While Dominic had given him an office at his corporate headquarters along with an admin and a team of people he could use, he didn't entirely trust any of them. He wasn't completely sure that someone in Dominic's company hadn't sold him out on his last trip abroad, so while some things he could reveal to the bigger group, he wanted to keep specific details between him and Kai until they needed to go public.

  Kai entered the apartment with her laptop bag over her shoulder and a plate of steamed buns in her hand. She gave him a smile. "I was going to complain about you wanting me to come here instead of Dominic's posh offices, but Mrs. Kim flagged me down on my way up, and these smell delicious."

  "They are delicious," he said as he closed the door behind her. "And what I wanted to talk to you about is better said here than in the office."

  "Fine. But Mrs. Kim said I had to make sure you eat, so you don't starve to death." She set the buns down on the table. "I told her I wasn't responsible for you, but she didn't seem to care."

  He went into the small kitchen and grabbed two plates. "She has a kind heart."

  "She certainly cares about you." Kai took a seat at the table, and he sat down across from her, sliding a pork bun onto her plate. She picked up her fork and took a bite. "So good," she mumbled with her mouth full.

  He nodded, eating the bun in a few quick bites, then chasing it down with a swig of strong coffee. "Now I feel ready to go."

  "And do what, exactly?" Kai asked, with an inquiring arch of her brow. "The trip to Tajikistan is now postponed for two more weeks because of the weather. Which gives us a month to work on Dominic's security detail and itinerary for the groundbreaking. That's more than enough time. In fact, if we smooth the way too soon, we'll have to do it all over again."

  "This isn't about Tajikistan. Dominic's girlfriend, Samantha Barkley, was critically injured in the café bombing yesterday."

  Kai's eyes widened. "Seriously? That's terrible. Is she going to be all right?"

  "It's touch and go. Dominic wants me to find out who's responsible for the bombing, and whether it's connected to him."

  "He's worried someone went after her because of him?"

  "Yes. At least, that's what he tells me."

  "You don't believe him?"

  "I'm not sure. But that's the least of my concerns. If Samantha was targeted because of Dominic, then he could be in danger. I need you to see what you can dig up on Samantha's cases over the past few years. She's a federal prosecutor. There has to be some public information that can give us a potential enemy list."

  "I'll do what I can using the limited resources we have. The FBI will have more access."

  "I'm working on getting to share in that access."

  "Working how?" she asked doubtfully.

  "I'll let you know if I'm successful. At any rate, Samantha's sister has arrived from Colorado. Dominic set up a meeting with her for me this morning." He checked his watch. "I'm going to head out shortly."

  "Is Dominic meeting you there?"

  "No. He thinks the sister will tell me more than she would tell him."

  "But Dominic is Samantha's boyfriend, or whatever you want to call him. Why would the sister hold something back from him?"

  "No idea if she would, but that's what's happening this morning."

  "All right."

  She had a look on her face that told him she had more to say. "What?" he asked as he got to his feet. "Something on your mind?"

  "I can't help feeling that this job is taking you further away from your original goal, Max."

  "You're not wrong," he admitted. "But Dominic's money is going to fund that goal, and until I can get back overseas, I need to keep him happy. I also have a vested interest in what happened to Samantha. She asked me to meet her at the café. I was late. I thought she'd left, so I didn't stay. It turns out she was in the restroom because someone spilled coffee on her, which I think was deliberate."

  "Now I understand. You feel guilty."

  "Not necessarily guilty, but I was there. I saw the destruction, and Samantha Barkley wasn't the only one hurt. I want to know who set off that bomb and why."

  "Then I'll help."

  He nodded. "Great. If none of this is tied to Dominic, and it was just random, I'll back off and let the FBI do their thing, but until I know for sure, I'm all in."

  "Let me know how it goes with the sister. I'll keep working on our actual work until I hear otherwise."

  "Thanks."

  Max headed out the door and into the January cold. The sidewalk was already jammed with people. The constant energy was something he loved about New York, but the density of people and buildings, and the international acclaim of the city had always made it a target. He just hoped the bomber from the café wasn't planning another attack.

  After taking a cab downtown, he walked through the Hilton lobby and took the elevator to the twenty-third floor. The woman who opened the door was a softer version of Samantha Barkley. Same dark hair, same bone structure, but Julia's warm brown eyes lacked Samantha's sharp intensity. Julia wore jeans and an oversized Colorado Rockies sweatshirt, and she looked exhausted and terrified.

  "Hello, I'm Max Malone. I'm a friend of Dominic Ashford."

  "He told me you were coming over. He said Samantha asked you to meet her at the café. Can you tell me why?"

  "Why don't you let me in, Ms. Clemons, and we'll talk?"

  She stepped back and waved him inside. The room held two double beds, one covered by clothes and an open suitcase, the other untouched. A laptop sat on the desk, and tissues were scattered across the nightstand. Julia gestured toward the small table and chairs by the window.

  He sat down across from her. "First, I want to say how sorry I am about what happened, and I very much hope that Samantha recovers."

  "Thank you," she said, fighting back tears. "Her doctor doesn't seem very optimistic."

