Page 138 of Manhattan State of Mind

“Do you want me to listen for you?”

“Yes. No. God, I don’t know.” I shove the untouched coffee away, the bitter aroma suddenly too strong for my delicate gut. “Honestly, I’m in such a horrible mental state right now.”

Priya pulls me into her soothing embrace as I try to mimic the breathing techniques from the clinic. In and out. Deep, slow.

Around us, the other café patrons seem so chill. I envy their peace.

“Do you have any idea what could be in that letter?” Priya asks gently.

I shake my head helplessly. “None. I’ve rummaged through every file on my laptop to find a soft copy. Found nothing.”

Her eyes widen in alarm. “You don’t think he could have deleted it?”

At her suggestion, my stomach coils unpleasantly. He has the access, the power to do so.

She chews on her lip, face etched with worry. “You don’t think he could have hurt you on those stairs?”

“No.” The denial comes quick, too quick. The thought twists my insides. Because a tiny part of me isn’t sure what he’s capable of. “I am fairly sure, though, that he’s the one I was… seeing, in whatever twisted way, before the accident. The one who reduced me to a blubbering mess. That made me cry in the bar that time.”

Her eyes practically bug out of her head. “But that means he’s Daredevil? The guy you dry humped at the nerd convention?”

I manage a weak smile at her jab, despite my spiraling thoughts. “Possibly. Who the hell knows? I’m just grasping at straws right now. Second-guessing every element of my existence. But one thing’s certain—JP Wolfe is a lying bastard.”

She swallows hard, clutching my hand. “That scandal I mentioned, the one JP wanted to keep hush-hush… I think it’s about to explode.”

“Does it involve me?” A chill of dread slithers down my spine. “I’d know if it was about me, right?”

“I don’t know details,” she admits. “And even if I did, I couldn’t disclose them.”

I study her face, searching for any hint that she’s holding something back, but her regret seems genuine. Not that I’d blame her for toeing the company line. This is her job she’s risking.

“The letter…” I say slowly. “I saw it in his car. He panicked and snatched it away when it fell out. I’m dreading having to confront him about this.”

She frowns thoughtfully. “Do you think a confrontation is wise? He’s lied to you before. What makes you think he’ll be truthful now?”

Her question leaves me at a loss for words.

“Is there any way you could get ahold of the letter without him knowing?” she suggests gently. “That way you’d have the facts first before talking to him. You wouldn’t be going in blind.”

“So what should I do?” I ask.

“This is where you need to think strategically. Use your head, not your heart. Get close to him, get that letter.”

“What do you expect me to do, seduce and swipe the keys?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what you need to do. He’s lied to you. Don’t trust this bastard. You need to gain the upper hand here.” She looks at her watch. “Go back to work, call a quick meeting with him, and get those keys.”

I stare at her, my mind a whirlwind of emotions and strategies. Asking JP outright will probably yield more lies. But maybe it’s time to stop being manipulated. It’s time for me to know what went on in my own life.

My throat feels dry as I swallow. “He’ll be furious if he finds out.”

“True. What if there’s something he’s trying to keep quiet? Christ, what if he tries to silence you and there’s another ‘accident’?”

“He’s not Tony Soprano, Priya,” I scoff, but it rattles me. I may have been on the receiving end of JP’s charm but I’ve seen his ruthless side. Through six years of Quinn & Wolfe, I’ve seen how many careers he’s ended.

Could I really pull this off? Could I pretend everything is okay just to get the keys?

JP