Chapter 3 - Whispers Behind the Walk-In Freezer and the Poison Left in Plain Sight
Mia backed away, her hands pressed against her mouth. "You're... you're Ethan Brooks? The owner? You were sitting at Table Eight like a homeless clerk!"
"If I had walked through the front door in a Brioni suit with four bodyguards, do you think I would have seen the silver spoon?" Ethan countered, stepping closer to her. "Do you think you would have given me that note?"
"I gave that note to a stranger because I didn't want a murder on my conscience!" Mia hissed, the shock turning into defensive fury. "You own this place! You let Gavin Pike run wild! You let them drag my father’s name through the sewer while you sat in your gold tower on Michigan Avenue!"
"I didn't know," Ethan said, his voice laced with genuine regret. "My father died two years ago, Mia. When I took over the board, Daniel Reed told me the Carter estate was settled honorably. I was fed sanitized spreadsheets and falsified audits. That ends tonight."
He held up the plastic-wrapped steak.
"We need this tested immediately. If we bring this to the standard municipal police right now, Pike’s contacts in the precinct might intercept the evidence chain. I need an independent chemical analysis."
Mia pulled her coat tightly around herself, shivering in the chilly drizzle. "My cousin works at the university biomedical lab three blocks from here. Elena Cross. She runs mass spectrometry on organic toxins. She won't ask questions if I ask her."
"Call her," Ethan said, pulling a encrypted smartphone from his inner pocket. "Tell her we’re coming right now."
Before Mia could dial, the rear door of the wine cellar burst open with a violent crash.
Gavin Pike stepped out into the rain, accompanied by two hulking security guards wearing black tactical sweaters. Gavin’s eyes instantly locked onto Ethan. For a fraction of a second, surprise flickered across the security chief's face, quickly replaced by a cold, calculating malice.
"Mr. Brooks," Gavin said, his voice entirely devoid of respect. "What an unexpected pleasure. Mr. Reed told me you were poking around the lower floors. We hoped you wouldn't make this messy."
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Ethan didn't flinch. "You're terminated, Pike. Step aside before I add federal conspiracy to your charges."
Gavin chuckled, a low, guttural sound. He reached into his coat and unsnapped the holster of a concealed Glock 19. "You don't understand the situation, Mr. Brooks. You aren't the CEO tonight. You're just a trespasser named Eric Dawson who broke into a private cellar with a thieving waitress. And unfortunately... the alley has no functional cameras tonight."
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