  "Did you speak to the doctor this morning?"

  "Yes. He said her chances will improve if she can survive the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours."

  "I don't know your sister well, but I know she's a fighter."

  "I hope she can fight through this. But it's going to be a lot." Her voice broke on the last word, and Max gave her a moment to collect herself. "I'm sorry," she said. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

  "I was wondering if Samantha mentioned anyone who was giving her trouble. Any threats she might have gotten at work or at home? Any reason she might have wanted to talk to me?"

  "Dominic said you handle security for him. It seems like it would have been about that."

  "But Samantha didn't ask Dominic for my help; she asked to meet with me separately, and he knew nothing about it. I'm hoping she told you why."

  "She didn't. I haven't spoken to her in probably two weeks, which isn't unusual. She's a very busy woman." Julia paused. "Are you suggesting she didn't trust Dominic?"

  "Not at all, just saying she didn't ask for his help; she asked for mine."

  "Maybe she was worried about herself. Samantha got death threats all the time. She said it was part of the job." Julia took a breath. "Is it true she was the target of the bomb?"

  "That's to be determined. But her job might have made her a target, which is why we're starting there."

  "My sister is very private. She doesn't open up to me or really to anyone. It's one reason her ex divorced her."

  "I didn't realize she had been married."

  "In her mid-twenties, right out of law school. They were married for only two years. They had little in common besides the law."

  "What's their relationship like now?"

  "They don't have one, but Victor is not a danger to her. He's remarried with two kids. I don't think they've spoken in years."

  It didn't sound like the ex-husband was a factor. "What did she tell you about her relationship with Dominic?"

  "She said he checked all the boxes: attractive, wealthy, powerful, and well-connected—all things she finds important. I asked her if he was kind and sweet, and she laughed. She said she didn't know him well enough to say. But she seemed pretty happy about their relationship." She paused, giving him a questioning look. "Is he a good guy?"

  "As far as I know."

  "Well, you would know, right? You're his security guy, aren't you?"

  "One of them. And he is very upset about what happened to Samantha."

  "I hope you can find out who did this. I can't help thinking that since she's still alive, someone might try again."

  "Dominic has arranged for private security at the hospital. You don't have to worry about that."

  "Well, that's good." She started as a knock came at her door. "Are you expecting someone?"

  "No. Why don't I get that?"

  He got to his feet and walked across the room. After looking through the peephole, he opened the door to Agent Kara Reid and another man, who looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place him.

  "You again?" Kara said, surprise and suspicion in her deep-brown eyes.

  He shrugged in reply. "Small city."

  "Not really. We're here to see Julia Clemons."

  Julia came up behind him. "I'm Julia."

  "I'm Special Agent Kara Reid with the FBI, and this is Agent Brennan," Kara said, flashing her badge. "We'd like to speak to you about your sister."

  Julia gave him a questioning look.

  "You should talk to them," he encouraged. "They're trying to find out what happened to Samantha. We can speak more later." As Kara and her fellow agent stepped through the door, he slipped past them into the hallway. Before he could take another step, Kara came back into the hall.

  "Mr. Malone," she called. "What are you doing here?"

  He turned and said, "Looking for answers, just like you."

  "For Dominic Ashford?"

  Her question hung in the air as an odd tension sizzled between them. He noticed details he hadn't before—the intelligence in her big, dark eyes, the perfect shape of her nose, the fullness of her mouth, the slight catch in her breath that suggested she felt a tension between them, the same tension he was starting to feel whenever she was around.

  When he didn't answer, she added, "We're going to need to speak to Mr. Ashford."

  "You should," he said, then turned and walked toward the elevators, feeling her assessing gaze on his back every step of the way.

  Max Malone had an agenda, but Kara didn't have time to figure that out now. She closed the hotel room door and joined Tyler and Julia, who were sitting at a table, with Julia dabbing at her teary eyes with a tissue.

  "I'm sorry about your sister," she said as Julia composed herself. "I know this is an incredibly difficult time."

  "Thank you. I don't know what I can tell you. I know little about Julia's work and even less about her relationship with Dominic. My sister and I spoke on the phone every couple of weeks."

  "Were you the one to inform Mr. Ashford about Samantha's injuries?" she asked.

  "Yes. He called me," Julia replied. "He said he'd been trying to reach Samantha and that he knew she often stopped in at that café for coffee in the morning. I had just heard from the hospital a few minutes before he reached out, so I told him what I knew. Then I got on a plane as fast as I could. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to speak to my sister. She's in a coma." Her voice caught once more. "They don't know…" She gave a helpless shake of her head. "It's bad. Even if she survives, it will be a long recovery. Someone needs to be punished for what they did."

  "We're going to find out who set the bomb and determine whether your sister was the target," she assured Julia.

  "I hope you can. Max said that Dominic sent his private security to the hospital just in case someone tries to hurt her again."

  She nodded. They'd stopped in at the hospital before coming to the hotel and had met with the security guard.

  Tyler cleared his throat. "Did you talk to Mr. Ashford about the explosion?" Tyler asked. "Did he offer a theory as to who might have been responsible?"

