Chapter 2 - The Stuffed Chaperone
I stared at Dominic in absolute horror.
“Mark is dead,” I choked out.
“I buried an empty casket because they never found his body.”
Dominic’s expression remained entirely unreadable.
He motioned toward the empty seat across from him.
“Sit down, Sarah.”
I looked out the window again at the men in the black SUV.
One of them stepped out onto the sidewalk and cracked his knuckles.
Trembling, I guided Lily back into the booth.
She happily picked up Mr. Buttons, her bald stuffed rabbit.
“Mommy is shaking,” Lily announced innocently.
“Your mommy is just cold,” Dominic told her softly.
He looked at me with a gaze that stripped away all my defenses.
“Mark came to me for a loan four years ago,” Dominic explained.
“He said his wife was pregnant and he needed to secure her future.”
I felt sick to my stomach.
“I never saw a dime of any loan,” I argued.
“Because he didn’t take money,” Dominic corrected.
“He took information.”
Dominic leaned over the table.
“He stole a ledger containing the names of dirty cops, corrupt judges, and rival bosses.”
“He tried to sell it to the highest bidder.”
I shook my head violently.
“Not my Mark.”
“People surprise us, Sarah,” Dominic said.
“He faked his death when the buyers turned on him.”
“Now they think you have the drive.”
“I don’t have anything!” I cried out.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to wake up from this nightmare.
Suddenly, Lily dropped Mr. Buttons onto the table.
The toy hit the wooden surface with a heavy, unnatural thud.
It sounded like solid metal hitting wood.
Dominic’s eyes instantly locked onto the worn stuffed animal.
He reached out and picked it up.
He squeezed the rabbit’s belly.
I watched as Dominic pulled a switchblade from his pocket.
“What are you doing to Mr. Buttons?” Lily shrieked.
Dominic sliced the seam of the rabbit’s back open.
He reached inside the stuffing and pulled out a small, black USB drive.
May you like
He held it up to the light.
“It seems Mark left a babysitter after all,” Dominic said.
