Page 54 of The Shadow

“O-okay.”

“Do you promise my secret is safe with you?”

“I promise,” I reply, smiling disarmingly. “I mean, I kept us a secret and all of this.” His gaze softens as if he’s realizing that I am trustworthy.

“Oh, okay, fine. Besides, I really want to tell someone this secret. It’s not only my biggest one yet, but it’s also going to be my final act before you and I disappear together.”

He’s so close he has to notice the lump that I swallow, my throat so tight I’m struggling to breathe. The way he’s smiling, his tone, it all feels evil, like pure, unadulterated evil.

“I hired a hit man,” he says casually, like it’s just another thing he did on a Tuesday night after picking up some dinner on the way home. “Well, he’s a hit man but he’s not actually going to take me out. He’s going to make it look like I was murdered, shoot me somewhere not vital, leave plenty of blood behind, then set the house on fire. Between the charred remains and the dead bodyguard the police will find, along with some very incriminating evidence left behind with Lyra’s fingerprints all over it, it’ll seem pretty obvious that an altercation went down and unfortunately, we both lost our lives.”

“Both as in you and Lyra?” My body goes cold. “Or you and the bodyguard?”

“Exactly. You didn’t think Harvey was just going to walk away scot-free after his behavior? The disrespect? And Lyra sure as hell won’t. That bitch deserves every bit of what’s coming her way.” He flashes his pearly white veneers at me. “This is your final loyalty test.”

“I can handle it,” I say confidently before turning back to the computer, unable to hide the panic that I know has crept behind my eyes. I stay focused on my screen, my fingers moving faster than they ever have before.

Finally, I finish and shut everything down. “It’s done,” I say, closing my computer and turning to look at Connor. “I just have one small request,” I say as I stand and begin to redress myself. “Don’t tell Harvey that I’m leaving him. Let me do it? It’s the least I can do for him.”

That Disney villain smile curls across his lips again. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

The second I’m out of his office and in the elevator, I have my cell phone out, ready to text Harvey and give him a casual heads-up that I have the files and I’m heading out of the office. I run to my office, locking the door and transferring the copied keystroke data from my computer to several hard drives before deleting it, the program, and all trace of it on my laptop. I grab my purse, the drives, and my phone and head toward the elevator, hitting send on my text to Harvey.

Me: Hey, just wanted to let you know I’m going to head out of the office.

The second I get around the corner, I hit dial on the phone number listed for Lyra. I hold my breath as it starts to ring on the other end. It feels like the rings keep getting louder, longer with every passing one.

“Please, please, please,” I chant into the phone when a second later it stops ringing, there’s a pause, and then a simple, “Hello?”

“H-hi, is this Lyra Blake?” I try to keep the words steady so they’re not coming out in a jumbled mess.

“Yes. Who is this?” she says in a clipped tone.

“My name is Aspen Wilder and I have some information on your husband you’re going to want. Could we meet to discuss it?”

“Look.” She lets out a frustrated sigh and I can only imagine what she’s going through right now, trying to divorce Connor Blake. “If you’re one of his mistresses calling to tell me you’re pregnant or to try and get money or whatever, I hate to break it to you, but you’re just one in a long line of many so no, I ha?—”

“He’s committing financial fraud and I have the proof.” The phone goes silent for several seconds. “Hello? Are you still there?”

“How did you get this number? This is an unlisted number.”

“Nothing is really unlisted if you know how to find it.” Silence again. “Please, I promise you, this is worth your time. I have the evidence on a drive and I’m ready to hand it over to you. I just—I need to talk to you.”

“Fine,” she says curtly. “But I will have security with me and if this turns out to be some sort of attempt at blackmail or whatever, I will have you locked up for the rest of your life. Is that clear?”

I almost laugh at the mention of blackmail. “Understood, completely. Any chance you have time now?”

“I was about to go to my country club for a tennis lesson but I’m sure Tyler won’t mind if we reschedule it.” Her voice grows muffled and it sounds like she’s speaking to someone else before returning to our conversation. “Yes, that’s fine. Meet me at Hoexeters at one thirty. Don’t be late.”

She hangs up abruptly. I stop on the sidewalk, someone bumping into me almost instantly. I want to shout a loud ‘yippee!’ and shoot my arms up in the air, but there’s little time for celebration right now.

Twenty-seven minutes later I’m running up the stairs from the nearest train station and sprinting the rest of the way to the restaurant. When I arrive, I’m panting, sweaty, and I’m sure red-faced.

“I-I’m meet—meeting a friend here,” I say to the gentleman behind the host stand who is not amused with the state I’m in. “Lyra Blake.” When I say her name, his eyes open wide and he turns to whisper something to a passing waiter.

“Follow Pedro, he will take you to her table.” He points toward the waiter with the big smile.

“Right this way, ma’am.”

---