Savage Collision: A Hawke Family Novel (Hawke Family #1)(44)

Shaking his head, he runs his hands back through his hair and paces around me anxiously. “No, I think they’re onto me.”

Fuck.

“Why? What happened?”

He squeezes his eyes shut and grimaces. “Shit. They’re going to kill me.”

“Paul,” I say, reaching out to lay my hand on his arm, “tell me what happened.” This is bad. This is really, really bad, but I try to maintain my composure so I don’t spook him more.

“I was in the office, going through the files, looking for the documentation you need, and Alonzo came in.”

“Shit.” Alonzo Mattuci is one of Domenico’s high-ranking lieutenants, and, according to rumor, is also his top gun. I heard he has over one hundred kills under his belt. If he caught Paul, it would be a death sentence. “Well, you’re here, so obviously he doesn’t suspect anything. We both know you would be dead if he had.”

Paul nods his agreement and chews on his nail. “He asked me what I was doing and I told him I was looking for a purchase order for one of the truck parts because we needed to replace it with the same part. He seemed to buy it, and ended up finding the order for me before shooing me out of the office.”

This is particularly concerning, considering the revelations of our last meeting. Abello has my name and now Paul’s been caught in the office. Still, we are both still alive.

“Did you get anything before he came in? Did you find anything about the meeting?”

Paul glares at me. Maybe I deserve it, but this story is my career. “Yeah, I did.”

He hands me a sheet of paper with the name of one of Abello’s construction companies across the top. It’s a bid on a construction project downtown—the new offices for the district attorney.

“I don’t get it. Why is this important?”

His hand shoots out and snatches the paper back, then he turns it around and points to a line. “See this? Look at the numbers. There’s no way they could do this job for that amount of money. They were awarded the contract. Do you know what they ended up getting paid? Almost triple what is on here. Who do you think arranged/approved that?”

There’s no doubt in my mind it was Dunne. “But, this doesn’t prove anything. We can’t prove Dunne did anything to get them the contract or that the overpayment was any form of a payoff.”

Paul growls. “Do you really think they would put that in writing?”

“Well, no, but there has to be something! Something with Dunne’s name on it. Do you think you can try again?” I ask, knowing full well the position I am asking him to put himself in. “Please, Paul.”

Shaking his head, he paces around me. “I don’t know, Danika. It’s too dangerous. I just don’t know if it’s worth it.”

Don’t back out on me now! Time to pull out my best logic.

“Paul, when you came to me, you said you wanted to help me because you know what a scumbag Dom and his goons are. You said you wanted to help end him and the corruption going on. I can’t do that without your help.”

“I know,” he says with an exaggerated sigh. “I know.”

“What about the meeting? Did you find out what it was for?”

Another clank echoes through the warehouse and Paul and I both whirl in the direction of the sound, searching in the darkness for any threat.

“I’m outta here.” He turns and runs off in the opposite direction before I even have chance to try to stop him.

Shit, I need to get out of here.

I turn and walk as quickly as my four-inch stilettos can carry me toward the door and my car, and I reach into my purse for my keys. Heavy footsteps thud behind me and I pick up my speed until I’m practically sprinting in my Loubs to stay in front of my pursuer.

Bad shoe choice for a clandestine meeting, Dani!

Just before I reach the door, a hand lands on my shoulder and I scream, turning toward my assailant with my keys in my hand as a weapon, just like my father taught me.



Where the hell is she?

The clock in the corner of my computer monitor does nothing to ease my worry. I clench my fists for the hundredth time today and try to take a calming breath. Danika was supposed to call me when she was done working today. That should have been two hours ago. It is almost nine, and still no word from her, not even a text.

The bumping base from the music downstairs rolls through the floor and into my body. Normally, it really doesn’t bother me, but tonight, it is adding to the headache slowly building in my skull.

She was supposed to call me when she was done so I could pick her up and we could go to my place. I need another night of her in my bed, in my arms. I crave it more than anything these days, even after only having it once.

A knock at the door startles me and I’m hoping it’s her and we just somehow got our wires crossed. “Come in.”

The door opens and Gabe walks in with a nervous-looking Nora, who doesn’t seem to want to make eye contact with me. I’ve done my best to steer clear of her, because, frankly, it’s a little awkward to be dating her sister and I’m not quite sure where to draw the line between boss and sort-of friend.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, instantly sensing the tension emanating from Gabe as he stands behind Nora, nudging her forward toward my desk.

Rolling her eyes toward Gabe, she steps forward and holds out her phone. I reach across my desk, grab it, and read the text message she has up on the screen from Danika.