Elena learned three things about Adrian Vale during the next hour.
First, he did not raise his voice when he was angry.
He became quieter.
Second, everyone around him listened immediately when that happened.
Third, the penthouse that had kept Elena awake for three weeks was not merely a home.
It was a command center.
Men came and went carrying laptops, folders, phones, and expressions that suggested nobody expected a relaxing morning.
Elena sat at the enormous kitchen island with a mug of coffee someone had placed in front of her.
She had not touched it.
Her broom leaned against a chair.
The bunny slippers remained on her feet because nobody had given her time to change.
Adrian stood near the windows speaking quietly to Vincent.
The city stretched beneath them.
Elena hated that the view was beautiful.
“You’re certain?”
Vincent nodded. “Ballistics won’t tell us much. Shooter was outside the security perimeter.”
“How did they know she’d be in the garage?”
“Could’ve been watching.”
“Or someone told them.”
Vincent’s face hardened.
Adrian glanced toward Elena.
She pretended not to listen.
He didn’t believe her.
“Lock down the building,” Adrian said.
Elena immediately looked up.
“No.”
Both men turned.
Adrian’s expression remained patient for approximately one second.
“You were just shot at.”
“Someone shot near me.”
“Bullets are traditionally less selective than that.”
“You cannot lock down an entire apartment building because of me.”
“I can.”
“There are families here.”
“Yes.”
“People need to go to work.”
“They can.”
“You just said lock down.”
“Controlled entry and exit.”
Elena stared.
“You already decided this.”
“Yes.”
“Without asking me.”
“Yes.”
She stood.
Adrian looked at her fluffy slippers again.
Elena pointed a warning finger.
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were thinking something.”
Vincent coughed into his fist.
Elena turned toward him.
“Are you laughing?”
“No, ma’am.”
“You absolutely are.”
Adrian dismissed Vincent with a glance.
When they were alone, Elena crossed her arms.
“Where is my father?”
“We’re looking.”
“You said you could find him.”
“I said I would.”
“Difference?”
“Time.”
She hated that answer.
Adrian moved around the island.
“You should call your institute.”
“I should go there.”
“No.”
“Adrian.”
“Elena.”
“You don’t get to order me around.”
“I am currently trying to keep you alive.”
“And I am currently trying not to lose my job.”
“I spoke to your director.”
Her mouth fell open.
“You what?”
“Dr. Bellamy knows you will not be coming today.”
“You called my boss?”
“Yes.”
“What did you say?”
“That there was a family emergency.”
“There is a family emergency.”
“Then I didn’t lie.”
Elena stared at him.
“I dislike you.”
“So I’ve gathered.”
“You’re very calm about that.”
“I’ve survived worse.”
She should not have laughed.
She did anyway.
It escaped before she could stop it.
Adrian’s expression shifted.
Just barely.
And that somehow made everything worse.
Because Elena had expected a monster.
Monsters were easier.
Adrian poured himself coffee.
“What exactly did your father tell you about his finances?”
“Almost nothing.”
“Any new business ventures?”
“He always has new business ventures.”
“Names.”
She thought.
“Some kind of shipping investment last year.”
Adrian stopped.
“What kind?”
“I don’t know. Freight, maybe. He said he had investors.”
“What investors?”
“I never met them.”
“When did this start?”
“Eight months ago.”
Adrian set down his cup.
“What?”
Elena’s stomach tightened.
“What?”
He looked toward the hallway.
“Vincent.”
The guard appeared almost immediately.
“Pull everything on Marcus Renner’s shipping company.”
“There is no shipping company,” Elena said.
Adrian’s gaze returned to her.
“That may be the problem.”
Within thirty minutes, they had an answer.
Marcus Renner had not simply borrowed money.
He had agreed to serve as a front.
A shell company registered in his name had leased three warehouse units near the industrial district.
Cargo had passed through them.
No legitimate shipping company existed.
“What kind of cargo?” Elena asked.
Adrian closed the folder in front of him.
“You don’t need to know.”
“Oh, absolutely not.”
“Elena.”
“My father is missing because of this. I need to know everything.”
Adrian studied her for several seconds.
“Stolen pharmaceuticals. Counterfeit luxury goods. Untaxed electronics.”
She exhaled.
“That’s bad.”
“It gets worse.”
“Wonderful.”
“One of those warehouses was raided six weeks ago.”
“By police?”
“Yes.”
“Dad was arrested?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because he wasn’t there.”
Elena frowned.
“Then why do they blame him?”
Adrian leaned against the table.
“Someone gave the police the warehouse number and delivery schedule.”
“My father?”
“Maybe.”
“He wouldn’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do.”
“You just told me you barely knew what business he was involved in.”
“That doesn’t mean he’d inform on criminals.”
Adrian’s expression became dry.
“Interesting moral distinction.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do.”
Elena paced.
The absurd slippers made soft noises against the floor.
“If Dad talked to police, why wouldn’t he tell me?”
“Because he knew you would become leverage.”
She stopped.
The words landed heavily.
Adrian continued.
“The message about your slippers proves someone already considers you leverage.”
Elena looked toward the windows.
For the first time, fear became something more complicated than adrenaline.
Her father might have disappeared to protect her.
