Page 40 of Beautiful Prey

“This is why I hate remembering passwords,” he’d cursed. “Pete will kill me if I have to get a locksmith.”

“Just call the manufacturer,” my brother had remarked.

I blinked as the memory faded. Screw looking everywhere for the password. That safe was mine. If I can’t get into it, I’ll just contact someone who can.

Feeling better about not having to look through piles of stuff, I took the newspaper clipping, my mom’s necklace, and the picture frame, then closed the rest up and left the unit.

As I returned to my car, my phone went off. My heart flipped a little at seeing Uncle Wes’s name. I hadn’t called him since I’d been to the warehouse, a part of me afraid he had something to do with it. I wasn’t ready to confront him about it yet, but now I was paranoid he had figured out what I’d been up to.

“Hey, Uncle,” I said as I took the call, trying to sound as casual as possible.

“Eve, you got a minute?”

I started my car but sat idle. “What’s up?”

“Did you go to the Martel warehouse at all?”

I grew tense, clutching my phone. “Yeah, I was just looking at a few of Dad’s old reports.”

“I see. I didn’t think you would go out there. You should have asked me to come, it can be dangerous going alone.”

I wanted to ask him why he thought that. Instead, I said, “Sorry, I was careful and there was a security guard.”

There was a long pause, then, “Well, it seems the spare key has gone missing. Did you take it?”

“I did.”

“Alright. Well, next time, you need to have me or a head manager with you. It’s still company property.”

“I’m aware but I still own part—”

“That’s not the issue,” he cut off. “You need to have one of us there for security reasons. It’s company policy.”

I wanted to ask why the hell that was too. “Alright, Uncle, whatever you say.”

I could hear his slow hiss of breath. “Will you be coming to the company charity party this year?”

“I’m not sure.”

“It’s near your birthday, but we’ll still be able to celebrate that too. It’s a masquerade this year.”

“Sounds fun.”

“Well, I’ll add you to the list just in case,” he said.

“Great. Well, listen, I got to go.”

“Alright, oh, and Eve?” he said before I hung up.

“Yes?”

“Be sure to bring the spare key next time you're around.”

I told him I would just so I could get off the phone. But no way I was giving it up until I got what I wanted. And no way I was asking him or anyone to be there when I did.

When I got back to my apartment, I called the manufacturer right away, remembering the name on the safe door.

“We’ll need the serial number on the safe before we can give you the proper master code,” the guy on the line said.

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