Tuesday night looked completely ordinary.

That was the point.

Customers ate dinner.

Music played.

Sienna carried drinks.

Nico sat in his usual private booth wearing a black tailored suit, his tattooed hand resting beside an untouched glass.

Their eyes met across the restaurant.

He touched his watch.

Signal one.

Everything normal.

At 10:47 p.m., Victor Hale entered.

Sienna recognized him immediately.

Gray hair.

Perfect suit.

Sparkling water.

“Mr. Hale,” she said brightly. “Your usual?”

His smile was warm.

“Yes.”

It made her skin crawl.

She delivered his drink.

“Long night?”

“Possibly.”

He glanced toward Nico.

“Mr. Valente seems occupied.”

“Usually is.”

Hale lowered his voice.

“You were friendly with Elliot Crane.”

Sienna pretended confusion.

“The accountant?”

“Yes.”

“He tipped okay.”

Hale smiled.

“Did he ever give you anything?”

Across the room, Nico’s jaw tightened.

Sienna shrugged.

“Once gave me tax advice.”

“Anything physical?”

“A headache.”

Hale’s smile faded.

Then he placed a photograph on the table.

It showed Sienna leaving her apartment.

Another showed Tessa.

Sienna’s performance almost cracked.

Hale whispered, “Perhaps we should stop pretending.”

Sienna looked at him.

“Perhaps you should stop photographing waitresses. It’s weird.”

Hale leaned back.

“Where is the card?”

“What card?”

“The one Crane gave you.”

Sienna let silence stretch.

Then:

“Oh. That card.”

Hale’s eyes sharpened.

“Where?”

Sienna smiled.

“Somewhere safe.”

He reached for his phone.

Nico stood.

So did Marco.

Several security officers quietly positioned themselves near the exits.

Hale looked around.

His expression changed.

Nico approached.

“You always underestimated employees, Victor.”

Hale stared at Sienna.

“You told him?”

Sienna shook her head.

“You told him.”

“What?”

“Every time you came here. Every meeting. Every person you watched.”

Nico stopped beside her.

“Crane kept records.”

Hale’s confidence disappeared.

“You have nothing.”

Marco placed a folder on the table.

“We have everything.”

Hale looked toward the exit.

Security was already there.

Nico remained calm.

“This ends without anyone else getting hurt.”

“You think Rusk will simply disappear?”

“No.”

Nico’s eyes hardened.

“But he doesn’t have your access anymore.”

Hale looked at Sienna.

“You have no idea what you’ve done.”

She leaned closer.

“I changed my Tuesday shift.”

Hale stared.

Sienna smiled.

“I’ve been trying to do that all week.”

Nico closed his eyes briefly.

Even Marco laughed.

Hale was escorted away to face the authorities and the evidence Elliot had collected.

But Nico wasn’t celebrating.

Sienna noticed.

“What?”

“Rusk.”

“What about him?”

“Hale was the inside man.”

Nico looked toward the windows.

“Rusk was the one outside.”

As if summoned by the words, Marco’s phone rang.

He answered.

His expression changed.

“Nico.”

“What?”

“Rusk knows Hale failed.”

Sienna swallowed.

Marco continued.

“And he’s coming here.”

---