Chapter 37
The charity art auction was the last place Harper wanted to be.
But Sebastian had insisted. "We can't let Richard control our lives. If we hide, he wins. We show up. We act normal. We prove he hasn't broken us."
So Harper stood in the downtown gallery wearing a dress she didn't remember putting on, holding a glass of champagne she hadn't tasted, watching Seattle's wealthy elite bid on paintings she couldn't focus on.
It had been two weeks since Richard's ultimatum. Two weeks of negotiations that led nowhere. The police still hadn't found him. The Adriatic's triggers remained armed. And every morning at six AM, Richard sent his signal to the dead man's switch, keeping the building alive for another twenty-four hours.
It was psychological torture. He was making them wait, mak
