Chapter 6 - THE LION'S DEN
The ballroom of the Plaza Hotel was dripping in crystal chandeliers, expensive champagne, and the suffocating scent of wealth. It was the exact same charity gala where I had met Arthur just over a year ago.
I arrived wearing a simple black dress, no jewelry, and minimal makeup. I needed to look like the defeated, terrified widow they expected to see.
Julian and Pierce spotted me the second I walked in. They excused themselves from a circle of wealthy investors and cornered me near the balcony doors.
“You have a lot of nerve showing your face here,” Pierce hissed, gripping his champagne flute.
“I want out,” I whispered, forcing my voice to tremble. I looked down at the marble floor. “I went to the cabin. I saw the documents. I... I don't want to die, Julian. I just want to go back to my normal life.”
Julian’s eyes lit up with predatory triumph. He looked at Pierce, then back at me. “I told you she was a coward. What do you want, Clara?”
“Five million dollars,” I said quietly. “Wired into my account tonight. In exchange, I will hand over the flash drive, the iron key, and all the documents in the cabin. You can destroy the evidence of the embezzlement. You can hide what you did to Arthur. I just want to disappear.”
Julian laughed, a cruel, mocking sound. “You really think you're in a position to negotiate? You're a bartender who got lucky.”
“If you don't pay me,” I said, looking up with perfectly feigned desperation, “I go to the FBI tomorrow morning.”
Julian’s smile vanished. He leaned in close, his breath smelling of expensive scotch. “Fine. Five million is pocket change. We wire the money, you give us the drive, and if you ever breathe a word about how we handled the old man, I’ll make sure they never find your body. Deal?”
“Deal,” I whispered.
May you like
I reached into my purse. But I didn't pull out the flash drive.
I pulled out my phone. And I pressed End Broadcast.
