Chapter 9 - The Choice That Cost Me My Job
I laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because sometimes your brain rejects terror by producing the wrong sound.
“Me?”
Rhodes nodded.
“Bennett says you accessed a private corporate computer after being terminated and stole proprietary records.”
“I didn’t.”
“We know.”
“Does the police know?”
“That depends on what they’ve been told.”
My hands went cold.
Dominic looked at Rhodes.
“Any warrant?”
“Not yet.”
Emily stood.
“This is my fault.”
“No,” I said.
“It is.”
“No. Bennett is doing this.”
Dominic nodded toward me.
“And he’s doing it because Claire is easier to pressure.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you have no powerful family, no expensive attorney, and no reputation that makes people hesitate.”
“Comforting.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.”
Rhodes leaned forward.
“Claire, listen carefully. Do not speak to police without counsel.”
“I can’t afford counsel.”
“You have counsel.”
I blinked.
He pointed at himself.
“I’m not licensed to practice full-time anymore, but I know someone.”
Dominic said, “I’ll pay.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
Emily muttered, “Here we go.”
Dominic sighed.
“You too?”
“I can’t let you pay for a lawyer.”
“You can repay me.”
“With what?”
“Work.”
I looked at him.
“You still haven’t told me what job.”
He leaned back.
“I own three legitimate restaurants.”
Emily laughed.
Dominic looked wounded.
“Why is that funny?”
“Because you had to say legitimate.”
Even Rhodes smiled.
For the first time since hearing my name connected to a police report, I breathed.
Then my phone rang.
Mom.
I stared at it.
Of course Bennett had moved fast.
Maybe the police had already contacted my emergency number.
I answered.
“Hi.”
“Claire?”
My mother sounded panicked.
“There are two detectives here.”
My stomach dropped.
“What?”
“They came to the house asking where you are.”
Dominic stood.
Rhodes held out his hand.
“Give me the phone.”
I did.
He introduced himself and asked my mother to put one of the detectives on.
His tone changed immediately.
Professional.
Calm.
Precise.
“I represent Ms. Dawson regarding any matter connected to Bellamy Hospitality.”
Pause.
“No, she will not be answering questions tonight.”
Pause.
“You may contact me directly.”
Another pause.
“Then obtain one.”
He ended the call.
My knees nearly gave out.
“They were looking for me.”
Rhodes nodded.
“Which means Bennett has influence.”
Emily whispered, “Julian Cross.”
“Possibly.”
Dominic walked toward the window.
“Or Finch.”
Rhodes said, “Either way, we now assume local channels are compromised.”
I sat down.
This had begun because I refused a hungry child pasta.
Now police detectives were at my mother’s house.
I laughed again.
Then I started crying.
I hated that.
Emily sat beside me.
“You can walk away.”
I looked at her.
“You really believe that?”
“Yes.”
“You think Bennett stops if I walk away?”
She said nothing.
“That’s what I thought.”
Dominic turned.
“What are you saying?”
I wiped my face.
“I’m saying I’m in.”
“For what?”
“Whatever gets the truth out.”
He studied me.
“This isn’t a movie, Claire.”
“I know.”
“You could be arrested.”
“I know.”
“You could lose more than a job.”
“I know.”
He came closer.
“Then understand something else. Courage isn’t continuing because you’re angry.”
I waited.
“It’s continuing after you understand the cost.”
I looked at Sophie’s yellow raincoat hanging over the back of a chair.
The night before, I had decided she did not belong in Bellamy’s because her shoes were wet and her mother only had twelve dollars.
“I understand enough.”
Dominic nodded once.
That was the closest thing to approval I would get.
Rhodes arranged for me to meet a federal investigator he trusted.
Her name was Special Agent Maya Torres.
She arrived after dark.
Thirty-eight.
Direct.
Sharp-eyed.
She listened to my entire account without interruption.
Then Emily’s.
Then Dominic’s.
When Dominic finished, Torres said, “I need you to understand something, Mr. Moretti.”
“Usually people say that right before insulting me.”
“I don’t care about your feelings.”
Dominic smiled.
“I like her.”
Torres ignored him.
“If you interfere with this investigation, intimidate a witness, access property illegally, or attempt to solve this yourself, I will use you as an example.”
Dominic glanced at Rhodes.
“She definitely worked with you.”
Rhodes smiled.
Torres examined Nathan’s ledger.
“This is significant.”
Emily leaned forward.
“Can you protect Sophie?”
Torres looked at her.
“Yes.”
The simplicity of the answer nearly broke Emily.
“Actually?”
“Yes.”
“Not just tonight?”
“We can arrange temporary protective housing while we verify the evidence.”
Emily glanced toward Dominic.
He gave a small nod.
Torres turned to me.
“Claire, Bennett accusing you may help us.”
I stared.
“How?”
“If he fabricated details, we can document that.”
“So I’m bait?”
“No.”
She paused.
“Not unless you choose to be.”
Dominic said immediately, “No.”
I looked at him.
“She asked me.”
“And I answered.”
Torres crossed her arms.
“This is why civilians find you irritating.”
“Only civilians?”
She ignored him.
“We may need a cooperating witness inside Bellamy’s.”
“I’ve been fired.”
“Which makes you angry and potentially useful to Bennett.”
I understood.
“You want me to pretend I’m desperate enough to help him.”
Torres nodded.
Dominic said, “Absolutely not.”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because Sloane is involved.”
“So?”
“So he doesn’t threaten people with bad Yelp reviews.”
Torres said, “We would monitor everything.”
Dominic turned on her.
“You can’t guarantee her safety.”
“No. Neither can you.”
The room went silent.
I thought about Bennett telling me to prove I deserved my job.
Tell me where they’re going.
I thought about his confidence.
His certainty that I could be pressured.
Maybe that was useful.
“He thinks I’m scared,” I said.
Dominic replied, “You are scared.”
“Yes.”
I looked at Torres.
“That makes it believable.”
Torres did not smile.
“Before you agree, I need you to understand—”
“I do.”
“No, you don’t.”
Her voice softened.
“Nobody understands until they’re in it.”
That nearly stopped me.
Then my phone buzzed.
A text message from an unknown number.
Want your job back? Come to Bellamy’s tomorrow at 10. Alone.
Another message arrived.
And bring Moretti’s hotel address.
I showed Torres.
Dominic’s face became cold.
Torres looked at me.
“We can stop here.”
I stared at the screen.
Then at Sophie’s raincoat.
“No.”
I typed four words.
What do I get?
The answer came almost immediately.
Your life back.
I looked at Agent Torres.
May you like
“When do we start?”
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