The first move
Chapter 33: The First Move
Amara Queen hated mystery.
Not because she couldn't solve them.
Because she usually could.
The problem was the waiting.
The uncertainty.
The incomplete information.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The woman in the photograph was becoming a mystery.
And Amara was beginning to dislike her.
Deeply.
The realization surprised absolutely nobody.
Especially Lorenzo.
"You're thinking about her again."
Silence.
Immediate silence.
Amara looked up from her tablet.
Then at Lorenzo.
Then back at her tablet.
The betrayal.
The observant-man betrayal.
Undefeated.
"No."
The lie was terrible.
Absolutely terrible.
Lorenzo smiled.
Immediately.
The traitor.
The complete traitor.
"Sure."
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The surgeon rolled her eyes.
Then pointed at a construction report.
Professionally.
Maturely.
Naturally.
"This oxygen system still isn't right."
The subject change fooled nobody.
Especially Lorenzo.
Unfortunately.
The man had become entirely too good at reading her.
A serious problem.
A very serious problem.
The office door opened before he could comment.
One of the nurses stepped inside.
Carrying a small package.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Dr. Queen?"
Amara looked up.
"What?"
The nurse hesitated.
Then held out the box.
"This was delivered for you."
Silence.
Immediate silence.
Amara frowned.
She wasn't expecting anything.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The box was elegant.
Expensive.
Wrapped perfectly.
The kind of packaging that screamed money.
A concerning sign.
Very concerning.
Lorenzo noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
The smile vanished.
Instantly.
The king returned.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Who delivered it?"
The nurse looked toward him.
Then back toward Amara.
"A woman."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The atmosphere changed.
Immediately.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Lorenzo stood.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
"What woman?"
The nurse swallowed.
Hard.
"Dark hair."
A pause.
"Very pretty."
Another.
"Scary."
Silence.
Amara and Lorenzo exchanged a look.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Because "very pretty" and "scary" seemed to fit the photograph perfectly.
The nurse wisely retreated.
Immediately.
Very smart.
Very, very smart.
The office door closed.
Leaving the package behind.
Evidence.
Dangerous evidence.
The room became quiet.
Lorenzo stared at the box.
Then stared harder.
Like he could intimidate cardboard.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Don't open it."
The answer came immediately.
Without hesitation.
Without mercy.
Amara blinked.
Once.
Slowly.
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The audacity.
The complete audacity.
The surgeon looked offended.
Actually offended.
"That's not how that works."
"It should be."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
The argument lasted approximately thirty seconds.
Neither gained ground.
Neither surrendered.
The usual.
Finally Amara grabbed the box.
Immediately.
The betrayal.
The curiosity betrayal.
Undefeated.
Lorenzo sighed.
Immediately.
The universal sound of a man losing a battle he never had a chance of winning.
Inside the package sat a single black envelope.
Nothing else.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Amara opened it.
Then froze.
Immediately.
The room temperature dropped.
Because there was a photograph inside.
Not of her.
Not of Lorenzo.
Of the two of them together.
At the waterfront.
Holding hands.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Written neatly beneath the photograph were six words.
You make a beautiful couple.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Lorenzo's expression became terrifying.
Immediately.
Because somebody had been close enough to take the photograph.
Close enough to watch.
Close enough to know.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Amara flipped the picture over.
More writing.
This time in elegant script.
I look forward to meeting you, Dr. Queen.
Silence.
The office became perfectly still.
Because suddenly...
The game had changed.
The woman wasn't hiding anymore.
She wasn't watching from a distance.
She was introducing herself.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Lorenzo took the photograph.
Carefully.
His jaw tightening.
Dangerously.
"She's getting bold."
The words came quietly.
Deadly quietly.
Amara stared at the elegant handwriting.
Then smiled.
Slowly.
The wrong smile.
The terrifying smile.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Lorenzo immediately recognized it.
A dangerous development.
A very dangerous development.
"What."
The surgeon adjusted her glasses.
The movement small.
Precise.
Controlled.
The way she did before surgery.
The way she did before solving problems.
The way she did before somebody had a very bad day.
"I think she just made a mistake."
Silence.
Immediate silence.
Lorenzo blinked.
Once.
Slowly.
"How?"
Amara held up the note.
The smile widening.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
The kind of smile that belonged on warning labels.
"Because now I'm interested."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
For the first time since this mysterious woman appeared...
Lorenzo almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
Because Viktor Romano had hired a specialist to target Dr. Amara Queen.
Unfortunately for everyone involved...
Dr. Amara Queen loved solving puzzles.
And she had just decided this woman was one.
End Chapter 33