CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
I slide into the booth across from Colleen at the café, my hands still trembling slightly as I pull the crumpled letter from my purse.
"Read this."
Colleen's bruises have faded to yellow-green shadows. She unfolds the letter, and I watch her eyes move across the page. Her jaw tightens.
"Christ, Liza." She sets it down like it might contaminate her. “Is this Daniel?"
"Who else?" I stab at my salad without appetite. "He cornered me in the lobby last time I came to see you. Threatened to evict you if I ever set foot in the building again."
"He what?" Color floods her cheeks. "That manipulative prick."
"You should've seen his face. Cold. Like I was nothing." I push lettuce around my plate. "Like he never even loved me."
Colleen leans forward, voice dropping. "Liza, listen to me. I've been in that building for three years. I've watched him operate." She taps the letter. "This isn't just control issues. Daniel's a psychopath."
I laugh—nervous, hollow. "Come on."
"I'm dead serious." Her fingers drum on the table. "Psychopaths are charming, calculating. They don't feel remorse. Everything's transactional." She counts on her fingers. "He isolated you. Made you dependent. The second you stepped out of line, he turned vicious without a shred of guilt."
My stomach knots. "You really think—"
"I've seen him smile at tenants while serving eviction notices. Watched him humiliate the maintenance guy until the man cried, then offer him a raise like nothing had happened." Her eyes fix mine. "We both need to be careful."
The weight of her words settles over me. "Yeah. Careful."
Colleen straightens, exhaling. "Anyway. I'm done waiting for the cops to find Claudia."
"What're you going to do?"
"Whatever it takes. Her boyfriend—the dealer—he's the key. Obviously, she didn’t run away with him because he’s in town. If I could just get my hands on his phone…"
Something clicks. "Actually, I know someone. He's this guy who bartended with me for a bit. He was studying computer science. He's insane with tech stuff. Phones, computers, all of it. I could talk to him about hacking the phone if you find a way to get it."
Colleen's eyes light up. "Seriously?"
"Let me talk to him. If we can get the boyfriend's phone, maybe we can figure out what’s happened.”
She reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. "Thank you."
I squeeze back, but Daniel's letter burns in my peripheral vision.
Karma will find you.
"So how do you plan to get the phone?"
Colleen's smile turns syrupy sweet, the kind that makes my insides tighten.
"Funny you should ask…”
"Oh no." I shake my head. "Whatever you're thinking—"
"Hear me out." She leans in, conspiratorial. "He's never met you. And Liza, you look so young. With the right outfit? You could pass for nineteen, easy."
My fork clatters against the plate. "You want me to do what exactly?”
"Just befriend him. Get close enough to swipe the phone." She says it like she's asking me to pick up milk. "You're charming. He won't suspect a thing."
