Page 21 of No Mistakes

“Search his belongings, find a weakness.”

Gunnar reads the message, “Understood.”

Carter tuts next to me and I turn to see him shaking his head. “Shouldn’t have done that, Ant. Axel won’t be a happy bunny if he finds out you helped.”

I don’t respond while I watch Gunnar search the man's belongings, before pulling out a wallet. He flips it open, examining the contents.

“Well, well, well… What do we have here Mr…Bonetti?” Gunnar drawls, his voice mocking as he says the man's name. “Veryfancy.”

He blows a slow whistle, his tone shifting with a sick edge creeping in when something catches his attention.

“She’sverybeautiful, isn’t she? Don’t you think she’s pretty, Carter?”

He turns the wallet towards us, revealing a photo of a woman wearing a red dress.

Gunnar picks up a knife from the metal tray, running the blade across the photo slowly as he traces the curve of her body.

Mr Bonetti jerks against the restraints, making the chair scrape loudly against the concrete as he tries to break free. Panic flashes in his bloodshot eyes as Gunnar presses the tip of the knife directly over the photo. Right against the woman’s throat.

“No-no! Don’t touch her,” the man croaks, his voice raw from screaming. “I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything. Just… please. Leave her out of this.”

Pain fills his voice. Not pain from everything we’ve done to him. But from the pain of something happening to someone outside of this room. Someone he cares deeply about.

Gunnar doesn’t move. He just stares blankly at the man, the knife still hovering above the photo. “Are yousureabout that?” he asks coolly. “Because I haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet.”

“I swear,” the man sobs. “She doesn’t know anything, I promise. She’s got nothing to do with Marco.Please. I’ll talk.”

Carter pushes himself off the wall and walks towards Gunnar, taking the photo from him before kneeling down in front of the broken soul.

“Then get talking, Mr Bonetti, the clock is ticking,” Carter announces, taking control of the interrogation.

CHAPTER 11

MANDY

I twirlthe USB stick around my fingers while I sit behind my desk on the most uncomfortable chair in history, debating if I should load the contents or keep it hidden from the world forever.

The moment Rob left his office for a meeting, I crept inside, picking the lock to his draw attached to his desk, securing the USB before I could be caught.

I check the time on my laptop, trying to indicate when Eva is due to return. She left for the coffee shop over twenty minutes ago, so if I was going to do it, it needs to be now.

I lean forward, resting my elbows on the desk, inspecting the device, hoping that, just by somemagicalmiracle, it will start talking to me, like something out of Beauty and the Beast and tell me not to do it. The more I stare at it, the more I feel like something about all of this is off, and I can’t get rid of the feeling like I’m about to open Pandora’s box, and get a fucking avalanche of questions instead of answers.

I glance towards the office door, half-expecting her to walk back in any second, busting me for opening it without her, but the door stays firmly shut.

Blurred silhouettes walk past the frosted glass, and I watch as they disappear, leaving me alone to the distant sound of Boston traffic and the hum of the old ceiling fan that does absolutely fuck all for me.

“Come on, youcando this. Just slide it in, and get it over with.” I say, trying to hype myself up. I take a deep breath before inserting the USB into the port, hoping that it will be empty.

The computer hums to life as folders pop up on the screen, one by one. My stomach twists as I watch the file names appear, and for some reason, I fear that I have indeed just unlocked the box of doom.

OPEN FIRST.

OPEN SECOND.

OPEN THIRD.

OPEN LAST.