They only use my real name when they want something. “Crumbs are what keep you alive. If I give you the whole loaf, you’ll choke on it.”
“Funny. We’re not laughing.”
“I’m not trying to entertain you.”
Paper rustles on the other end. Impatient bureaucracy from a man who thinks authority is the same thing as competence.
“Your ‘missing fiancée’ situation is turning into a media narrative,” he says. “Local agencies are treating her as a mental health missing person. Not protective custody. Not witness handling.”
My jaw locks. I’ve watched the footage countless times. I’ve reviewed it frame by frame.
Preston Vaughn at a podium with watery eyes and a tremor in his voice that was almost believable. A detective at his shoulder, lending credibility. A clean, soft story: pregnant bride, overwhelmed, unstable, vanished.
“He’s shapingthe battlefield,” I say.
“That’s what we’re saying.” The contact’s voice turns colder. “If we can’t classify her correctly, our ability to protect her through official channels is compromised. We need something actionable, something we can prosecute. Names. Accounts. Shipping paths.”
“You’ll get what you need. Not what you want.”
He draws in a breath. “You’re obstructing.”
“I’m controlling exposure.”
“Your exposure isn’t the priority.”
My fingers tighten on the edge of the desk. “You don’t get to define my priorities.”
Silence. Then, “We’re running out of time.”
“So am I,” I say, and end the call.
Afterward, I sit staring at the dark reflection of my own eyes in the monitor.
Contained. Controlled.
Hard to read, like she said.
Because if anyone saw what was actually happening under my ribs, it would get used against me.
Or worse, against her.
CHAPTER 35
VIPER
“Got a minute?” Andrew asks. He timed his maneuver just right to catch me alone in the mudroom.
I take my time removing my gloves. “Depends.”
“It’s about the house,” he says, and I almost laugh.
“If this is about generators or perimeter lighting, email me.”
His voice drops. “It’s about … us. All of us.”
I force my hands to keep moving.
“We’re building something here,” he says as he steps closer. “It’s already happening whether we name it or not. And I’m not going to act like I don’t see what’s going on with you.”
