“You said she’s at Valley Gen? I’m her daughter. I can see her.”
“No. You really can’t. We’ll have her under protected watch. No one gets in or out without my consent.”
Hannah bit her lip and took a deep breath in. “I will go to work tonight. And I will see my mother.”
And with that, she walked out of the back room with me closely behind.
Hannah
Yanking on the door to Buttons, I was surprised by how much resentment I’d built up over the last few hours. I wanted to believe that the FBI was trying to help bring justice, but with every day that they were involved, I felt less and less like I could trust their intentions. In their world, it looked like everyone was a pawn to be tossed aside as needed, and that had me worried. The FBI knew someone in the NLC had let her find the information as to my whereabouts to see if she’d run, and she did.
Luke was able to find out that my mother was in stable but critical condition. My plans were to get in there tonight after my shift. I hoped that the late night crowd at the hospital would somehow listen to my pleas.
Kevin’s head popped up from behind the counter and he waved. “Hey, Hannah. You on for tonight’s party?”
“Guess so.” I smiled and walked over to where he was standing. “Do you know anything about it?”
“I don’t.” He shook his head and wiped a few of the glasses from the wash racks. “But it sounds pretty epic. Sean’s been babbling about getting everything perfect.”
“Isn’t that kind of unlike him?” I asked. Sean was usually pretty hands-off with the girls and nightly management. I assumed special events would fall into that category with him too, but I guess not.
Kevin shrugged. “I never know what makes that guy tick.”
I laughed and walked to the dressing room where I heard a few chuckles from the girls. At least I wasn’t alone, and I was intrigued to see who all was on tonight. Pushing the door open, Liv stood in the center of the dressing room wearing a long, teal cocktail dress. She looked stunning. My eyes darted to the other women who were all dressed in similar attire.
“No pajamas tonight?” I laughed. “You look amazing!”
“Oooh. I’m so glad you’re here.” Liv smiled and gestured for me to follow her over to the far corner.
“Your dress is over here,” she gushed. “The member picked out a dress for each of us to wear.”
“Who’s the customer?” I asked, tamping down the uneasy feeling that surfaced.
“A new member. I actually don’t know who he is. I think it’s for his wife’s birthday.”
“Huh.”
Liv looked very excited about the whole thing, and I certainly didn’t want to squash her mood or let on that something was wrong with me.
Liv grabbed the zipper and pulled down on the garment bag. The bag opened, unveiling a beautiful ivory dress with tiny beadwork along the waist.
“It’s gorgeous,” I said, touching the fabric.
“Wow. I’m totally jealous. You’re going to look like a goddess.”
I rolled my eyes at the absurdity of Liv’s statement. She was gorgeous and if anyone looked like a goddess, I’d pick her out in a heartbeat.
“So when’s the event start?” I asked, unhooking the dress from out of the bag.
“In about thirty minutes. But I guess the guy doesn’t want us all out at once. We’ll each get introduced or something as the night moves on.”
“Okay. How big is the group?”
“You’re certainly full of questions,” she laughed. “It’s a small group, like twenty-five or so, which is why we can afford to come out at different times. It’s going to be in the private room even though the club’s closed down for it. He wanted it to feel intimate. There’ll be plenty of servers to cater to everyone before the finale.”
“And what’s the finale?”
“I think that’s what Sean wanted to talk to you about. But you should get dressed first,” she said. “I’ll help with the hair.”
I shuffled over to my area, feeling more apprehensive by the moment, and slipped out of my clothes. I wished I had told Luke about the conversation I’d overheard with Emily, but so much had happened that I didn’t manage to fit it in. I grabbed a tan bra and thong and changed out of the cotton polka dots I’d been wearing. My modesty had become a thing of the past.
“We’ll do a loose updo. How’s that sound?” Liv asked.
“Great.” I changed the configuration of the bra straps to work for the outfit and slipped the ivory dress over my head. “Can you zip me up?”
