Chapter 1 - The Shadows of Chicago
I had seen people steal fortunes from me and pay for it with everything they had.
So when I caught Beatrice Gallagher slipping leftover food into a cracked plastic container after one of our lavish dinners, I assumed she was no different.
A thief was a thief.
Or so I thought.
Lorenzo Vale stood beside me in my private study, watching the security feed over my shoulder.
“She’s stealing again, boss,” he sneered. “Say the word, and she’ll be in the basement before sunrise.”
I kept my eyes on the monitor.
Beatrice wasn't stuffing her pockets with cash.
She wasn't reaching for jewelry.
She ignored the expensive wine sitting only inches away.
Instead, with trembling hands, she carefully packed cold slices of prime rib, roasted vegetables, and mashed potatoes that would have been thrown into the trash.
Then she quietly wiped away her tears.
That stopped me.
“She’s been asking for extra shifts all month,” Lorenzo continued. “She’s desperate. People like that always become a problem.”
I leaned forward.
“No.”
He frowned.
“She’s afraid,” I said quietly. “Fear doesn't look like greed.”
Lorenzo crossed his arms.
“So what do you want to do?”
I grabbed my coat.
May you like
“I want to know who she's willing to risk everything to feed.”
Less than an hour later, Beatrice stepped into the bitter Chicago night, completely unaware that I was following her—and that the truth waiting at the end of her journey was about to destroy everything I thought I knew.
