Page 10 of Broken Empire
“I haven’t seen her, sir, but I only started my shift two hours ago. She may have returned to the building when Peter was on duty. Would you like me to have someone check the security footage?”
“Sure.”
“All right. Give me a moment, sir.”
John returned to the phone a few minutes later. “Sorry, Mr. Knight. It looks like Shay hasn’t come home tonight.”
“Okay. Thanks for checking.”
“Is everything all right?”
“Yeah, I’m sure she’s just gone out somewhere with her friends,” I said, trying to ignore the heavy feeling in my stomach.
I ended the call and dialed Cori’s number.
“Hi, Killian!” she said upon answering. “Where are you?”
“I just got back to the city,” I replied. “Sorry to call like this, but Shay hasn’t been answering her phone all night. Can you tell me where you are so I can come and meet you?”
“What?” she said, sounding puzzled.
“Where did you go after the art thing ended? I assume you’re at an afterparty or something?”
“The gallery party isn’t over. I’m still here,” she said. “Shay never showed up. I thought she was coming with you.”
“No, I got called away somewhere else. But I saw her walk inside the gallery,” I said, head spinning with confusion. “I just went back there, and everything is dark and locked up. I assumed the party was over.”
“Um… I really don’t know what to tell you,” Cori said. “I’m literally here right now. Look.”
She switched the call to video chat mode and swung the camera all around so I could see the party behind her. The space she was standing in was filled with young hipster-types drinking beer from glass bottles, and the white walls and display stands were packed with odd-looking clay sculptures.
“That’s not the gallery we went to earlier,” I said slowly. There was a strange pulling sensation in my gut. “Where are you, exactly?”
“Bushwick. I sent the address to Shay a week ago. Where is she, anyway?”
My brows shot up. “Wait… didn’t you send her a message telling her that the address had changed at the last minute to a place on Spring Street?”
“No. It’s always been the same address.” Cori sounded nervous now. “What’s going on, Killian?”
I swallowed hard. “I have no idea. Sorry, Cori, I have to go.”
I hung up and dropped my phone in my lap, heart pounding as I stared at the parking garage wall. What the fuck was going on? If Cori didn’t send that message to Shay about the change of address, then who the hell did?
I could write off one phone-hacking incident as a shitty joke. But two in one night? No. No fucking way. Something was going on, and it seemed clear now that it was designed to get me away from Shay so she would walk into that Spring Street gallery all alone.
But why?
My phone buzzed on my lap, and I looked down. Relief cascaded through me as I saw Shay’s name pop up on the screen. She’d finally texted back.
I unlocked my phone and clicked into the message.
Hi, Killian. Sorry, I know you’ve been trying to reach me all night but I’ve had some things to sort out.
I really don’t know how to tell you this, because you’ve been so wonderful to me, but I just can’t do it anymore. Too much has happened lately. I need to get out of the city and get some space, and I have to do it alone. Not sure how long it’ll take for me to feel normal again.
I promise this isn’t about you. You’re amazing and you did nothing wrong. It’s all me. I hope you understand, and I’m so sorry for leaving you out of the blue like this. I really didn’t want to, but I’m just not brave enough to say any of this stuff to your face.
Please don’t worry about me. I promise I’ll be fine on my own.