“Gorgeous,” Liv replied, tugging on the zipper slightly.
I looked down at the material and watched how it shimmered with every movement. “This dress must’ve cost a fortune.”
“A small one, yes,” Liv said.
“Do we get to keep the dress?” I asked Liv, trying to make it sound like I cared to be here, but truthfully I couldn’t think of anything but my mom and the men who tried to kill her.
“Again with the questions. You’ll have to ask Sean. I didn’t bother to ask. Did you hear what we’re getting tonight?” she asked.
“No.”
“Well, if you knew, you probably wouldn’t ask a single question. We’re receiving four times what our average is for a single evening. The guy already paid in full for the event, gratuity included. It worked out to like a 40 percent tip, plus something or other.”
“Doesn’t that make you nervous?” I asked.
“Not really.”
I sighed and looked in the mirror as Liv placed the last of the pins in my blond hair. I tried to look like I was alive, but I wasn’t. I felt numb, dead inside, and I wasn’t sure if that feeling would ever go away. I no longer believed that this nightmare would be over anytime soon. Instead, I felt like I was in a never-ending game where both sides would stop at nothing to achieve an end result that was in nobody’s best interest.
“You okay?” Liv asked. “I thought you’d be as excited as I was about the money.”
“I am. Sorry. I just... My mom’s sick. I’m a little distracted.”
“Oh, hun. I’m sorry to hear that. I’m sure she’ll be just fine. Is she still in Ohio?”
I nodded.
“Well, with tonight’s earnings you can go visit her.” She smiled and tossed the brush on the counter.
“True.”
The door opened and Sean appeared, beaming, holding a box. “Are you ready for tonight’s event?” he asked.
“Totally,” Liv shouted. “Should be fun.”
“That’s the plan,” Sean laughed. “So if you’re wondering why you’re all in cocktail dresses, I’ll give you the rundown. Lawrence is throwing a birthday party for his wife, Cindy. She’s big into pageants. Grew up doing them and now teaches girls who want to follow in her footsteps. She was actually Miss Napa in 2003.”
A couple of the girls groaned while a few others gushed at the sweetness of the husband. I didn’t care one way or another. I just wanted the shift to hurry on by.
“So we’ll be introducing you guys in pairs. Each of you’ll be wearing a sash that lists a place that’s special between the two lovebirds. Once you’re on the floor, your shift begins. Hannah will be the only waitress who’ll go out alone at the end. And she’ll be carrying this.” Sean opened the box, which had a glitzy tiara inside, and I did everything I could to not roll my eyes. “Lawrence wants you to pin this on his wife. He also wants this Tiffany’s box to be on the pillow so when the tiara is removed the turquoise box is visible. He’ll give it to her. Listen, team. This is our chance to get known for these one-off events. Let’s make this memorable.”
The more Sean spoke the less worried I became. My nerves started to calm and I realized we’re just all here, like always, trying to make a buck.
“Here’s to a great night,” Sean said, walking over to me. He handed me the tiara, pillow, and Tiffany box. I smiled.
The other girls were putting on the last touches and adjusting the sashes t
hat Sean delivered.
“How’s Mia? She hasn’t returned my calls.”
“Does that really matter? I thought you two were casual,” I replied, coolly.
“We are. But she usually returns my texts. No biggie.”
I laughed. “Well, she’s doing fine. Busy on another series of paintings.”
“She’s something else,” Sean laughed.
“Yes. She’s truly something.”
I didn’t feel comfortable with how Sean was referring to Mia, but I didn’t want to cause trouble. I’d been through so much already today, I felt like I was barely hanging on. Maybe I was just overreacting. After all, Mia made it clear she wasn’t into anything serious. I watched Sean leave, escorting the first pair of women out onto the floor, and I felt a slight pounding behind my eyes. Just what I needed, a headache to accompany me and the jewels to the pageant queen.
