Chapter 8 - The House Was Not Safe
Police arrived twenty-three minutes later.
That fact did not escape anyone.
The nearest station was less than eight minutes away.
Detective Grant arrived separately.
She stared at the shattered windows.
“You called this in immediately?”
Marcus nodded.
“Eleven forty-two.”
Grant checked her watch.
“First cruiser arrived twelve oh five.”
Gabriel looked toward the officers outside.
“Interesting.”
Grant lowered her voice.
“Do not say what you’re thinking.”
“You’re thinking it too.”
“I’m allowed.”
Gabriel almost smiled.
Harper sat beside Noah.
The boy had stopped crying.
That worried her more.
He simply stared at the floor.
“I want to leave Boston.”
Everyone turned.
Harper held Noah tighter.
“I’m serious.”
Rebecca nodded slowly.
“That may be possible.”
Gabriel said nothing.
Harper looked at him.
“This house isn’t safe anymore.”
“No.”
The word surprised her.
Gabriel continued.
“It isn’t.”
He did not defend his mansion.
He did not pretend his security was unbeatable.
Harper appreciated the honesty.
Rebecca opened her laptop.
“I can arrange temporary housing through a protected domestic-violence network.”
Harper nodded.
“Do it.”
Gabriel’s expression remained unreadable.
Noah finally looked at him.
“You’re not coming?”
Harper’s heart tightened.
Gabriel crouched several feet away.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because your sister needs somewhere that has nothing to do with me.”
Noah looked disappointed.
Gabriel pulled the plastic dinosaur from his pocket.
Noah had dropped it upstairs.
He handed it back.
“But you keep that.”
Noah nodded.
At three in the morning, Harper and Noah left through a service entrance.
Not in Gabriel’s cars.
Rebecca drove.
Nobody followed them.
The safe apartment was in Cambridge under another name.
It had two bedrooms.
White walls.
Cheap furniture.
A deadbolt.
Harper checked the lock six times.
Noah watched her.
“Are we safe?”
Harper wanted to promise.
Instead she said the truth.
“We’re safer.”
Noah nodded.
That seemed enough.
For the next two days, Harper did not see Gabriel.
She spoke to Detective Grant twice.
Federal investigators took possession of the phone.
The guardian appointed by the court interviewed Harper and Noah.
Derek obeyed the restraining order.
At least physically.
Then the messages began.
Unknown numbers.
You ruined my life.
Another.
You think Ashford cares about you?
Another.
He will throw you away when he gets what he wants.
Harper blocked every number.
New ones appeared.
On the fourth night, a photograph arrived.
It showed Harper entering the Cambridge building.
Her blood turned cold.
Beneath the image were six words.
I ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOU ARE.
Harper called Rebecca.
Rebecca called federal investigators.
Within an hour, the apartment was being evacuated.
Again.
Noah sat on the bed while Harper packed.
He did not complain.
That broke her heart.
Children were supposed to hate moving.
Noah had learned not to unpack.
A knock sounded.
Harper froze.
“Federal agent.”
Rebecca checked through the peephole.
She opened the door.
Two agents entered.
The older one introduced himself as Special Agent Daniel Price.
“We believe Officer Lawson has access to restricted databases.”
Harper stared at him.
“He searched the address?”
“Possibly.”
“How many officers can see it?”
Price hesitated.
“That is part of the problem.”
Harper laughed bitterly.
“So there’s nowhere I can go.”
“We can relocate you.”
“He’ll find that too.”
“Not if we control the records.”
Harper looked at Noah.
“How far?”
“As far as necessary.”
Noah’s face tightened.
Harper understood what relocation meant.
New school.
New city.
No friends.
Maybe new names.
All because Derek refused to accept that she had left.
Price lowered his voice.
“There may be another option.”
“What?”
“We build a case quickly enough that Lawson loses access before you have to disappear.”
Rebecca frowned.
“How?”
Price looked at Harper.
“We need somebody inside his circle.”
Harper already knew what he was about to suggest.
“No.”
Price raised a hand.
“Not you.”
Harper blinked.
“Then who?”
Gabriel’s voice came from the hallway.
“Me.”
Harper turned.
He stood outside the apartment.
For the first time since she met him, Gabriel Ashford was not wearing a suit.
He wore dark jeans and a plain black coat.
No guards were visible.
Harper’s stomach tightened.
“What are you doing here?”
Gabriel looked at Agent Price.
“Making a deal I never thought I would make.”
Price’s expression remained cold.
“Mr. Ashford has offered federal investigators information on the network using his organization’s name.”
Harper stared at Gabriel.
“In exchange for what?”
“Nothing for me.”
Gabriel looked at Noah.
“Protection for witnesses.”
Harper understood.
“You’re giving them your records.”
“Yes.”
“Your businesses?”
“Some.”
“People could go to prison.”
“Yes.”
“Including you?”
Gabriel paused.
“Possibly.”
Harper stared at him.
“Why would you do that?”
His answer was simple.
“Because Derek thinks every man is willing to sacrifice someone weaker to protect himself.”
May you like
Gabriel looked at her.
“I would like him to be wrong.”
