Chapter 2 - The Asheville Alibi
I stared at the terrifying text message on my phone screen.
I had absolutely no idea what money the kidnapper was talking about.
I was a mid-level sales executive, not a millionaire.
David ripped the phone from my hand before I could hide the screen.
He looked at the picture of his sister and then glared at me with pure hatred.
"What did you do, Marcus?" he demanded, shoving me hard against the bedroom wall.
"I swear to God, David, I do not know anything about this," I pleaded.
I told him I had been in Asheville for a corporate retreat for the past ten days.
I told him I barely checked my bank accounts and had no enemies.
David pulled out his own phone and quickly dialed the police.
I paced the living room, panic consuming every rational thought in my head.
I needed to call Olivia to see if she had noticed anyone following us in Asheville.
I slipped into the kitchen and dialed Olivia's number.
The automated voice operator told me the number had been disconnected and was no longer in service.
A cold sweat broke out across my forehead.
I rushed to my laptop on the kitchen counter and logged into my company email to find her employee file.
My password was immediately rejected.
I tried again, but a red banner appeared saying my account had been permanently deactivated.
My hands shook as I dialed my boss's personal cell phone number.
He answered on the third ring, sounding annoyed.
"Marcus, I told you never to call me again," my boss snapped.
"I need to talk to Olivia right now, it is an absolute emergency," I begged.
"Olivia?" my boss asked, his tone shifting to sheer confusion.
"We do not have anyone named Olivia working at this company, Marcus."
"And you were fired three weeks ago for embezzling company funds."
I dropped the phone onto the kitchen counter.
I had not been fired.
I had been sitting in my office just last month.
Then I looked down at the pile of papers Lauren had left on the kitchen table.
I grabbed the hotel receipts from my romantic getaway in Asheville.
May you like
The name printed on the billing section was not mine.
The hotel room had been booked and paid for by Lauren Walker.
