Page 76 of It Starts With A No

He turned back to Clary, who had stopped pacing and was looking over her shoulder.

“Is she in trouble?” Zane asked.

“She’s been receiving death threats. Someone just sent her a mannequin head with the face slashed up and hair cut, just as one of the threats described.” Seth peered over at his brother. “Is there a way to track a package to the original sender?”

“For an official case? Yes.”

Seth sighed, his eyes locked on Clary. “I don’t think she’ll make it an official case. She thinks it’s just Hugh Eolenfeld, and she doesn’t think he’s dangerous.”

“Maybe whoever is talking to her on the phone will change her mind.”

“Not going to happen. The detective isn’t the one in charge of our case, either.” So what’s going on? Seth took his eyes off Clary and finally turned to Zane. “And one of the managers at EB Co. was inappropriate.”

Zane arched a brow.

“She didn’t want to elaborate.”

“She doesn’t like elaborating on a lot of things.” His brother folded his arms across his chest. “Maybe she’s just trying to create drama, or maybe she’s saying that because she’s lying and she doesn’t have all the details.”

Seth shook his head. “You didn’t see her.” He glanced over his shoulder again to make sure Clary was still outside. “She looked sick to her stomach.” He twisted his jaw.

“And what? You’re asking if I’d help you cover up a murder?”

“No.” Seth turned back to his brother. “I thought you could go speak with him.”

“Why don’t you do that?”

“I’m not an FBI agent.”

His brother shrugged. “You could go as her boyfriend.”

“I’m not her boyfriend.”

“But you wish you were.”

Seth sighed. “This conversation is pointless.” And he sort of liked the idea of being the one to speak with Neil. That scum already thought Seth was Clary’s fiancé, anyway.

Clary’s hand dropped from her ear, and Seth swiveled to the side so he could face her when she came back into the diner.

But she remained outside, staring at her phone.

“Breathe,” Zane said in a bored tone. “She isn’t going anywhere. Her bag’s still here.”

* * *

Clary didn’t think the day could get any worse, but when she saw Detective Ron Woznick’s name, she realized it could.

Maybe he’s just checking in on me, she told herself as she made her way out of the diner.

But her gut told her something was wrong.

This was just too much of a coincidence.

Taking a deep breath, she answered the call once she was outside. “Hi, Ron.”

“Hi, Clary.”

She sighed. Ron’s somber tone was enough to indicate that bad news was about to follow. The heavy sigh that followed made her pace. “What is it?”

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