Chapter 1 - THE JOKE THAT STOPPED BEING FUNNY
Daniel Brooks did not pull a gun from his jacket.
He pulled out his phone.
Somehow, that was worse.
He tapped the screen twice, then placed it faceup on the table between us.
A photograph appeared.
Olivia.
My friend.
Standing outside the Grand Oak three nights earlier.
Beside her was Jason.
My ex-boyfriend.
My stomach dropped.
“What is that?”
Daniel looked at me carefully.
“Do you recognize the man?”
“Yes.”
My voice came out too quiet.
“Jason Mercer.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“Mercer?”
“You know him?”
“I know the name.”
Across the room, Olivia had stopped pretending not to watch us.
Daniel turned his phone slightly.
“There’s another photo.”
Jason handing Olivia an envelope.
Then another.
Olivia signing something.
My heartbeat accelerated.
“What am I looking at?”
Daniel said:
“My security team noticed them because someone has been asking questions about tonight’s reservation.”
I stared.
“What reservation?”
“Ours.”
“But I didn’t know I was coming here until this afternoon.”
“Exactly.”
That sentence chilled me.
Daniel continued.
“My assistant received a call two days ago. Someone claimed a woman named Emily Carter wanted to meet me privately.”
“I never called.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Because the caller was male.”
I looked toward Olivia.
She was whispering urgently to Megan.
The third friend, Chloe, had gone pale.
The joke suddenly looked less spontaneous.
“Why would they do this?”
Daniel leaned back.
“That’s what we’re going to ask.”
“No.”
He paused.
“No?”
“I’m not letting you terrify them.”
His eyebrow rose.
“They humiliated you.”
“Yes.”
“That does not give us permission to threaten them.”
A very small smile appeared.
“You say ‘us’ confidently.”
I ignored that.
Then Olivia stood.
She started toward the exit.
Daniel lifted one hand.
Not to his men.
To me.
“Your choice.”
That mattered.
I stood.
“Olivia.”
She froze.
Half the restaurant turned.
I walked toward her.
Daniel stayed at the table.
Good.
Olivia tried to smile.
“Emily, come on, it was just supposed to be—”
“Funny?”
She swallowed.
I held up Daniel’s phone.
“Why were you with Jason?”
Her face drained.
Megan stood too.
“What photo?”
Olivia looked around.
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
She whispered:
“I didn’t know Jason was using you.”
My stomach turned.
“Using me for what?”
She grabbed my wrist.
I pulled free.
“Don’t.”
Her eyes filled.
“He said Daniel Brooks had something that belonged to you.”
I stared.
“What?”
“A document.”
Daniel rose behind me.
Olivia saw him.
Her voice dropped.
“Jason said if we could get you to sit with Daniel long enough, someone would photograph the two of you.”
“Why?”
“To make it look like you were meeting him secretly.”
I stopped breathing.
Daniel’s voice came from behind me.
“Meeting me about what?”
Olivia looked terrified.
Then whispered:
“Maple Street Books.”
My bookstore.
The small independent shop where I worked six days a week.
Daniel frowned.
“What does a bookstore have to do with me?”
Olivia looked at me.
“Jason says you own part of the building.”
I laughed.
“No, I don’t.”
Her eyes filled.
“Yes, Emily.”
May you like
Then she said the sentence that ended any possibility this had been a joke.
“Your mother left you half of it.”
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