Or abandoned her to protect himself.
She didn’t know which possibility hurt more.
Adrian’s phone vibrated.
He read the message.
“We have a location.”
Elena immediately stood.
“Where?”
“A motel outside the city.”
“My father?”
“Maybe.”
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
She walked toward the elevator.
Adrian caught her wrist.
Not hard.
Enough to stop her.
The room changed.
The guards looked away with surprising dedication.
Elena looked down at Adrian’s hand.
He released her immediately.
“You cannot go into a potentially hostile location.”
“That is my father.”
“That is why you cannot go.”
“And if he refuses to trust your men?”
Adrian said nothing.
Elena stepped closer.
“He knows me. He’ll come out for me.”
“That is exactly what worries me.”
“Then stand beside me.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
She held his gaze.
Five seconds passed.
Ten.
Finally he looked at Vincent.
“Get her shoes.”
Elena lifted one bunny slipper.
“These are shoes.”
“No.”
“They’re technically shoes.”
“Not for where we’re going.”
Twenty minutes later Elena wore borrowed sneakers, black jeans one of Adrian’s assistants had somehow obtained in her size, and her pink pajama top beneath a jacket.
She refused to surrender the broom.
Adrian stared at it as they entered the private elevator.
“You’re bringing that?”
“It has emotional significance now.”
Vincent looked away.
Adrian pressed the garage level.
The motel sat beside an abandoned highway outside the city.
Rain had begun falling.
Adrian’s convoy stopped across the road.
Elena looked through the tinted window.
Room 17 had a light on.
A curtain moved.
“My father,” she whispered.
Adrian caught her shoulder before she opened the door.
“Wait.”
A man emerged from Room 16.
Then another.
Both looked toward the road.
Adrian spoke softly into his phone.
His men moved.
Fast.
Quiet.
Within seconds, the two men disappeared behind the motel building.
Elena stared.
“What just happened?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“That phrase is becoming very irritating.”
Adrian stepped out.
Elena followed.
They approached Room 17.
Adrian knocked.
No answer.
Elena stepped forward.
“Dad?”
Movement inside.
“Dad, it’s me.”
The lock clicked.
Marcus Renner opened the door.
He looked twenty years older.
Unshaven.
Bloodshot eyes.
A bruise along his cheek.
“Elena?”
She threw her arms around him.
For one second, Marcus simply stood there.
Then he held her tightly.
“Oh, Ellie.”
She pulled back and touched his face.
“What happened?”
Marcus looked past her.
Saw Adrian.
His face drained of color.
“No.”
Adrian stopped several feet away.
“Marcus.”
“No, no, no. You can’t be here.”
Elena frowned.
“Dad?”
Marcus grabbed her shoulders.
“You need to leave.”
“I came to get you.”
“You don’t understand.”
Adrian’s voice turned cold.
“Then explain.”
Marcus looked at him.
“You think this is about the money?”
Adrian didn’t answer.
Marcus laughed shakily.
“The debt is nothing.”
Elena’s stomach sank.
“What do you mean?”
Marcus looked at his daughter.
“I saw something I wasn’t supposed to see.”
“What?”
“A meeting.”
Adrian went still.
Marcus continued.
“I was delivering documents to the warehouse. Two men were there.”
“Who?” Adrian asked.
Marcus swallowed.
“One was Carlo Vescari.”
Vincent cursed quietly.
Elena looked between them.
“Who is that?”
Adrian ignored the question.
“And the other?”
Marcus shook his head.
“I don’t know his name.”
“You saw his face?”
“Yes.”
Adrian’s expression changed.
That frightened Elena.
“Describe him.”
“Older. Gray hair. Expensive suit. Gold ring. He kept talking about the city contract.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“What contract?”
“I don’t know.”
Marcus looked toward Elena.
“They realized I saw them. I ran.”
“Why didn’t you go to police?” Elena asked.
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Because one of the men standing beside them was a police captain.”
Silence.
Rain struck the motel roof.
Adrian looked at Vincent.
“Call everyone back. Now.”
A second later, gunfire erupted from the far side of the parking lot.
Elena flinched.
Adrian shoved Marcus and Elena inside the room.
“Stay down.”
The door slammed.
Elena heard shouting outside.
Marcus grabbed her hand.
“We need to go.”
She stared at him.
“Adrian is out there.”
“He’ll survive.”
“How do you know?”
Marcus looked at her strangely.
“Because men like Adrian Vale always survive.”
The door opened.
Adrian stepped inside.
Rain covered his dark hair and shoulders.
There was a thin cut along his cheek.
Elena’s heart jumped.
“You’re bleeding.”
“It’s nothing.”
“You got shot?”
“No.”
He looked at Marcus.
“We’re leaving.”
They moved toward the back exit.
Then Adrian stopped.
His phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What do you mean?”
Elena watched him.
Adrian’s gaze slowly moved toward her.
“When?”
He ended the call.
“What happened?” Elena asked.
Adrian was silent.
“Adrian.”
“Your apartment was broken into.”
Elena stared.
“What did they take?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why—”
“They left something.”
Her skin chilled.
“What?”
Adrian’s voice became very quiet.
“A photograph.”
“Of what?”
“You.”
He paused.
“Sleeping.”
---