Chapter 4 - THE SECRET UNDER TABLE FOUR
Roman arrived at Paige's apartment building forty minutes later.
Not in a limousine.
Not with a convoy.
Just a dark sedan and Luca behind the wheel.
Paige met him outside.
She refused to invite him upstairs.
Roman didn't object.
She handed him the envelopes.
He examined them.
His expression grew colder.
"Did you touch anything besides the paper?"
Paige stared.
"Of course I did. It's my mail."
He nodded.
"Have you reported this?"
"Not yet."
"You should."
She looked at him.
"Will they take me seriously?"
"They should."
"That's not what I asked."
Roman exhaled.
"No. I can't promise they will."
Paige appreciated the honesty.
He returned the envelopes.
"Keep them. Photograph everything. Don't throw anything away."
She nodded.
Then asked:
"What happened at the Onyx Room?"
Roman studied her.
"What do you mean?"
"Someone keeps telling me to stop asking questions. I want to know what questions they're afraid of."
Roman looked toward the street.
"Three months ago, a man named Elias Mercer disappeared."
Paige frowned.
"Who?"
"A financial investigator."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"He was meeting someone at the Onyx Room the night before he vanished."
Paige went still.
"Table four?"
Roman looked at her.
"Yes."
She swallowed.
"I remember him."
Roman's expression sharpened.
"Why?"
"Because he left something behind."
Silence.
"What?"
"A small leather notebook."
Roman stared.
"Where is it?"
Paige looked away.
"I gave it to Arthur."
Roman's jaw tightened.
"When?"
"That night."
"Did Arthur say anything?"
"He told me he'd return it to the guest."
Roman looked at Luca.
Luca's expression changed.
Paige felt a chill.
"What?"
Roman turned back to her.
"Arthur told me he never saw the notebook."
Paige stared.
May you like
Then whispered:
"He's lying."
