Chapter 1 - The Wrong Number“And then I showed up?”
“Yes.”
“In a twelve-year-old Honda?”
Dominic Vale looked at her for a moment.
“Eleven.”
Evelyn blinked.
“You checked?”
“I checked everything about you.”
Her stomach tightened.
“That sounds comforting.”
“It isn't meant to.”
He stood.
He was taller than she expected.
Not huge.
Just solid.
Controlled.
The kind of man who seemed to take up more space because everyone around him instinctively moved away.
Dominic walked toward a wall of windows overlooking the harbor.
“Your message wasn't meant for me.”
“No.”
“You wrote that you missed someone.”
“Yes.”
“Caleb.”
“Yes.”
“Who is Caleb?”
Evelyn's face hardened.
“My ex.”
“He stole your money.”
Her eyes widened.
“How do you know that?”
“Your account was used to make a transfer three weeks ago.”
She stared.
“What?”
Dominic turned.
“You said he emptied your joint savings.”
“He did.”
“The money went somewhere.”
“To his account.”
“No.”
Dominic slid a file toward her.
“Look.”
The account number was unfamiliar.
The money had been transferred through three shell companies.
Then to one shipping account.
Vale Logistics.
Evelyn looked up.
“You took his money?”
“No.”
“Then why is it here?”
“I didn't know.”
The answer came too quickly.
She studied him.
Dominic's expression remained cold.
But his eyes changed.
“You're telling the truth.”
“I don't have a reason to lie.”
“That doesn't stop most people.”
He sat again.
“You came here thinking you were meeting Caleb.”
“Yes.”
“You weren't.”
“Yes.”
“You were frightened.”
“Yes.”
“You still came inside.”
Evelyn shrugged weakly.
“I wasn't thinking.”
“That is becoming obvious.”
She glared.
“You could try being kind.”
“I could.”
“But?”
“I don't know how.”
The answer stunned her.
Before she could respond, Marcus opened the door.
“Boss.”
Dominic looked up.
“What?”
“We found the device.”
He placed a small black box on the desk.
Evelyn recognized it immediately.
“That was in my apartment.”
Dominic looked at her.
“What?”
“That box.”
Her pulse jumped.
“I saw it under Caleb's side of the bed.”
Marcus exchanged a glance with Dominic.
“Did you touch it?”
“No.”
“When?”
“Two weeks ago.”
Dominic's face changed.
“Why didn't you tell anyone?”
“I didn't know what it was.”
He picked it up.
“It’s a signal repeater.”
“For what?”
“Tracking.”
Her blood ran cold.
“Someone was tracking my apartment?”
“Yes.”
Dominic stared at the device.
Then at her.
“Someone wasn't watching Caleb.”
He paused.
“They were watching you.”
Evelyn felt the room tilt.
“Why?”
Dominic didn't answer.
His phone rang.
He listened.
Then his expression became deadly.
“Caleb just entered the harbor district.”
She froze.
“He's here?”
“Yes.”
Dominic stood.
“Take her upstairs.”
Evelyn immediately shook her head.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“I need to see him.”
“Absolutely not.”
“He stole from me.”
“He may be dangerous.”
“So am I.”
Dominic stared.
“You?”
She swallowed.
“No.”
Then she looked down at the file.
“I mean... I have nothing left to lose.”
Something flickered in his eyes.
“That's precisely what worries me.”
A gunshot sounded from outside.
Marcus drew his weapon.
Dominic grabbed Evelyn's wrist and pulled her behind the desk.
Men shouted downstairs.
Evelyn's heart hammered.
“What's happening?”
Dominic looked at her.
“Caleb wasn't running from you.”
“Then who was he running from?”
Dominic's eyes hardened.
“Me.”
May you like
Another gunshot.
Then the warehouse lights went out.
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