Chapter 2 - THE EMPTY GUN
Dominic did not answer her question.
He simply took his phone from the dresser and typed six words.
Use the east car. No warning.
Then he slipped the phone back into his jacket.
“Laundry room,” he repeated.
Evelyn stared at him.
“You believe me?”
“I believe you saw something.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
For the first time, something almost resembling amusement touched his eyes.
“No. It isn’t.”
Then he walked out.
Evelyn lasted twelve seconds before disobeying him.
She hurried down the servants’ staircase, passed the laundry room, and stopped behind the narrow window beside the kitchen pantry.
She could see the courtyard.
Dominic emerged from the mansion alone.
Warren straightened beside the SUV.
“Morning, boss.”
Dominic continued toward him.
Evelyn gripped the curtain.
Warren opened the rear door with his left hand.
His right remained inside his coat pocket.
Dominic stopped six feet away.
“Something wrong?” Warren asked.
“You tell me.”
Warren smiled.
Then another black sedan came around the fountain.
Warren’s smile vanished.
Dominic had changed cars.
That tiny reaction was enough.
Two men stepped from the second vehicle.
Warren moved.
Fast.
His right hand came out of his pocket.
Dominic was faster.
He caught Warren’s wrist, drove it against the SUV door, and twisted until the handgun fell onto the stone.
One of Dominic’s guards kicked it away.
Nobody fired.
Nobody shouted.
Warren’s face had gone gray.
“Seven years,” Dominic said quietly.
“Dom—”
“Seven years.”
“It isn’t what you think.”
Dominic looked toward the mansion.
For one terrifying second, Evelyn thought he was looking directly at her.
Then he said, “Search him.”
A guard emptied Warren’s pockets.
Wallet.
Keys.
Phone.
A folded photograph.
And a second magazine.
Dominic picked up the photograph.
His expression changed.
Barely.
But Evelyn saw it.
A guard handed him the gun.
Dominic removed the magazine and checked the chamber.
Then he did something unexpected.
He laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“Interesting.”
“What?” one guard asked.
Dominic held up the magazine.
“Blanks.”
Warren stopped struggling.
Evelyn’s confusion deepened.
If Warren had intended to kill Dominic, why load blanks?
Dominic seemed to ask himself the same question.
He looked at Warren.
“Who wanted me frightened?”
Warren said nothing.
Dominic stepped closer.
“Because whoever planned this didn’t send you to kill me.”
Silence.
“They sent you to make me think someone tried.”
Warren’s jaw tightened.
Dominic unfolded the photograph.
Then all the calm disappeared from his face.
He seized Warren by the collar.
“Where did you get this?”
Warren looked away.
Dominic shoved him against the SUV.
“Where?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Wrong answer.”
“They’ll kill her.”
Dominic froze.
“Who?”
Warren closed his eyes.
“My daughter.”
The courtyard became silent.
Dominic released him.
Warren sagged against the car.
“They took Rachel three nights ago,” he said. “They sent me the photograph this morning. They told me to put the gun in my pocket and wait until you reached the car.”
“Then?”
“Fire twice. Miss you. Run.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Dominic held up the photograph.
“Who is this?”
Evelyn could not see it from the pantry.
Warren whispered something.
Dominic’s head turned toward the house.
Toward her.
This time there was no doubt.
He knew exactly where she was.
“Bring Evelyn to my office.”
Her blood turned cold.
Ten minutes later she stood before Dominic’s desk while Warren sat in a chair with two guards behind him.
Dominic placed the photograph on the polished wood.
Evelyn looked down.
And forgot how to breathe.
It was Molly.
Her younger sister was leaving the outpatient entrance of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
The photograph had been taken yesterday.
“Why,” Dominic asked, “does the man threatening Warren have a photograph of your sister?”
“I don’t know.”
“Think.”
“I am thinking.”
Warren stared at her.
“You’re Evelyn Reed?”
She looked at him.
“Yes.”
His face changed.
“Oh, God.”
Dominic noticed.
“You know her?”
“No.”
“You know the name.”
Warren swallowed.
“I heard it last night.”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“From whom?”
“The man who called me.”
“What did he say?”
Warren looked at Dominic.
“He said if anything went wrong, Calder’s maid would become useful.”
Evelyn’s knees nearly gave way.
Dominic came around the desk.
“What does your sister know?”
“Nothing. Molly barely leaves our apartment except for treatment.”
“Your parents?”
“My mother died when I was fourteen.”
“Father?”
“Dead.”
“When?”
“Six years ago.”
Dominic studied her.
“How?”
“A car accident.”
“Where?”
“Lower Wacker.”
Something shifted behind Dominic’s eyes.
He turned to one of his men.
“Get me the police report on Thomas Reed.”
Evelyn stiffened.
“How do you know my father’s name?”
Dominic did not answer.
He opened a locked drawer and removed an old black ledger.
He turned several pages.
Then stopped.
Evelyn saw her father’s name.
THOMAS REED.
Beside it was a date.
The night he died.
“What is that?”
Dominic closed the book.
“My father’s records.”
“Why was my father in them?”
“That,” Dominic said, “is what we’re going to find out.”
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone went silent.
Dominic answered on speaker.
A distorted male voice said, “Mr. Calder. Your maid has caused a complication.”
Dominic’s eyes settled on Evelyn.
“What do you want?”
“A trade.”
“For Warren’s daughter?”
A pause.
Then laughter.
“No.”
Evelyn felt cold.
The voice continued.
“Rachel Beck is insurance.”
“For what?”
“For the woman standing in your office.”
Dominic’s gaze hardened.
“Evelyn?”
“She has something that belongs to us.”
“I don’t.”
The caller heard her.
“Oh, Evelyn.”
Her stomach twisted.
“You do.”
“What?”
“Your father left it to you.”
Evelyn stared at the phone.
“My father left me nothing.”
The voice became almost gentle.
“He left you the reason he died.”
The line disconnected.
Nobody spoke.
Then Dominic looked at Evelyn.
“Forget the laundry room.”
May you like
He reached into his desk and removed a second handgun.
“You’re not leaving my sight.”
