been missing since yesterday.”
The rain drummed against the garage doors.
Hannah looked down at the canvas bag beneath her arm.
Inside were an umbrella with two broken ribs, half a turkey sandwich, her payroll notebook, and the box of things Scott had allowed her to remove from her desk.
Ordinary things.
They no longer felt ordinary.
“Am I under arrest?”
“No,” Bennett said. “But I’d like you to come somewhere we can talk.”
“Can I call someone?”
“Yes.”
“My phone—”
An agent handed her a charging cable.
For reasons Hannah couldn’t explain, that almost made her cry.
Dominic stepped away to speak quietly with Evan. Hannah caught only a name.
Adrian.
Then his phone vibrated.
He looked at the screen and answered.
“What?”
A male voice came through clearly enough for Hannah to hear.
“We need the girl.”
Dominic’s gaze lifted toward her.
The voice continued.
“She’s confused. Scott says she took company documents. Let our people straighten it out before the government makes something of it.”
Hannah stopped breathing.
Dominic said nothing.
“Send her to the warehouse office,” the caller added. “I’ll handle it.”
“Federal agents are standing in my garage.”
A pause.
Then the voice changed.
“Then tell them she works for you.”
Dominic looked at Hannah’s wet shoes.
At her trembling hands.
At the employee badge that had made her so easy to find.
“No,” he said.
“Dominic.”
“She leaves with her own attorney or the agents. She doesn’t leave with you.”
The silence on the line lasted several seconds.
When the man spoke again, his voice was almost gentle.
“Be careful what you choose.”
Dominic ended the call.
Hannah stared at him.
For the first time since she woke in his car, she was more afraid of the people outside his house than the man standing inside it.
Bennett held out a phone.
“Who would you like to call?”
May you like
Hannah looked at Dominic.
He had already turned away, allowing the agents access to everything his family had spent twenty years keeping hidden.
