Page 31 of Dead to Me

“I don’t care what you saw. I came up here myself.”

Someone must have told Warren I was in the garage. Who though is the question? Warren started walking again, coming closer. I pressed myself against the SUV. His shoes stopped on the other side.

I could hear him breathing. Then his phone rang. He answered immediately.

“What?”

I couldn’t hear what the other person was saying. Warren’s voice changed.

“When?”

Pause.

“Are you sure?”

Another pause.

“Does Malcolm know?”

I gripped the envelope tighter. Malcolm. Warren turned and walked away.

“I’ll handle it.”

He hung up. He stood still for a few seconds. I watched his shoes.

Finally, he walked toward the elevator.

The burner phone buzzed. It was the original number.

GO.

I didn’t hesitate. I took the stairs instead of the elevator, going down one level, then another. I left on the third floor, crossed to the other stairwell, and re-entered the hotel through the lobby.

No one paid any attention to me. By midnight, I was back in my room with the door locked.

I laid everything out on the bed. I looked at China’s name, then Malcolm’s, then Warren’s.

Punish them. Make them suffer. Take away everything they care about. Then kill them.

Three slow knocks sounded at my door. I froze.

“Milan?”

It was Malcolm's voice. It was 12:08 a.m.

Another knock.

“Milan, open the door.”

I slid the photographs under the comforter, stuffed the papers into the duffel, then pulled off the wig and hid it too.

“Milan.”

“I’m coming.”

I opened the door just a few inches. Malcolm was standing in the hallway alone.

He had taken off his jacket, and his tie hung loose around his neck.