“It will take time and effort,” Leonard was saying as she stared down at the salmon dish under her chin. “But I’m sure there are no limits to what you’ll do to ensure the safety of your family.”
This guy spoke like a B-movie villain, calm and stoic but every word perfectly sinister. He reeked of cliches.
“Can you cut to the chase, because it sounds like you’re threatening me instead of trying to help.”
He paused, matching her stare for several long seconds. “I’m not your enemy,” he said. “I don’t know what else I can reasonably do to convince you of my intentions. I could have been more transparent about who I was, maybe, if that’s what offends you, but I had reason to believe that you would have only mistrusted me for it instead.”
She opened her mouth to deliver a fast retort about h
