LOGINANYTAâS POVThe conversation with Clay about the FBI still echoed in my head as I drove home from dropping off some documents at Whitakerâs office. Everything was moving so fast. I was this close to taking Teddy with me, but Alice swore to never let him out of her sight.As I waited at a red light, my mind drifted to how simple my life was before all these chaos. Jamieâs face popped into my head and I remembered when he texted me to check in. I had ignored his messages. Guilt hit me hard. I had been avoiding him for weeks, canceling his plans with vague excuses. He deserved the truth, so that he will move on.Before I could overthink it, I pulled over and texted him.Hey. Are you free for coffee this afternoon? I need to talk to you. The usual place?Jamie replied almost immediately, like he was readily expecting, making my heart churn with more guilt.Sure. Everything okay? I can be there in twenty.See you soon.***************I arrived first and chose a quiet corner table. When Ja
CLAYâS POVI couldnât stop staring at the garden gate. The latch had been opened from the outside. Teddy didnât just âwander offâ. The door was open for him to leave the garden. This was a clear message by Victor. There was no doubt about that.Victor Crane had just shown me he could reach my family whenever he wanted. He could have taken the boy if he wanted to, but he did not. He was showing me exactly who had the power and who had it hard.Anyta was still holding Teddy tight, kissing his hair while Everett stood there explaining how he âjust happenedâ to drive by. I barely heard him, and I tried so hard to trust me. My mind had already shifted into another gear.I pulled out my phone and stepped away from the group. âPhilip, itâs me. Move Jodieâs extraction up. No. I want ot done today. Get her and her daughter to the safe house within four hours. Give them everything they need to start afresh; burner phones, everything.âPhilip didnât argue. âOn it. Has Teddy been found? One of th
ANYTAâS POVI didnât even wait to explain it to Clay. The second Aliceâs voice cracked on the phone, I grabbed my keys and ran for the car. My hands shook so badly I almost dropped them twice as I managed to start the engine.âAnyta, waitââ Clay called behind me, already on his own phone.I didnât wait. I drove home like the devil was chasing me, my heart hammering so loud it drowned out everything else. The three minutes it took to get there were the worst of my life. Every slow car in front of me made me want to scream. I didnât believe the woman who was panicking. I didnât believe that I would be this wild, screaming at every patrol officer.I slammed the car door immediately and ran through the front door. Alice stood in the hallway, white-faced and shaking, her eyes rimmed red.âMiss Anyta, Iâm so sorry,â she said, her voice breaking. âHe was playing right there in the garden. I stepped inside for just few seconds to get his juice. When I came back he was gone. The gateâââWhere
ANYTAâS POVClay walked into my living room and shut the door. I was already sitting on the couch waiting. He didnât waste time.After our meeting with Jodie, there was nothing else I couldnât imagine. I left Clay with her to finish up, because the manager at the Art studio called in for a quick meetup.âThereâs a mole on your legal team,â he begun. âA Junior attorney named Rachel Kemp. Marcus recruited her eight months ago.âI didnât say anything at first, because there was nothing to say. I just sat there staring at him while the words sank in. Everything I had told them about the will, about Teddy, about Everett, about my fears. Everything had gone straight to Marcus.After a long silence, I finally spoke. My voice came out calm, shocking even me. âSo what strategy will work at this point? Iâm tired of it all.âClay sat on the coffee table right in front of me. âWe flip her. We use Rachel to feed Marcus exactly what we want him to hear. We will let him think weâre falling apart. He
CLAYâS POVThe warehouse on the edge of the industrial park smelled like dust and old oil. I picked it because it was off the grid, and my people had swept it twice before we arrived. Jodie showed up exactly on time, her black coat pulled tight, her kholed eyes scanning every shadow. I watched her from the moment she stepped through the side door. Anyta had insisted on coming, her arms crossedunder her chest stubbornly. I knew she didnât fully trust Jodie yet. She was here to read her, and watch for the lie in her eyes. According to her, she reads through people. Part of me hated that she had to be in this room at all. The other part was glad she was.âYou brought company,â Jodie said flatly, as she sat at the metal table.âAnyta stays,â I replied equally firm. I studied Jodieâs face closely, and the tired lines around her eyes, were so obvious. She looked like someone who hadnât slept in days. âYou said you have records. Show us.âJodie opened the bag she carried and slid a thick env
ANYTAâS POVThe morning light crept through the kitchen blinds. Clay sat across from me at the table, the coffee I made for him untouched and lukewarm. His cheek still had the bandage Iâd put on last night, and the bags under his eyes told me he hadnât slept much either. Teddy was still asleep down the hall, and my head hurts from the amount of information I heard between yesterday and today.I set my mug down. âWe need to call Jodie.âClayâs head snapped up immediately. âNo.ââIâm serious, Clay. She warned you, that means sheâs connected to all of this somehow. It all makes sense that Victor Crane is her father, so, if anyone should have real information, itâs her.âHe leaned forward, his voice low and tense. âAnyta, listen to me. Jodie is neck-deep in this world. Reaching out to her is dangerous. She could even be playing both sides. One wrong word and we tip off Victor or Marcus that weâre onto them.ââI know and understand the risks involved,â I said, holding his gaze steadily. âB
CLAYâS POVShe'd called me first.In a moment of desperation and fear, I was the first one on her mind.I have no idea why that thought excited me so much. Gave me a strong sense of purpose I'd never felt better. And made me want to do more for her, to protect her from everything thing that could p
CLAY'S POVEven after my interruption, the officers proceeded to give Anyta safety advice. Droning on and on about new locks, alarms, lights.And even bored as I was, I stood beside her, holding her as we both listened.Then finally, they gave her assurances that theyâd follow up if they found anyt
ANYTA'S POVPerhaps I should've let Alice stay.Instead, I'd told the nanny to take the whole day off, since it was also my day off.I was in the middle of making dinner, trying to get Teddy to eat his fruits while keeping an eye on the macaroni on the stove.The toddler was determined to grab ever
ANYTA'S POVAnd he did.I leaned into him just a little, letting myself enjoy it all, without worrying about anything as we sailed across the room while Clay chatted with people I had never met before, but knew were extremely important.Compliments came easily from most of them, to my surprise.âYo







