Page 47 of The Pakhans’ Curvy Prize

"That's exactly what we need to figure out," Alex says. "Whether you were a willing participant or an unwitting distraction."

"A distraction?" Marla's voice rises. "You think someone paid me to sleep with you?"

"We think the timing is too perfect to be a coincidence," Nick says. "We think you might have been used. Intentional or not."

"Get out." Marla points toward the door. "All of you. Get out of my house right now."

"It's not that simple," I say.

"Yes, it is." She moves toward the counter where her phone sits. "You can leave, or I can call the police."

"You're not calling anyone," Nick says flatly.

"Watch me." Marla reaches for her phone, but Alex moves faster, his hand closing around her wrist gently but firmly.

"Listen to me," Alex says, his voice controlled and reasonable. "We need to know if you're involved. We need to know if someone used you. Until we know that, you're a liability."

"I'm not a liability." Marla tries to pull her wrist free. "I'm just a writer minding my own business."

"You're a person who slept with all three of us during the most sensitive business negotiations of our lives," Nick says. "That makes you either very lucky or very dangerous."

"This is insane," Marla says. "I didn't do anything. I don't know anything."

"I believe you," I say, and I mean it. I've been watching her reactions, the genuine confusion and fear in her eyes. She's not trained. She's not acting. "But we need to be sure."

"How?" Marla demands. "How are you going to be sure?"

Alex releases her wrist and steps back. "One of us stays here with you at all times. Until we figure out what happened at the warehouse and confirm you're not involved."

"Absolutely not," Marla says.

"It's not a negotiation," Nick says. "It's the only way this doesn't escalate."

"Escalate how?" Marla's voice shakes. "What does that mean?"

"It means other organizations are going to hear about the attack," I say, keeping my voice level. "They're going to start asking questions. They're going to look for weaknesses. And when they find out about you, they're going to see you as leverage."

"Leverage?"

"They'll assume you know something," Alex says. "They won't care if you're innocent. They'll take you, hurt you, or use you to get to us."

"That's not my problem," Marla says, but her voice wavers.

"It became your problem when you got involved with us," Nick says. "Whether you meant to or not."

"So what?" Marla's anger flares again. "You're going to keep me prisoner? Lock me in my own house?"

"We're going to keep you safe," I say. "And contained. Until we know what we're dealing with."

"I don't need your protection," Marla says.

"Yes, you do," Nick says flatly. "You just don't know it yet."

Marla looks at her phone on the counter, then back at Nick. "I'm calling the police. You can't just hold me here against my will."

Nick picks up the phone before she can reach it. "The police work for us, Marla. The chief of police has dinner at my restaurant twice a month. We discuss business over expensive wine. The detective who would handle your case owes me a favor after I made a problem disappear for his brother. The mayor is connected to our organization through his son."

"You're lying," Marla says, but she doesn't sound convinced.