Chapter 10 - Someone Inside the House
Saraphene refused to meet Trent alone.
That disappointed him.
She could see it through the interview-room glass.
He sat comfortably at the metal table as though he were waiting for coffee rather than being questioned after months of restraining-order violations.
He had changed.
Or perhaps Saraphene had.
For years she had thought Trent’s confidence made him powerful.
Now she saw the performance beneath it.
The careful angle of his shoulders.
The rehearsed half-smile.
The way he checked reflections in the glass to see who might be watching.
Selian stood beside her.
“You don't have to go in.”
“I know.”
“You owe him nothing.”
“I know.”
Ramirez entered.
“Morrison's attorney is on the way.”
“Then why did he come?”
“He says somebody is trying to kill him.”
Selian showed no sympathy.
Saraphene asked, “Victor?”
“He won't say.”
Trent looked suddenly toward the mirror.
He couldn't see through it.
Yet his gaze seemed to settle directly on Saraphene.
Then he smiled.
Her old fear surfaced.
Saraphene breathed through it.
“I'll talk.”
Selian turned.
“Saraphene.”
“From behind the glass first. Ramirez asks the questions.”
He nodded.
That mattered.
No argument.
Inside, Ramirez sat opposite Trent.
“You asked for Saraphene Winters.”
“I did.”
“She isn't available.”
“She’s here.”
“Answer my questions.”
Trent leaned back.
“Tell her Marcus Ashford is alive.”
Selian’s body became rigid.
Ramirez showed no reaction.
“Evidence?”
“I've met him.”
“When?”
“Six months ago.”
“Where?”
“Private residence outside Philadelphia.”
“Why?”
Trent smiled.
“That's where things become interesting.”
Ramirez waited.
“Marcus hired me years ago,” Trent continued. “Halden Ridge moved money for him. Elias discovered it.”
“Victor Lane worked with Marcus?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to Elias?”
Trent’s confidence faltered.
Only slightly.
“I don't know.”
Selian muttered, “Lie.”
Saraphene agreed.
Ramirez continued.
“Why have you been stalking Saraphene Winters?”
Trent's eyes hardened.
“I haven't.”
“There's a restraining order and three documented violations.”
“She misunderstood.”
Saraphene felt old anger rise.
Misunderstood.
The favorite word.
Every frightening act turned into her failure to interpret him correctly.
Ramirez did not blink.
“Why were you outside her workplace?”
“I cared about her.”
“Why did you break into her apartment?”
“I didn't.”
“Why did your fingerprints appear inside the storage facility?”
Trent stopped.
Ramirez leaned forward.
“You're not here because you suddenly developed a conscience. Something changed.”
Trent looked toward the mirror again.
“Victor found Marcus.”
Selian whispered, “What?”
“Marcus has the original ledger.”
Ramirez frowned.
“We were told the ledger was divided.”
“Copies were. The original went missing with Elias.”
Saraphene’s mind raced.
“Ask him about my grandfather,” she whispered into the earpiece Ramirez wore.
Ramirez repeated the question.
Trent smiled.
“Joseph was clever.”
Saraphene’s skin crawled.
“He recognized me the first time Saraphene brought me into his shop.”
“What did he say?”
“Nothing. That's why he was clever.”
“Why did you date her?”
Trent looked directly into the mirror.
Saraphene knew the answer before he gave it.
“At first?”
He smiled.
“Because of Joseph.”
Selian moved.
Saraphene caught his arm.
“No.”
He stopped.
Trent continued.
“But then things changed.”
Saraphene felt sick.
“I actually loved her.”
Ramirez’s face remained neutral.
“Is that why you frightened her?”
“I protected her.”
Saraphene whispered, “Ask from what.”
Ramirez did.
Trent’s smile disappeared.
“From people worse than me.”
The words landed differently than Saraphene expected.
“Names?”
“Victor. Marcus. Others.”
“Why didn't you tell her?”
“Because she would run.”
Saraphene almost laughed.
Of course.
Even now he described her freedom as a problem.
Ramirez asked, “What do you want?”
“Protection.”
“For?”
“Everything I know.”
“And Saraphene?”
Trent leaned forward.
“I want five minutes with her.”
“No.”
“She needs to hear what I have to say.”
“Tell me.”
“No.”
Saraphene made the decision.
She entered the interview room.
Selian started to object.
She looked at him.
He stopped.
Ramirez remained.
A uniformed officer stood outside.
Saraphene sat opposite Trent.
His face softened immediately.
“Sara.”
“Don't call me that.”
The softness vanished.
“You look tired.”
“You look arrested.”
Trent almost smiled.
“That sounds more like you.”
“You don't know what I sound like anymore.”
His eyes searched her face.
Then hardened when he noticed Selian through the open doorway.
“So it's true.”
“What?”
“Ashford has you.”
“No one has me.”
“He'll make you think you're choosing him.”
Saraphene held his gaze.
“That's what you did.”
Trent’s jaw tightened.
“You don't understand that family.”
“And I understand you perfectly.”
“No. You don't.”
He leaned forward.
“The first time I approached you was because of your grandfather. That's true.”
Saraphene felt the old wound but did not look away.
“I needed access to Joseph.”
“So two years were an assignment.”
“At first.”
“You've said that.”
“I fell in love with you.”
“No.”
Trent blinked.
Saraphene was surprised by how certain she felt.
“Love doesn't require me to become smaller so you can feel secure.”
His face changed.
“You always did this. Turn everything into—”
She raised a hand.
“No. You don't get to rewrite it anymore.”
Silence.
For the first time, Trent looked uncertain.
“What did you want to tell me?”
He swallowed.
“Someone inside Ashford’s house is working for Marcus.”
Saraphene’s heartbeat quickened.
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“You dragged me in here for that?”
“I know what they're looking for.”
“The ledger.”
“No.”
His eyes locked with hers.
“You.”
Saraphene went still.
“Why?”
“Because Joseph didn't hide the final evidence in a building.”
A chill traveled through her.
“Where did he hide it?”
Trent looked genuinely afraid now.
“With you.”
“I don't have anything.”
“You do.”
“What?”
“Your eighteenth birthday gift.”
Saraphene stared.
Her grandfather had given her a silver pendant.
A small mechanical locket shaped like a clock.
She wore it for years.
Stopped after the chain broke.
It was—
Her face changed.
Trent saw.
“You still have it.”
She stood.
Selian appeared at the doorway.
“What?”
“My pendant.”
“Where is it?”
“At your house.”
Selian frowned.
“How?”
“When we collected things from my apartment, Mrs. Vale gave me a box for jewelry. I put it in the guest-room dresser.”
Trent smiled without humor.
“Then you should hurry.”
Selian's phone vibrated.
He answered.
No one spoke on the other end.
Then Adrian’s voice came through, distorted by static.
“Selian—don't come back.”
A crash.
The line died.
Selian called again.
Nothing.
He looked at Saraphene.
Every instinct in her screamed.
They had been searching outside for enemies.
Trent had been right about one thing.
Someone was already inside Selian’s house.
May you like
And Saraphene’s pendant was there with them.
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