BUILT ON HER BONES.

Chapter 8: Keep Watching

Chad Henderson penthouse was built high above Miami. It has floor to ceiling glass on three sides.

The water was visible from all angles.

Chad stood at the glass with a drink in his hand he had not finished.

He had been standing there for twenty minutes.

Chad liked to do this,standing at the glass window of empty buildings.

He liked this particular quality of silence that existed in a space built for one person. He lifted the drink and put it back down without drinking it.

He was thinking about Amelia Rossi who was standing at his office doorway.

He had seen her through the glass wall,he had seen her stop outside his door,staring at him with an expression he could not fully understand.

He saw her when she turned around and walked back into the elevator,she left without coming into his office.

He had kept the phone to his ear and eyes in the monitor,keeping his face clearly neutral.

BUZZ BUZZ.

His phone rang, he picked it up and looked at the screen.

“Yes, Victor,"

He answered without moving from the window.

" Mr Henderson,” Victor said.

“She went to Carter's apartment tonight,” Victor's voice was unhurried.

“There were there for approximately three hours"

Chad didn't say anything.

" Carter has been careful,” Victor continued. “No documents left the building,nothing digital we can trace,but the meetings are becoming more frequent,Mr Henderson” Victor told Chad.

Outside the glass where Chad stood, Miami glittered.

“And what did you do Victor?" Chad asked coldly.

" I called Carter during the meeting with an unknown number,” Victor said.

“And what about Rossi?" He asked again.

“She left at eleven alone, she drove back to Wynwood"

Chad looked at the waters.

“She came to my floor tonight” Chad said, it wasn't information Victor didn't already know,Victor has access to every badge clearance log in in the building,every camera feed from the lobby except Chad's floor.

“She got off the elevator,stood outside my office,turned around and left without coming in.”

“She's been careful,” Victor said.

“The situation with Carter needs to be resolved," Victor said. " She knows too much and she's too close to Rossi now to contain it reliably. Every day we wait is another day carter decides what next to do,"

Chad didn't respond,he looked at the city outside in thoughts.

" Mr Henderson?” Victor called out.

" Keep watching her," Chad said bluntly.

“Keep watching? That's all?" Victor said in bewilderment.

" There's a timeline here,” Victor said.

“Carter printed those documents six days ago,she's either been carrying them or has hidden them somewhere we haven't found yet. Everyday she stays in that building with what she knows and Rossi within reach.” Victor explained.

" I heard you for the first time,victor. Just keep watching, "Chad said.

He ended the call. He stood at the glass. The drink sat on the table behind him.

Amelia Rossi was in her apartment with whatever Viv had or hadn't told her tonight sitting in her chest.

Chad pressed one hand flat against the glass.

He had managed variables,his entire career,and had identified threats before they became problems. He had made decisions that other men flinched from.

Amelia Rossi standing outside his glass wall and turning around without knocking was not a variable. He knew how to manage.

Chad brought out his phone and opened the internal security system and pulled up the badge clearance logs for the Fortieth floor from earlier this evening.

Amelia's name was there.

That removed it and type a message,

He sent it before he could think about it any further. Across Miami, in a Wynwood apartment with a cracked bathroom mirror and a photograph on the kitchen shelf, Amelia Rossi's phone lit up on her kitchen table where she had been sitting for the past hour with her father's face watching from the shelf she received a message saying. ‘lock your door’ Amelia stared, her eyes went wide in disbelief seeing Chad Henderson direct line.