Chapter 5 - Reed Accused His Own Right-Hand Man of Betrayal—Then Tommy Revealed the Secret That Made Him Turn Against His BossTommy disappeared before sunrise.
Reed didn't send anyone after him.
That frightened me.
“You think he's guilty.”
“I know he's hiding something.”
“Then why let him go?”
“Because I want him to lead me to the person behind this.”
I stared at Reed.
“You trust nobody.”
“I trust very few people.”
“Do you trust me?”
He looked at me.
“Yes.”
The answer came instantly.
It surprised both of us.
Then he said:
“That's why you're still here.”
We returned to Callaway's.
The restaurant was closed.
Employees had been sent home.
I stood in the empty dining room.
Without customers, the place felt different.
Less glamorous.
More dangerous.
Reed walked toward the private office.
He opened a drawer.
Inside was an old file.
“Look.”
I opened it.
Tommy's name appeared everywhere.
But so did Ethan's.
And another name.
Victor Callaway.
Reed's father.
I looked at him.
“Why does your father have a file on Tommy?”
“Because Tommy was working for him before he worked for me.”
“So?”
“Tommy was planted beside me.”
My stomach tightened.
“For how long?”
“Twenty years.”
I stared.
“Then why trust him?”
“I didn't.”
“Then why keep him?”
“Because I wanted to know who he reported to.”
Reed opened another file.
Inside were photographs of Tommy meeting several people.
Politicians.
Businessmen.
And finally, Elena.
My former manager.
The same woman who had been watching me.
Then the final photograph showed Tommy meeting Ethan.
I whispered:
“They were working together.”
Reed shook his head.
“No.”
“What?”
“They were trying to stop the same person.”
I stared.
“Who?”
Reed placed a photograph on the desk.
A woman.
Elegant.
Blonde.
Cold eyes.
I recognized her.
“Your mother?”
Reed nodded.
My stomach dropped.
“She's alive?”
“Yes.”
“Why would she want Ava?”
Reed's face became stone.
“Because she believes Ava is the only person who can expose what she did.”
“What did she do?”
“Everything my father did.”
May you like
He looked at me.
“Maybe worse.”
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