  "No. He said he was shocked. He wanted to know if Samantha had told me about any threats against her, but she hadn't said a word. That wasn't unusual. She's my big sister. She wouldn't burden me with that kind of anxiety."

  "What do you know about Max Malone?" Tyler asked.

  "He works in security for Dominic."

  "Samantha never mentioned him to you?" she asked.

  "No. Why?"

  "Just trying to figure out the relationships Samantha had with Mr. Ashford and Mr. Malone," she explained.

  "Well, she was seeing Dominic romantically, and Max works for Dominic. Max said Samantha asked him to meet her at the café, but he didn't know why, and I don't either."

  "What did Samantha say about her relationship with Dominic? Was it serious between them?"

  "I don't know. She seemed excited about being in his life. She told me she was meeting interesting people and that he was charming, handsome, and rich. As for serious, it's only been a few months, and Samantha always looks before she leaps. She's a planner. She's not spontaneous. She doesn't fall in love easily." Julie swallowed hard. "But I hope she was in love, that she got to feel that, because…well, I just would hate to think she would never experience that." She got to her feet. "I really need to go to the hospital. I want to sit with her. Are we done?"

  "One last thing," she said. "We'd like to look in Samantha's apartment. We're trying to get a search warrant, but if you would give your consent to her building manager, we could get inside now and see if there is any evidence in there that might help us get to whoever did this."

  Julia gave her a conflicted look. "I guess I could do that. I want you to find whoever hurt her."

  "That's all we're trying to do," she assured her. "If you want, we could stop by the apartment now and then drop you at the hospital."

  "Okay. I just need to change. Would you mind waiting for me in the lobby?"

  "Of course. We'll meet you by the elevators." She headed out of the room with Tyler. "This will be good."

  "As long as she comes down the elevator and doesn't ditch us by getting off at a lower floor and then taking the stairs," he said.

  She gave him a surprised look as they stepped into the elevator. "Do you think she would do that?"

  "Probably not, but there was a slight shift in her gaze when she asked us to wait in the lobby."

  "I think she just wanted to change her clothes in private."

  "Maybe. We'll find out soon enough."

  A few minutes later, they got off at the lobby level and then moved to stand slightly away from the crush of people. Tyler's gaze scanned the lobby, and she followed in kind, but she wasn't sure exactly what he was looking for or even why he was suspicious of the victim's sister.

  "What are you thinking?" she asked. "You seem a little edgy for what's happening right now."

  "That man—Max Malone—I've met him before."

  Now she was surprised. "Seriously? Why didn't you say something yesterday?"

  "Because he didn't look the same when I met him. He had a beard, and his hair was much longer. He also had a different name that I can't recall now. But today, when I looked at his green eyes, I recognized him."

  "Where did you meet him?"

  "I'm not sure. Afghanistan, Iraq, maybe Syria." His lips tightened. "It was three or four years ago, when I was serving overseas. I believe he was working with the CIA."

  "That would explain why his work history has been scrubbed. But what does it mean for this case?"

  "Maybe nothing. It's not unusual for a former CIA agent to go into private security, and Dominic Ashford has global interests."

  "Since Dominic was seeing Samantha, it makes sense he'd be looking into what happened," she added. "But Max Malone is cagey. He answers questions with questions, and I'm not sure if he's trying to find out what happened to Samantha or make sure no one else does."

  "As in protecting his boss?"

  "Maybe. Although it seems unlikely Dominic Ashford would blow up a café filled with people to get rid of a girlfriend."

  "Unless she had something on him, and he wanted it to look bigger than a targeted attack."

  "Something to consider," she said, happy to see Julia step off the elevator. Getting into Samantha's apartment would be more than helpful, and not having to wait longer for a search warrant would be even better.

  Samantha's apartment was in Tribeca, in an old but elegant building with a uniformed doorman out front. There was also a security person at the front desk, who alerted the building manager, and shortly thereafter, the manager appeared and escorted them up to the tenth floor. He opened the door for them, and they stepped inside.

  The apartment was modern and bright with white walls, light-gray floors, and a mix and match of thick accent carpets. There were paintings on the walls, expensive pottery and sculptures in showcased alcoves. It felt more like a museum and less like a home. But that seemed to fit the person they were getting to know.

  Julia wandered around, an awed look on her face. "I had no idea she lived like this," she murmured.

  "You haven't been here before?" Kara asked.

  "No. She moved in last year. She said it was nice, but this is beyond nice. God, she must feel like she's in the ghetto when she comes to visit me."

  For the first time, there was an edge of bitter jealousy in Julia's voice, which surprised Kara. Maybe the sisters weren't as close as one might think. She made her way through the living room into a glass-partitioned office, while Tyler headed down the hall.

  "There's nothing of us here," Julia muttered a moment later as she followed her into the office. "No family photos, none of the crayon drawings my kids send her. Maybe she just throws them away. She probably just humors me by saying she likes them."

  As Kara flipped through the drawers in the filing cabinet, she found the aforementioned drawings in a pile and was relieved to have something to cheer Julia up. "She doesn't throw them away." She pulled the pictures out and placed them on the neat and organized glass desk.