Chapter 8 · Agent

"Federal agent. Hands where I can see them."

The badge came up first, gold and ugly under the kitchen lights. Luca's hand was still on my hip, my robe still loose at the collar, and neither of us moved fast enough to look innocent.

"You want to knock next time," Luca said. He didn't take his hand off me. If anything he pulled me an inch closer, like the badge was nothing, like a stranger walking into his penthouse at seven a.m. was a Tuesday.

"Special Agent Reyes." She didn't look at him. She looked at me, up and down, like she was pricing me. "Nora Vale?"

"That's me."

"You want to put some clothes on before I read you your rights?"

My stomach dropped through the floor. "Rights for what?"

Reyes tossed a folder on the counter. It slid across the marble and stopped against the fruit bowl, right next to the coffee I hadn't finished. My brother's name was on the tab. Cole Vale. I felt my whole chest go cold before I even opened it.

"Wire fraud," Reyes said. "Structuring. About four million dollars moved through three shell accounts your brother's name is stamped on.