Chapter 6: The Cost Of Trust
Clara stared at the screen.
“No.””
Nobody heard her at first.
The image remained frozen.
Sarah’s face.
Her coworker.
Her friend.
The person who had held her wrist earlier and warned her not to approach Leo.
The person who had told her she needed the job.
The person who had watched everything.
Rico looked at Clara.
“You know her.””
Clara nodded slowly.
“She works here.””
“How long?””
“Almost two years.””
“Did she have access to the back entrance?””
Clara looked toward Dante.
“I don’t know.””
Dante answered.
“She did.””
The words felt like a punch.
Clara shook her head.
“No.””
Rico watched her carefully.
“You’re sure?””
“She’s not like that.””
Dante’s expression remained unreadable.
“Everyone says that before they find out.””
Clara looked at him.
“She helped me when I started here.””
“That doesn’t prove innocence.””
“No.””
Her voice became firmer.
“But it doesn’t prove guilt.””
Rico noticed.
Most people backed away from conflict.
Especially with him.
Clara didn’t.
“You trust her?””
Clara looked at the screen.
“I trusted who I thought she was.””
The answer was quiet.
But it mattered.
Rico looked at Dante.
“Bring her in.””
Clara immediately stood.
“No.””
The room went silent.
Rico looked at her.
“No?””
“She doesn’t know I’m involved.””
“That’s exactly why we need her.””
“If you bring her here like a criminal, she’ll panic.””
Dante raised an eyebrow.
“She may have threatened your life.””
Clara looked down.
The message.
The warning.
The fear.
She remembered it.
“I know.””
Then she looked at Rico.
“But if she’s guilty, she won’t tell you anything because she’s scared.””
Rico studied her.
“You have an alternative?””
Clara hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Let me talk to her.””
“No.””
The answer came instantly.
“No chance.””
“Why?””
“Because I don’t send people into danger.””
Clara looked around.
“Is that supposed to be ironic?””
Dante almost smiled.
Almost.
Rico didn’t.
“You don’t understand these people.””
“No.””
Clara looked at Leo sleeping against him.
“But I understand people who are hurting.””
That silenced him.
Because it was true.
Rico understood enemies.
He understood betrayal.
He understood violence.
But Clara understood something he had forgotten.
People didn’t always become dangerous because they were evil.
Sometimes they became dangerous because they were afraid.
An hour later, Sarah sat across from Clara in a small private room upstairs.
No guards.
No threats.
Just two waitresses who had spent hundreds of nights serving strangers.
Sarah looked exhausted.
“Why am I here?””
Clara didn’t answer immediately.
She placed the phone on the table.
The threatening message was visible.
Sarah’s face changed.
Only for a second.
But Clara saw it.
“You know something.””
Sarah looked away.
“No.””
“Sarah.””
“Don’t.””
The warning in her voice was different.
Not angry.
Terrified.
Clara lowered her voice.
“Are you in trouble?””
Sarah’s eyes filled.
That was the answer.
Clara leaned forward.
“Who?””
Sarah shook her head.
“I can’t.””
“You threatened me.””
“I didn’t.””
“You didn’t?””
Sarah looked at the phone.
Then whispered:
“I tried to scare you away.””
The words landed.
“Why?””
Sarah covered her face.
“Because if you stayed near Leo, they would notice you.””
“Who?””
Sarah looked toward the door.
As if she expected someone to be listening.
Then she whispered:
“The people who killed Elena.””
Clara felt her heart stop.
“Sarah…”
“I didn’t know what to do.””
“Then tell Rico.””
Sarah laughed bitterly.
“You think he’s going to believe me?””
“He will if you tell the truth.””
“No.””
Sarah looked at her.
“He won’t.””
“Why?””
Sarah’s voice dropped.
“Because the person giving orders is standing next to him.””
Clara froze.
“What?””
Sarah grabbed her hand.
“Listen to me.””
Her fingers shook.
“I saw Elena the night before she died.””
Clara stared.
“She was terrified.””
“Of who?””
Sarah opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
A sound came from the hallway.
A heavy step.
Sarah’s face went pale.
“No.””
Clara turned.
The door handle moved.
Once.
Twice.
Sarah whispered:
“They found me.””
The door opened.
And the person standing there made Clara forget how to breathe.
Because it wasn’t Rico.
It wasn’t Dante.
It wasn’t security.
It was someone Clara had seen every day.
Someone who had smiled at her.
Someone who had served dinner beside her.
Someone who had just been exposed on the security footage.
Sarah looked at the doorway.
May you like
And whispered:
“Please don’t let him take me.””
