Page 5 of Fate's Unseen Shadow

Slater frowned and cut his eyes at Damon. “They didn’t believe her?”

“Nope.”

“Not sure a woman as rich as her would make something like that up.”

“Me neither. And I declined the case. We were getting hit hard with requests, and I have held firm?—”

“We only help kiddos. Yeah. I agree.” Slater stared at Ella’s picture on the screen. “You said the first time?”

He knew he’d catch that. “The second time was four weeks ago.” He looked between Slater and Ryker. “She called me again, determined her stalker killed Theodore. But I had to decline that one, too. We’d just gotten a call for a job, and I was walking out the door to do that.”

“And now?” Slater sat back, rubbing his hands on his black slacks. “Did she call again? Made you turn her down a third time?”

He wouldn’t turn her down again. Meeting Ella had lifted the guilt that pressed on his shoulders each time he watched a news story. She was alive.

Damon crossed his ankle over his knee. “Today. She showed up at Cager, looking for a job.”

After a beat of silence, Ryker began to type, the pace growing. He only stopped to adjust his black-rimmed glasses. His dark brown hair stood in small spikes. As if he’d put styling gel in his hand and rubbed it in every direction.

Slater laughed without humor. “You’re telling methatwoman, the one in the video showing her getting into her private jet, waltzed into Cager on a random Wednesday, wanting to be a bartender? No way. If it’s really Elizabeth Cassin, I can guarantee she ran out of money if she’s been on the run for a month,” Slater said, assuming correctly. “And it’s probably not a coincidence she showed up on your doorstep after reaching out. She wants help.”

“That’s exactly what happened. But she found out I had a bar and thought she could use that to ask for help. I gave her a job, but I need everyone to hear her out if we take this on.”

Slater leaned on the dining room table, looking first at Ryker and then at Damon. “Take what on exactly?” He kept his hair buzzed short. With his lightly tanned skin and green eyes, his hair was the only thing giving him a hard edge.

“Helping her.”

“No shit, you need us all on board. This is harboring a fugitive.” Slater shook his head. “I don’t know—” The knock at the door interrupted him. He pushed off the table and jerked open the door.

Damon stood, ready to intervene if Slater took his attitude out on Ella.

Surprisingly, Slater leaned on the door frame and crossed his arms. “Hi, there, beautiful. We were just talking about you.”

Damon rolled his eyes at his flirty tone.

“Is Damon here?” Ella asked without an ounce of hesitancy in her voice.

It was the same way she’d spoken at Cagers earlier. A fake confidence she could no doubt pull off from years of working in her business. But if he were to guess, she was close to a breaking point.

Yes.” Damon shouldered Slater out of the way. “I’m here.” She looked the same as before, with bright red lips and big blueeyes. Freaking gorgeous. “Did you get something to eat?” Taking care of her basic needs was priority number one.

“Yes. I did. Thank you. Is this meeting part of the job interview for Cager?” She looked at Slater and then between them at Ryker sitting at the table. Worry lines etched deep in her forehead. “Seems a bit strange to meet you at an apartment complex. A littleDatelinenews story waiting to happen.”

“This isn’t about Cager. We’re deciding how to help you. Come inside.” He stepped out of the doorway to give her room to enter without feeling intimidated or crowded. But when she didn’t move, he moved back to her. He understood the nervousness, but from where he stood, she was out of choices. “You came to me, Ella. This is part of that trust I mentioned.”

“I trust you,” she said under her breath, her blue eyes locked on Slater. “It’s the others that worry me.”

Damon shifted, blocking out Slater.

“I’m wanted, if you didn’t know.” Her eyes searched his, full of worry and a touch of panic. “I’d rather not go to jail today.”

He understood. “They work with me. You are by far safer in here with us than out there.” And after the guilt of her possible murder had plagued him for the last month, she’d be lucky if he even let her work at Cager and take on the risk.

Ella inhaled and lifted her nose. With a subtle nod, she said, “Okay.”

Satisfied, Damon moved inside the apartment.

Slater held out his hand the moment she stepped through the door. “I’m Slater Walsh. Did you do it?”

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