Chapter 4: Enemies and Allies

She looked down, voice cracking. I believed her—at least about this.

“What else do you know about Evan?”

She hesitated, then replied. “He’s been with Mr. Dalton since the beginning. Dalton trusts him. Evan’s a neat freak—his office is always spotless.”

She scanned the room, as if seeing it for the first time. The order unsettled her.

The house matched that, but something still felt off.

It was too perfect. Like someone wanted us to notice.

“Travis, you think he OD’d by accident?” Savannah’s voice was desperate, searching for reassurance.

I glanced at her. “Maybe.”

I didn’t buy it, but I needed more.

Just then, her phone rang—David Dalton.

The ringtone was a classical piano piece—Beethoven, maybe. She fumbled and handed it to me, her hands trembling.

She pressed it into my palm.

I took it, bracing myself for whatever the king of Maple Heights had to say.

“What’s the story?” Dalton’s voice was all business, no time for small talk.

He never wasted words. Just straight to the point—always.

“Looks like Evan overdosed. I suggest you call the police.”

My tone was flat, but inside I was listening for any slip, any tell.

“I never thought he’d still be using after all these years,” Dalton sighed. “Don’t call the cops yet. I’m in the middle of a billion-dollar city contract. The mayor’s breathing down my neck. We can’t have a scandal. Keep this quiet.”

His words sounded caring, but I heard the calculation behind them. His image was everything.

“What do you want me to do—quietly get rid of the body?” I shot back, my sarcasm a test.

Dalton paused. “Mark, I think there’s more to this. Maybe someone’s pulling strings. I need you to get to the bottom of it. My family built this company from scratch—we’ve made plenty of enemies.”

His voice dropped, almost pleading. For a second, he sounded almost human.

“Mr. Dalton, do you know something?”

I pressed, hoping he’d slip. But he was a pro.

“I know as much as you. But if someone’s after Evan, they’re after me. You in? You can walk away now. But if you stay, I’ll make it worth your while. Someone’s got to clean up Evan’s mess.”

He dangled the carrot, but I knew the stick was there too.

I hesitated, then nodded.

I didn’t really have a choice—not if I wanted answers.

“The house is ours, so’s property management. If you need security footage, Savannah will get it. I’ll have someone else handle the body.”

He paused, voice turning cold. “Find out what happened. If Evan OD’d, fine. But if someone killed him, I want names.”