Chapter 43

chapter

forty-three

Gage leaned closer to the screen, anxious to see what was happening.

The man in black turned his back to the camera. The next instant, he picked the lock and opened the door to Nia’s office. Stepped inside. Left the door open.

The shadow moved toward the filing cabinets. That was all they could see because of the angle and the darkness. Whatever he did inside Nia’s office remained a mystery.

Less than five minutes later, the man emerged again. He tucked the files into his coat.

Then he seemed to look right at the camera, almost as if he knew it was there.

A corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk.

Strange.

Nia paused the video as the man stared at the camera.

“I can’t believe this.” She shook her head. “He looks so . . . smug. ”

“He knew he was being recorded and didn’t care.”

“And he’s wearing so much clothing it’s impossible to tell anything about him. But he knew the files were there.” She leaned back and pressed her eyes closed a moment as if trying to sort her thoughts.

“Do you think it was Jeff?”

Her eyes opened again, and she shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t know why Jeff would be involved with this. He doesn’t seem like the type. I suppose that most people, if they were looking for a file, would assume they were in my office in these filing cabinets. It doesn’t necessarily mean it was one of my employees.”

“I didn’t say it was.” Gage made sure to keep his words tempered and even, not wanting to stir up any more emotions than necessary. “I’m just trying to figure things out.”

Nia rose, walked to the door, and leaned out toward Melissa. “Any idea why Jeff would have been poking around at your desk yesterday?”

Gage watched through the open door and saw Melissa’s expression.

The woman’s eyes widened, and she quickly—almost too quickly—shook her head. “I have no idea. Why?”

“Just curious. But you don’t normally talk to him, do you? He wouldn’t have been getting anything for you?”

Melissa shook her head again. “I didn’t ask him to. Did he take something off my desk?”

“I’m just asking questions. I need you to call him and ask him to meet me in my office.”

“Of course.” She lifted her phone and dialed. A moment later she frowned. Pushed a button on the phone. “There was no answer. Let me try his assistant instead.”

This time when she dialed, someone did answer.

When Melissa ended the call, she looked back up at Gage and Nia. “Jeff called in sick today. I guess if you want to talk to him, you’ll have to either call him or pay him a visit.”

Called in sick? Gage mused. What were the odds that that wasn’t a coincidence?

Nia paced her office, considering all her options. “What should I do? Should I tell the police?”

“I wouldn’t.” Gage lingered near the window. “Not yet. Not until you know something more.”

“Jeff seems nice. I can’t see why he would do something like this.”

“The person who broke in picked the lock. He knew what he was doing.”

Nia shook her head. “This just isn’t making any sense.”

Gage sighed before walking to the window and peering out. Nia knew exactly what he was doing.

He was still on guard. Still looking for trouble. Still ready to protect her.

Her throat tightened with emotion at the thought.

He was nearly a stranger, yet he’d already done so much for her .

His acts hadn’t gone unnoticed.

She observed his strong profile a moment before asking, “Do you see anything?”

“Nothing notable. But everything has been awfully quiet today, don’t you think?”

She’d had the same thought but didn’t want to voice it aloud. “Yes, it has been.”

Maybe these guys had what they wanted.

Or maybe this was the calm before the storm.

Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen.

An unknown number.

Her heart beat faster. She had no idea what she would see on the other side of this.

Once she clicked it, it opened an image on her screen.

She gasped. “It’s my sister . . .”

The words below it read: Do what we say or your sister will die.

No . . .

As Nia looked at the image closer, she noticed her sister’s wrists were bound to the arms of a wooden chair. That her eyes were red as if she’d been crying.

Someone had abducted Sophia.

And it was all Nia’s fault.

If only she’d complied with their demands, this would have never happened.