Page 99 of I Am Sin

“Great.” She extends her hand again. “Nice to meet you, Dragon.”

I take Alayna’s outstretched hand. It’s warm. Inviting. Still doesn’t do a thing for me.

Alayna scans the room. “Where should we speak?”

Diana smiles. “I think Dragon wants to talk to you in private. I can go to my bedroom. Feel free to use the kitchen table. Or the living area if you’d like.”

Alayna nods. “Okay. Thank you, Diana.”

Diana disappears into her bedroom.

Alayna gestures to the small kitchen table. “Sometimes it’s easier to talk when you’re sitting.”

I take a seat across from her.

Alayna sets her phone on the table. “Mr. Steel didn’t tell me much, other than that you received a phone call that distressed you a bit. And you want to know where and who it came from.”

I nod slowly. “That’s about the gist of it.”

“May I take a look at your phone?”

“Yeah.” I unlock it and hand it to her.

She taps on the screen, looking up my recent calls. “So this is the number.” She pulls an iPad out, sets it up, starts typing on it. “Looks like you called the number a few seconds after the call ended. I’m assuming it just rang and didn’t go to voicemail?”

“That’s correct.”

“All right. Let me take a look here.” She types several things into her iPad. “Nothing’s coming up right away, which is per usual, but we have to try all the standard avenues first. Can you tell me exactly what the person on the other line said?”

“It was a low voice. A man. And he said my name. And then he said, ‘I know where your sister is.’”

She looks up. “Is your sister missing?”

I lower my voice. “This is confidential, correct?”

“Of course.”

And I begin.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

Diana

As I step through the polished glass doors of the building that houses Lund & Lopez, my heart races with a mixture of excitement and nerves. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for—my first day as a professional architect at one of the top firms in Colorado. The lobby is adorned with architectural models, photos of ornate buildings, and plush seating. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the day ahead.

Dragon and his meeting with the investigator try to edge their way into my mind, but I don’t let them. He didn’t talk to me last night after Alayna left, and I left this morning before he came out of his room.

I take the elevator to the top floor. A receptionist greets me with a warm smile as I approach the front desk. “Good morning, and welcome to Lund & Lopez. How can I help you?”

“I’m Diana Steel. I start work today.”

“Right, of course.” She pulls something up on her computer screen. “Mr. Reynolds told me you’d be here this morning.”

I return her smile. “I’m excited to be here.”

“Great to have you,” she says. “Mr. Reynolds is in his office. It’s down the hallway to your right, next to Mr. Lund’s office on the corner. His door should be open.”

I nod. “I should go right in?”

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