Chapter 2 - The Man Who Remembered
Marin refused the refrigerator.
It took twelve minutes.
Two phone calls.
And one argument with a delivery supervisor.
Eventually, the truck left with the appliance still inside.
Mrs. Alvarez watched from the hallway.
"You sent back a refrigerator?"
"Yes."
"Your refrigerator sounds like an airplane taking off."
"I know."
"And this one was free?"
"Apparently."
Mrs. Alvarez stared at her.
"Are you having some kind of breakdown?"
Marin laughed despite herself.
"Possibly."
Across the street, the black sedan was gone.
But Adrian Vale wasn't.
Not really.
His name followed Marin to work.
She searched it during her lunch break.
The first result made her stop chewing.
ADRIAN VALE — VALE HOLDINGS.
Real estate.
Hotels.
Shipping.
Restaurants.
Construction.
Then other articles appeared.
Photographs of Adrian leaving courtrooms without charges.
Photographs beside politicians.
Rumors about organized crime.
Words like underworld, syndicate, and investigation appeared frequently.
Nothing proven.
Everything implied.
Marin shut off her phone.
"Oh, God."
"What?"
Her coworker Denise leaned across the counter.
"Nothing."
At 3:07 p.m., the bell above Earl's Diner door rang.
The room went quiet.
Adrian Vale walked inside.
He wore a charcoal suit.
No rain.
No ruined shirt.
No weakness.
Only a subtle stiffness in one shoulder suggested the previous night had happened at all.
Luca followed several steps behind him.
Adrian scanned the diner.
Then found Marin.
"Coffee."
Marin stared at him.
"You came here for coffee?"
"Apparently."
"There's a Starbucks two blocks away."
"I don't like Starbucks."
"You've never had our coffee."
"I've heard good things."
"From whom?"
"You."
"I never said that."
Adrian sat in a booth.
"Then perhaps I'm taking a risk."
Marin approached.
Every customer was pretending not to stare.
She poured him coffee.
"What happened to the refrigerator?"
"I sent it back."
"I noticed."
"You were watching my apartment?"
"Making sure you arrived home safely."
"That's called stalking where I come from."
"Where I come from, stalking is considerably less polite."
Marin stared at him.
Adrian lifted his cup.
"That was a joke."
"You should work on those."
His mouth twitched.
Marin lowered her voice.
"I looked you up."
"I assumed you would."
"I don't want trouble near my daughter."
Adrian's expression changed instantly.
"You have a daughter."
"Yes."
"How old?"
"That's none of your business."
He nodded.
"Fair."
Then he reached into his jacket.
Marin tensed.
He produced the same wallet.
Placed it on the table.
"Do you know how much was inside?"
"No."
"Eight thousand four hundred dollars."
Marin swallowed.
"Good for you."
"You had every opportunity to take it."
"It wasn't mine."
Adrian looked at her for a long time.
"In my world, that's an unusual philosophy."
"Maybe you need a better world."
Luca almost coughed behind him.
Adrian slowly smiled.
Then the diner door opened again.
A man in a gray coat entered.
Adrian's smile disappeared.
The stranger didn't look at Adrian.
He looked at Marin.
Then at Ivy's drawing taped beside the cash register.
Marin had written beneath it:
MY IVY — BEST ARTIST IN NEW YORK.
Adrian stood.
The entire atmosphere changed.
"Marin."
Something in his voice frightened her.
"What?"
"Go into the kitchen."
"Why?"
"Now."
The gray-coated man turned and walked out.
Adrian followed him with his eyes.
Then looked at Luca.
"Find him."
Luca left immediately.
Marin stepped closer.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
"Don't lie to me."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Someone who shouldn't know where I am."
"And now he knows where I work."
Silence.
Marin's face drained.
"And he saw Ivy's picture."
Adrian didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
"You brought this here."
"Yes."
"Get out."
"Marin—"
"Get out!"
Adrian stared at her.
Then nodded.
But before leaving, he said something that made her blood run cold.
May you like
"Take Ivy somewhere else tonight."
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