My mind drifted to my mom. The idea of her in a hospital room all by herself saddened me beyond belief. We didn’t have a close relationship, but she was still my mother. To say I was conflicted was an understatement. One minute I thought she wanted to do me in, and the next I was worried for her life. It made me wonder about my father and brother. Where did they land in the scheme of things? The longer I sat with my thoughts the more anxious I became. This was exactly why I kept busy and why I never let myself think.
The room cleared out and all the girls were on the floor. I only had a few minutes to burn as I waited for my turn to make an entrance. I reached for the dressing room’s phone and dialed Luke’s number. I might as well tell him about what I overheard yesterday. Luke’s voicemail came on. A message would have to do. When his greeting ended, I began, “Hey, it’s me. I wanted to tell you something I’ve been meaning to mention. I heard Sean and Emily talking last night. It didn’t sound like things were going as well as Sean had hoped with Buttons. He’s not destitute or anything, but something was bothering him, and Emily was upset about some sort of odd deposits. Anyway, since you’re his partner, I figured I’d mention it. Gotta go. Love you.”
I hung up the phone just as Sean appeared in the doorway. “You’re up.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed the velvet pillow that had the tiara and Tiffany box on top and walked out the door.
“I’ll meet you out there in a second. Just go into the room. You’ll see where the wife is sitting.”
I nodded and walked down the hall. The restaurant was empty but that was to be expected. The private room was across the way and the French doors were wide open. Music echoed through the air, and I heard the girls’ laughter. I hoped some of their cheer would rub off on me. At this point, I was out of steam. I walked carefully to the entrance, not wanting to have the crown or jewelry box topple over, and saw the husband worshiping the woman in front of him. It had to be Cindy. She had platinum blond hair and I now understood why I was requested to bring out the gifts. Lawrence caught my eye and grinned, beaming, as he motioned for me to walk into the room. All the waitresses were lined along the side where the buffet table was located. Their sashes securely fastened, depicting different places the happy couple had visited. I walked steadily into the room and his wife’s gaze landed on me. Her hands clapped in front of her as she gasped, eating up every second of the spectacle her husband had created.
“Happy Birthday, lovey,” Lawrence told his wife.
I walked over to her and smiled as Liv came over to hold the pillow while I pinned the crown on the wife’s head.
“This is beautiful,” the wife whispered, as I fastened the crown to her hair. After I finished, Liv spun around, revealing the Tiffany box to the wife. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as Liv lowered the pillow for her to grab the tiny box. She opened the small turquoise box, which revealed diamond earrings and everyone began clapping.
“Happy Birthday.” I smiled and took a few steps back, allowing the happy couple time to celebrate.
“So sweet,” Liv gushed as I placed the pillow on one of the tables.
“It is,” I laughed. “Not my thing but definitely sweet.”
Sean wandered over and gave Liv a quick hug.
“Nice work, Hannah,” Sean said, glancing at me.
“Thanks,” I laughed as the music turned up and the lights lowered slightly. I watched champagne get handed out and saw the happy couple begin to dance. It definitely looked like the wife was in heaven.
“You okay?” Liv asked, standing next to me.
“I’m just worried about my mom. I want to get a hold of the doctors,” I confessed. “I’m not mentally here.”
“I’m gonna go see if Sean’ll let you off early,” Liv offered.
I hadn’t wanted to let him down.
“Really?”
She nodded.
“I’m sorry,” I said, glancing around the party.
“Don’t apologize. It’s no problem. I’m sure he’ll say yes. There’s plenty of us around. We can handle it.”
I nodded and walked out of the private room to get some fresh air. I didn’t want any of the guests to see me so I slipped along the far wall and leaned against the bar, trying to force away the nausea from everything the day had presented to me. The bass of the music almost rattled the glasses stacked on the bar and I realized I just needed to get some peace and quiet. I’d give Luke a call and maybe I’d just get a ride with whoever he had in the parking lot.
“Hey, girl,” Liv said, spotting me. “Sean said no problem.”
