“Hello?”
“Mr. Rhodes.” Dylan's voice is tense. “I'm calling to inform you that I'm resigning. Effective immediately.”
I lean back in my chair. “Is that so.”
“I've accepted another position. I apologize for the short notice, but the opportunity was too good to?—“
“Dylan.” I keep my voice pleasant, almost friendly. “Is your secret employer upset with the quality of your information lately? Is that when you realized I knew?”
Silence. I can hear him breathing, quick and shallow.
“I don't... I'm not sure what you mean, Mr. Rhodes.”
“You were always a terrible liar. It's one of the reasons I hired you, actually. Trustworthy face.” I pause, let the silence stretch.
His breathing gets faster. “I can explain?—“
“I'm sure you can. But I'm more interested in who you were reporting to. And don't say my father. We both know he has other ways to check on me.”
“I don't know what you're talking about. I was just—it was just—“ He's stammering now, the careful corporate composure cracking. “Please, Mr. Rhodes. I have a family. They showed me pictures. My sister's kids at their school. They knew the route my mother takes to church every Sunday.”
I go still. “Who showed you pictures?”
“I never got a name. A woman approached me six months ago. Blonde. Professional. Said she represented interests that wanted to keep an eye on you. She made it sound protective. Said people who cared about you wanted to make sure you were safe.”
“And you believed that.”
“I believed what happened when I tried to say no.” His voice cracks. “She had everything. My sister's address. My mother'smedical records. She said nothing would happen as long as I cooperated. Just small updates. Your schedule, your meetings.”
“And Emma? When did they start asking about her?”
A long pause. “Two months ago. After the museum. They wanted to know everything. Where she lived, where she worked, who she talked to. I told them I didn't know, that she wasn't part of your professional life, but they kept pushing.”
My hand tightens on the phone. “The woman who approached you. Describe her.”
“Blonde, like I said. Maybe forty, forty-five. Expensive clothes. She spoke like someone used to giving orders. But she wasn't the one in charge. She was a go-between. I'm sure of it.”
“And you have no idea who she worked for.”
“No. I swear. I just sent reports to an encrypted address. I never knew who was reading them.”
I should feel rage. Betrayal. Instead I just feel tired. Dylan was a pawn. Threatened, manipulated, disposable. Whoever is behind this used him the same way they're trying to use everyone around me.
“Dylan, Maddox will be in touch. Tell him everything.”
“Mr. Rhodes, please… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't have a choice?—“
“There's always a choice. You just didn't like your options.” I hang up before he can respond.
I sit in the silence of my study, letting the pieces fall into place.
Someone is watching. Gathering information. Moving pieces on a board I didn't even know existed. Someone with enough resources to threaten families, hire professional intermediaries, access encrypted communications.
Someone who started paying closer attention the moment Emma entered my life.
I send a message to security to collect Dylan. Drop him at Maddox's office. This ends today.
A knock at the door. Emma's face appears in the gap.
