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EMMA
Emma couldn’t stop crying.
It was embarrassing and frustrating, but no matter what she did, tears kept rolling down her cheeks.
She was sitting in a hotel room in a suburb outside of Chicago. It was a budget room, something she’d been able to book last-minute. After what had happened, she knew she couldn’t go back to the apartment she’d rented. She’d stopped there long enough to pack her meager things, working quickly in the first light of dawn, then had taken public transit out of the city. Once she arrived, she went through her usual checklist of post-job tasks. She’d canceled her phone number, sent her resignation letter, and ended her lease. Usually she felt a certain kind of freedom when she ended a job and erased all the evidence of her presence. Today, though, she only felt heavy-hearted. And teary.
The Aurora sat on the hotel’s desk chair, leaning against the desk. Every time Emma saw it, her tears began again. It was a reminder of the terrible thing she had done. She’d given in to her feelings and spent the night with Patrick. Then she’d stolen his beloved painting and disappeared. It was a complete betrayal.
As Emma was finishing cleaning up her presence, her work email dinged with a notification. She’d forgotten that she’d installed it on her phone. There was a message from Patrick. Her hands shaking, Emma clicked on it.
Emma,
I am so sorry if my actions last night have made you uncomfortable. Please talk to me. We can work this out.
Patrick
Tears poured down Emma’s cheeks once again. She wanted nothing more than to reply to the email — or better yet, to dial Patrick’s number and talk to him, as he’d requested. There was nothing she wanted more than to hear his voice. Even if it was just one last time.
But Emma couldn’t reach out. She needed to finish the job she’d been blackmailed into doing. Otherwise, none of this would be worth it. She wasn’t sure it was worth it, anyway.
Her face wet with tears, she tapped on her email account and uninstalled it from her phone. There was no use looking at Patrick’s email for even a moment longer. It would only hurt her.
Finally, she gathered her courage to call Aleksander. She needed to set up a meeting with him to exchange the painting and get his assurance that he wouldn’t turn her over to the police. Then, this nightmarish chapter of her life would finally be over. Emma couldn’t imagine taking another corporate espionage job, but she could start over in some new way.
The thought of starting over, somewhere far from Patrick, was heartbreaking, but there was no other option. At least she wouldn’t be in jail.
Emma dug through her bag for the burner phone Aleksander had given her and pressed dial on the one phone number programmed into it. The phone rang once, twice, and then Aleksander picked up.
“If it isn’t my favorite criminal.” He sounded cheerful.
Emma was in no mood for Aleksander’s games. Not today.
“I have the painting.”
“Oh, how wonderful. Well done. How did you manage to get it out? No, don’t tell me. I enjoy the mystery.” Aleksander chuckled, but Emma stayed silent, fury bubbling inside her. This was all one big game to him. He was playing with her life and Patrick’s, and he didn’t even care.
“So, our deal is done?” She kept her question terse and concise. She wasn’t going to let Aleksander play with her anymore. “You won’t turn me in to the police?”
“Of course not. Why would I?” He chuckled again, and Emma wanted to throw the phone against the wall. At least she’d finally stopped crying.
“When do you want it?”
“The painting?”
Emma made a fist. “Yes, the painting. When do you want it?”
“Oh, I think there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding. Sorry about that.” Aleksander didn’t sound sorry at all. He was clearly enjoying this. “You see, that’s a stolen painting. It’s only a matter of time before our dear Patrick reports it missing. What am I supposed to do with a stolen piece of art?”
“That’s your problem,” Emma half-hissed.
“No, no. I think it’s your problem. See, I can’t display that painting. I can’t keep it anywhere that someone could find it. No, having the painting is too much of a liability. I’ll let you keep it.”
“What?” Emma wasn’t sure she was hearing him correctly. This was all too much. After everything she’d done, everything he’d made her do, he wasn’t even going to take Aurora?
“Consider it a little token of my gratitude for you for doing this project for me.”
“What am I supposed to do with it? I thought you wanted it. What was the point of all this if you weren’t planning to take it in the end?”
