Page 117 of Twist of Fate

Patrick studied him for another moment, then shook off the discrepancy. “He’s in his office. Go ahead. I’ll catch up on my end.”

“Appreciate it.”

Patrick gave him a distracted wave and continued down the corridor, already absorbed in repairing the disruption to his schedule.

Luke watched him go. The confusion had been real. No guarded questions, no attempt to delay Luke or steer him away from the office. Patrick was irritated because his process had failed, not frightened because Luke had arrived ahead of a trap.

Luke trusted that assessment.

Patrick wasn’t part of whatever Hale had planned.

One less variable.

Luke continued to Hale’s office and entered without knocking. The room was exactly as he remembered it. He’d sat across from Hale’s desk more times than he could count, accepting assignments that came with too little information and too much risk. Hale had never been warm, but he had always been consistent. Then again, the youngest Hale son didn’t end up running the family empire by being unreliable.

In Luke’s line of work, consistency was close enough to trust.

Hale stood near the window. He turned at the sound of the door, and surprise broke through his composure before he could conceal it.

“Luke.”

No demand for a report. No question about the compromised drop.

Just his name.

Luke let the door close behind him. “You look surprised to see me.”

“I wasn’t expecting you yet.”

“My flight got in early.”

Not a lie.

Hale watched him carefully. “Patrick didn’t mention a change.”

“I didn’t go through Patrick.”

“That’s unlike you.”

“Yeah. It’s been that kind of day.”

Hale stepped away from the window, his attention moving over Luke with the same quiet assessment Luke had once trusted. “You look…well.”

Luke’s mouth twitched. “I try.”

Hale didn’t find that amusing. “Walk me through it.”

“You already know the drop was compromised,” Luke said. “So either you know more than I do, or you’re testing whether I’ll lie.”

“Both.”

At least that was honest.

“There was a third party,” Luke said. “Someone knew where the exchange would happen, arrived prepared, and went straight for the drive. That wasn’t a chance encounter.”

Hale’s expression tightened. “Do you think they were working for the buyer?”

“I don’t know. I never saw who gave the orders.”