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A whirlwind of thoughts cluttered my mind, and I wondered if Sebastian might be the masked man. Is that why he had asked my opinion on the law and justice system over dinner? Whatever switch inside me had flipped, I was bound and determined to learn what was going on. I refused to wait at home, hoping to find my answers.
Reality punched me in the chest as I realized I had to do something to calm my curiosity, the drive to learn the truth leading to my decision.
I spun on my heel and ran back down the hall as I decided the best thing to do was follow him and find out what he was up to.
Shit. Shit. Shit. If he was dirty, no wonder he was so interested in my work. He was determining if I posed a threat to him if we became close.
Apprehension gripped me as I stepped into the restaurant again, my heart beating erratically. I glanced at the bar where Kip stood chatting up a brunette, oblivious to my presence. I reminded myself to act normal and not appear suspicious, so he didn’t spot me and call me over.
Once I managed to escape to the safety of my car, a wave of relief washed over me, but it was short-lived. Steering the Toyota to the side of the building, where I suspected the employees parked, my eyes darted around until they locked onto Sebastian’s black BMW. Trying to manage the adrenaline rush, I drove a little farther up the street and parked, my breath shallow as I waited for Sebastian to emerge.
The minutes ticked by, and right before nine-thirty p.m., Sebastian exited, hurried down the stairs, and climbed into his car. My pulse kicked up, and I wiped my damp palms on my jeans. Even though I hadn’t ever tailed anyone before, I knew to stay back far enough not to raise suspicion.
Sebastian drove for ten minutes as I hung back, keeping him in my sight. He drove to a nearly deserted parking lot, parked his BMW next to a white van, and hopped in. The van exited through the back part of the lot onto a side street, which made sneaking up on them more difficult. I counted to ten and watched the red taillights blink in the darkness as it turned right.
Finally, they stopped in a back alley of a wealthy neighborhood. Holy shit! Is he casing a house? Disappointment overwhelmed me. I really liked Sebastian. I thought he was different from the other men I’d been interested in.
It was nearly ten o’clock when Sebastian jumped out of the van, but this time he wore a black baseball hat low over his forehead. He also had a mustache and beard. He’s wearing a disguise. I hid my purse beneath the back seat as he jogged down the alley, and I hopped out of my car, closing the door softly to not alert anyone. With my phone ready to record, I hurried in the opposite direction. A row of hedges bordered the property, which meant I had cover. I crouched down and slipped between the greenery. Branches scraped across my bare arms, and I quietly swore. When I’d dressed earlier in my jeans and sleeveless navy blouse, I hadn’t planned on hiding in a thicket to bust a burglary, yet here I was.
As Sebastian appeared at the home’s entrance, I frowned as he rang the doorbell. Is he just making sure the house is empty?
I hit the record button, holding my breath. To my surprise, the front door swung open, and a tall, blonde-haired woman answered. She peered around before she ushered him in. What the hell was happening? An unexpected tinge of jealousy tightened my chest. He must have someone helping on the inside. The home was fucking huge, and if he was stealing all the valuables, it would take time.
Several minutes later, the terrified women emerged with two children clutching backpacks and pillows followed by Sebastian … with a gun in his hand. What the fuck? Kidnapping? Had he pulled a pistol on them as soon as he was in the house? The sound of their tennis shoes against the sidewalk echoed through the yard. I assumed the woman was their mother, but what was her connection to Sebastian, and why had I overheard him discussing scouting the place?
Questioning my sanity with all the shit, I stood as I continued to video.
I snuck out of my hiding spot and paused the recording as Sebastian and the others disappeared.
Leaves crunched behind me, and I spun around, spotting an angry man stomping toward me.
“Hey! What the hell are you doing on my property?”
Dammit! I was so focused on Sebastian that I didn’t see a car pull into the driveway. I squared my shoulders, noting the make of the black Cadillac. I assumed he owned the home.
“I’m sorry! My dog ran through the bushes, and I was searching for her. Have you seen her? She’s a mutt, part lab and part collie.” I flashed him a grin, praying he bought my lie.
“You have no right to be here. Get the fuck off my property and look for your dog somewhere else.”
I raised my hands in the air, showing my compliance. “Again, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to step on any toes.”
I made my way through the bushes and ran to the alley, where I found Sebastian blindfolding the kids and a woman seated on the floor in the back of the van.
Oh, god. This is bad. Really bad. I had to help that poor women and kids. There was a lot of criminal activity I could overlook, but not hurting children.
I quickly restarted the video, catching all of it for the cops. Sebastian closed the doors, then hurried to the passenger’s side.
“Stop!” I yelled.
Sebastian turned, glaring in my direction.
“I’ve got this recorded. Let them go, or I’ll go straight to the cops and have you arrested.”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed and his shoulders tensed before he darted to me and snatched my phone out of my hand.
“You don’t know what the hell you’re doing,” he hissed. “When Kip mentioned you stopped by the bar and sent you to my office, I suspected we might have a problem since you never showed up.” He forcefully grabbed my wrist and spun away from me, jerking me behind him.
Footsteps sounded from behind me, and I peered over my shoulder.