“That’s awesome. Please tell him I really appreciate it.”
“Will do,” Liv said, giving me a quick squeeze. “He was hoping you could toss this pillow in the storeroom before you leave.” She handed me the velvet square and I nodded. I watched Liv return to the private room and sighed as the music continued to pound through the room. It was only going to get worse as the night wore on.
The storage room was right next to the dressing room. I’d never actually looked inside before. I glanced behind me and walked slowly down the hall, feeling some of the tension begin to slip away. I opened the door and flipped on the light. The room was pretty well organized, and I didn’t want to just toss the velvet prop on the floor, so I scanned some of the shelves to find a good home.
I stood on my toes and found a place for the pillow. As I slid it onto the shelf, the lights turned off and my heart stilled.
“Someone there?” I asked into the darkness.
Silence was the answer. My heart began racing as I slipped on the floor and tumbled down. The dress made it impossible to move quickly. I had to get out of here. I heard footsteps and forced down my fear. I had to get back on my feet. Reaching the door, I wrenched hard on the handle, but the door wouldn’t budge. I tried again and again, but I was trapped and no one knew to look for me because I wasn’t lost. The bass from the music pounded through the air as I let out a scream that I knew no one would hear. I slowly slid down the door to the floor as the footsteps came closer. I looked into the shadows and waited for what was to come.
They had found me.
Luke
“Look, I know you can’t jeopardize the case. But something’s going on here that needs attention and time’s not on our side,” I sighed into the phone, waiting for Sam’s response.
“Listen, all I can tell you is that what Hannah fell into is way deeper than she realizes. She can trust no one. Absolutely no one. I’ve tried to get the director to put more resources on her, protect her, but they feel it’s too risky.”
“How so?” I asked, my temper rising. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“A big bust is scheduled. We’re looking at over a hundred arrests if all goes well. But all must go well. If anyone gets wind that the agency’s been in contact with Miss Walker everything will be halted. Years of work will be for nothing. Lives will have been lost for no reason.”
Lives will have been lost. Hannah could fall into that number and the agency wasn’t worried about that at all.
I tapped my finger on the desk and glanced at the c
lock. Five more hours and I could pick her up.
“You knew Hannah’s mother would be there and didn’t tell me.”
“I can’t always tell you everything, especially if your heart’s in the wrong place.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“You’re involved with Hannah, personally. We both know how that can jeopardize cases.”
I let out a sigh.
“We both know she’s in danger,” I said, aggravated.
“Yes. We both do. And only one of us can do something about it,” Sam replied. “Give us twelve more hours, Luke. And you’ll see why I’m asking for patience.”
“I’ll do my best,” I said, feeling my cell buzz from a new voicemail.
“Don’t take your eyes off her, Luke. I know I told you she needed to keep up appearances, but I wouldn’t trust anyone. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
“Shit. I understand you should’ve told me this two hours ago.” My heart hammered through my chest as I disconnected the call. Why didn’t I think of this earlier? There was one person who had access to Mia, Hannah, and me. He would’ve been able to track her whereabouts with a simple question to Mia or glance at her work schedule. He had access to her cell through the work records. He knew where she lived. The intel was right in front of his nose. I’d been outthinking these people, giving them more credit than they deserved, thinking technology was on their side. They had an inside guy.
Button’s main trunk line appeared as a missed call on my cell with the voicemail symbol blinking. I clicked it on and listened to Hannah’s message. Another piece to the puzzle. I grabbed my pistol and dropped it in my holster as I called out for Mitch and Mia.
“What’s going on?” Mia asked, running from the back of the house.
“It was Sean. This whole time. It was Sean.”
Mia’s hands rose to her mouth. “Oh my god. I never would’ve guessed.”
“That’s how they always found her. That’s how she got the job at Buttons. That’s why Sean had a sudden change of heart toward blondes. They must have gotten to him once she arrived in town. Money must’ve been enticing.”
Hidden Sins Page 26