A guard opens my door before I can touch the handle.
The heat hits my face, hot and heavy.
I step out.
The men watch me without saying anything. One of them looks away too fast, like eye contact would make this more personal. Another keeps his gaze on my shoulder bag like it’s the only thing in the world.
My heart knocks hard against my ribs.
Inside, the house is cool. Too cool. Air-conditioned and spotless, like no one really lives here. Like it’s staged.
Dave leads me into a kitchen that looks like it’s never seen a dirty dish. Granite counters. Stainless appliances. A bowl of perfect lemons that has to be decorative.
He pulls out a chair at the island. “Sit.”
I sit because my legs are shaking and because something in his voice makes my body obey before my mind catches up.
He opens the fridge, pulls out a container, starts putting food on a plate like this is normal. Like this is what you do after you drag someone to a guarded house.
“Eat,” he says, sliding the plate toward me.
It’s a sandwich. Cut in half. Neat.
My stomach twists. I’m hungry, which feels like betrayal. Like my body is willing to cooperate with anything as long as it gets fed.
Dave watches my face. “I’m not poisoning you.”
“I didn’t say you were,” I manage a small smile, then pick up half the sandwich because my hands need something to do. I take a bite and it tastes like nothing.
Dave doesn’t eat. He paces once, then comes back, braced on the counter like he can’t sit still.
Impatient.
A cold thought slides through me.
Dave exhales. “Alright.”
He looks at my shoulder bag.
“Give me the drive,” he says.
The words hit like a slap.
My fingers tighten around the sandwich.
My chest goes hollow.
“What?” I whisper.
“The drive your father left,” he repeats, and his voice is still calm, but there’s a strain under it now. A thread pulled too tight. “Hand it over, Sierra.”
My pulse spikes so hard I taste adrenaline.
A memory flashes sharp and ugly. Dave on the phone yesterday, warm voice, gentle concern.
Are you at the apartment? You eating? You’re at your place alone?
He asked me. More than once.
