1
FIONA
“Fiona,can you come out to reception, please? The police are here to see you.”
I frowned and glanced up from my computer. Stephanie, who worked at the front desk, was hovering in front of me, her face scrunched with apprehension—whether from interrupting me or because of the police’s presence, I wasn’t sure.
“Is it Detective Lee?”
My boss, Ronan King, the chief executive of King’s Security, often liaised with the Chicago police via Detective Joanna Lee.
“No, it’s not Joanna. I would have just let her through. It’s a man and a woman I haven’t met before.” Stephanie grimaced. “I asked why they want to see you, but they said it’s confidential. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.”
“It’s not your fault.” I stood and smoothed the front of my pencil skirt. “I suppose I’d better see what they’re here for.”
Stephanie’s face softened with relief. “Thanks, Fi.”
I sent her a reassuring smile. Dealing with the police could be intimidating. I didn’t have the best history with them, so it had been difficult for me when I started as Ronan’s assistant. Eventually, I’d gotten used to it, and Joanna was always good to deal with. Polite, professional, and only pushy when she felt it was warranted. Other cops still made me nervous.
We strode down the corridor together. I held the door open for her and then followed her into the spacious reception area. High-end artwork hung on the walls and I took a moment to appreciate my favorite—an abstract painting of the ocean in shades of blue, purple, and green—before focusing on the police seated on the designer sofa. Even without uniforms, it was obvious who they were. There was just something about the way a cop dressed and carried themselves that gave them away. Stephanie returned to her seat behind the desk while I made my way to them.
“Hello.” I greeted them with a smile. “What can I do for you?”
They stood, and the woman brushed lint off her dark slacks.
“Fiona Ryan?” she asked.
“Yes.” I nodded, the back of my neck prickling. For some reason, I had a bad feeling about this. Perhaps it was the way she appraised me as if determining whether I was a flight risk.
“I’m Detective Gloria Harrison and this is my partner, Detective Mark Goodwin. We’d like you to come down to the station so we can ask you some questions.”
Internal alarms blared in my head. That wasn’t the usual protocol for dealings between King’s Security and the Metro P.D.
I forced my expression to remain neutral. “Can I ask what this is about?”
“We’d like to discuss an incident that occurred last night.” She glanced around. “We’d prefer not to get into detail until we’re somewhere more private.”
“I can find a meeting room for us to use,” I suggested. My instincts were warning me that going with them wouldn’t be wise.
The male cop, Goodwin, put his hand on his hip. “With all due respect, Miss Ryan, we’d prefer to talk to you at the station.”
My mouth went dry. Something was definitely off about this. “Is this regarding a King’s Security matter? If so, you’d be better off speaking to one of the directors.”
Harrison’s lips firmed. “It’s not.”
That’s what I’d been afraid of.
I drew in a slow, shaky breath. It seemed my past might be coming back to bite me in the ass. Again. “Can you call Detective Lee? I’d like to speak to her before I go anywhere.”
Joanna was sensible. She knew me. Surely, she’d be able to help. But Harrison shook her head.
“Detective Lee is homicide,” she said. “She’s not in our unit, and she isn’t relevant to this discussion.”
My heart sped up. It felt as if it was pounding against the inside of my rib cage. A sense of déjà vu swept over me. Once again, the police had come for me, and once again, I was in the dark as to why. Last time, I’d lost my job, my reputation, my boyfriend, and all of my savings. I’d had to start over. Would this time be the same?
No. It couldn’t. I had resources available to help me. I wouldn’t let history repeat itself.
“I’ll come with you. Just let me notify my boss that I’m leaving the office.”
