The Investigator

Chapter 11

The doorbell rang again, sharp and insistent.

Lena stood frozen in the doorway, her hand trembling near the doorknob. Her back was slippery with cold sweat.

She wasn't ready, but she had no choice.

Taking a deep breath, she cajoled her face into one of easy interest before unlocking the door and flinging it open.

A man stood at the doorstep, a tall and sharply dressed man, his crisp black suit pushed back against the morning light. He was not tall for his age, but there was something that unsettled her about him-something about the way he didn't shift, like a predator waiting for just the right moment to strike.

His eyes, dark and unreadable-roved over her, drinking in every detail.

"Mrs. Calloway?"

Lena's heart skipped a beat.

"Yes," she said, keeping her voice steady.

The man held out a hand. "Malcolm Pierce. Ethan hired me to conduct a routine security survey."

Lena paused before taking his hand. His was a firm but fleeting, professional handshake.

"I know this is a surprise," Malcolm went on, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat. "Your husband asked me to begin immediately."

Of course, he did.

Ethan never gave his enemies a chance to get ready. Lena forced a smile. "Of course. Please, come in."

She moved aside, letting Malcolm enter. He moved easily, his gaze sweeping the room with refined skill.

Lena closed the door, breathing deeply.

She had to keep this on a level playing field.

If Malcolm had been here to interrogate her, she couldn't let him detect one glimmer of a weakness in her cover.

"Nice home," Malcolm said, glancing at the grand staircase leading to the second floor. His tone was casual, but Lena wasn't fooled.

"Thank you," she said smoothly.

Malcolm turned to face her fully. "Your husband mentioned you've been feeling unsettled here. Something about... paranoia?"

Lena's stomach twisted knowing that

Ethan was setting the stage.

If she slipped, if she reacted the wrong way, Malcolm would mark her as unstable. A liability.

Lena laughed a small, breathy laugh, and shook her head. "Oh, that." She folded her arms, flushing. "Ethan exaggerates. I was just getting to know the new place. Houses at night, big houses, can be. Creepy, you know?"

Malcolm observed her.

"I can see that they could be," he said, after a minute.

Lena forced herself to relax, entering the kitchen. "Can I get you some coffee?"

Malcolm hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah."

Lena inched over to the counter, keeping her hand steady as she poured the coffee. She could feel Malcolm's eyes on her. Measuring her.

She needed to switch subjects.

"How long have you been doing this type of work?" she asked, turning to pass it to him.

Malcolm took it with a courteous nod. "Long enough." A vague response.

Lena clenched a tiny smile, sipping her coffee. "And how do you quantify security? Should I be worried?"

Malcolm's mouth curled. "That depends."

Lena's hold on the cup tightened. "On what?"

He sipped deliberately, his gaze fixed on hers. "On what I find."

The words hung there, heavy with implications.

Then, as if nothing had ever happened, Malcolm moved away, taking in the room. "Mind if I have a look?"

Lena's heart pounded.

She couldn't refuse him.

That would just make her seem more culpable.

"Sure," she said lightly. "Do what you need to do."

Malcolm nodded and made his way towards the hall.

Lena followed behind, watching as he tested the locks, the windows, and even the spacing of the furniture as if assessing possible hiding spots.

Then, he stopped outside Ethan's office.

"May I come in?"

Lena's breath was suspended.

Ethan would never agree.

And if Malcolm did pick up something off-color-something Ethan had not anticipated-there would be consequences.

But to refuse would be worse.

"Okay," she said, stepping forward to open the door.

Malcolm entered, his eyes scanning around the bookcases, the gleaming mahogany desk, and the immaculately aligned stacks of paper.

All neat. Neatly organized.

A reflection of Ethan himself.

Malcolm walked over to the desk, following the line down the edge of it. "Your husband is a tidy man."

Lena laughed uncomfortably. "Obsessively so."

Malcolm smiled but didn't comment, then, he faced away from her toward the cabinet beside the window.

Lena's gut went into knots.

That cabinet was padlocked.

Malcolm pushed the handle.

Padlocked, as she'd expected it would be but instead of moving on, he looked at her.

Lena caught her breath.

"This one taboo?"

Lena's mind rushed wildly.

Ethan never let her near that cabinet. She didn't even know what was inside.

If she acted nervous, Malcolm would notice.

So, she forced herself to sigh dramatically. "You have no idea how many times I've tried to get in there," she said with a laugh. "Ethan keeps all his important files in there. He's paranoid about security."

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "No spare key?"

Lena shrugged. "Not that he's told me."

It was the truth.

Malcolm stared at her for a while before he nodded.

Then he faced away from the cabinet, resuming his search.

Lena breathed silently.

She had survived the first test.

They navigated the rest of the house in careful conversation, Malcolm asking veiled questions, Lena answering with rehearsed ease.

By the time they reached the front door, the tension had crystallized into something more manageable.

Malcolm moved forward, his dark eyes unyielding. "I'll report it to Ethan first. But I may have to come back."

Lena smiled obligingly.

Malcolm studied her for another moment before pulling out of his pocket. "Here."

He extended a card.

Lena hesitated, taking it.

"If you do recall, anything that seems out of place me," Malcolm said, his voice softer now.

Lena looked at the card. His number.

Why?

Had he seen something?

Did he suspect her?

Or... was this something else?

Lena nodded slowly. "I will."

Malcolm's lips curled into a sneer as if he didn't trust her.

Then, without a word, he turned and departed.

Lena locked the door behind him, her fingers trembling.

Her hand shook as she stared at the card.

Something wasn't right.

Malcolm was supposed to be Ethan's investigator.

So why did it look like he was warning her instead?