But they got to Joel…The thought fired through, but Amanda wasn’t heartless enough to voice it out loud. “It doesn’t get much closer. They were in your home, in your bedroom. Then they tracked you down to Joel’s house. Isn’t this enough to let you know they’re not going to stop?”
“I’m here. I’m okay.”
It had to be shock. Amanda paced her reply. “Fine, if you insist on going to work, I can’t make you stay away.”
“Thank you.” She flailed a hand.
Amanda would overlook the gesture of exasperation. As if she and Trent were the problem here, and not the person intent on killing her. “Listen, no matter what you are going to do, you will have police protection. It’s not optional.” Amanda had rushed out the latter at seeing Dominique’s mouth open. She snapped it shut and drilled Amanda with a glare.
“Fine,” Dominique pushed out with a not-too-subtle eyeroll.
“And you can’t go home, or back to Joel’s place,” Amanda told her.
“Where am I supposed to go then?”
“We’ll get you into a safehouse,” Amanda said.
“Nope, no way.”
“Then we’ll arrange a hotel room for you, but there will be an officer posted at your door.”
“Fine,” Dominique hissed.
Amanda was far fromfinethough. There were questions that needed answers. The glowing ones were related to Dominique’s business. Based on her own words, work was her priority. Possibly her entire life. If so, it could make sense that someone connected to the purchase of the DC firm wanted her dead. “When did you start the process with the acquisition?”
“Six months ago.”
That wasn’t long in the scope of time. “With you taking over, did some people stand to lose their jobs?”
“Yes.”
Yet it didn’t occur to this woman that might cause a problem…“Do you think any of these people are angry with you?”
An amused smirk as she shook her head. “It’s just business. I’d expect professionals to understand that.”
“Is that a no, then?” Amanda didn’t understand why the woman was shirking her.
“That’s a no. It’s not even like I’m letting everyone go. Some aren’t willing to come with me. As if DC isn’t just a forty-minute drive away. It’s not like they’ll even need to uproot their life. Many people do that commute every day.”
“Then you’re shutting down your firm in Woodbridge?” Trent asked.
“You bet I am. It only makes fiscal sense, giving me one focus. Also DC has a larger population.”
Amanda felt some compassion for the woman across from her, regardless of the tough barricade she erected around herself. But was that all it was? Or was it the woman? There is a saying that when people tell you who they are, believe them. Every time Dominique opened her mouth, selfish things came out. It would seem business trumped everything else. “What about the employees at the DC firm. Any staff cuts there?”
“Yes. Some will be replaced by my employees transferring over.”
Amanda wasn’t ready to give up on this angle. Her father taught her to look under every rock. He’d worn the phrase out for good reason. The effort often paid off. Same too, for following the money. “We’ll need everything on the purchase offer.”
“I think you’re far too concerned about this deal.”
“Are you willing to stake your life on that?” Amanda countered.
The woman remained unaffected and didn’t rush to respond.
While sitting in a hospital emergency waiting room, no less!
“You don’t get me,” Dominique eventually said. “That’s fine. Not many people do. But I haven’t gotten to where I am by allowing myself to be bullied into compliance.”
