The Stranger in His SUV

Part 2: The Secret Behind the Bakery

The next morning, Penelope Gallagher woke up in a bedroom larger than her entire apartment.

For several seconds, she couldn’t remember where she was.

Then she saw the crystal chandelier, the enormous windows, and the unfamiliar silk sheets.

“Oh, Biscuit,” she whispered. “Your mother has made a terrible mistake.”

A knock sounded.

“Miss Gallagher? Breakfast is ready.”

Penny opened the door to find a housekeeper standing outside.

“Thank you, but I’d really like to go home.”

“Mr. Vale would like you to join him first.”

Of course he would.

Twenty minutes later, Penny entered the dining room wearing the only clean outfit she had brought with her: a simple cream sweater and dark jeans.

Roman sat at the head of the table, reading a document.

He looked impossibly elegant in a black shirt.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Good morning. Can I have my phone and go home now?”

Roman placed the document down.

“Not yet.”

Penny sighed.

“Do you people ever say anything else?”

Arthur, standing nearby, almost smiled.

Roman ignored the comment.

“Your former manager, Richard Collins, has been arrested.”

Penny froze.

“What?”

“Last night, my men discovered that Bell Street Bakery was being used to transfer money and documents for a criminal organization.”

“That’s ridiculous. It’s a bakery.”

“Exactly. Nobody suspects a bakery.”

Roman pushed a photograph across the table.

It showed Richard Collins meeting two men in a parking garage.

Penny stared at it.

“I know that man.”

“Your manager?”

She nodded.

“The other man was here last week. He came into the bakery and asked for a delivery order. Richard told me it was a special customer.”

Roman leaned forward.

“Did you see what they exchanged?”

“I thought it was a folder.”

Arthur stepped closer.

“Can you describe the man?”

Penny closed her eyes, trying to remember.

“Gray hair. A scar near his left eyebrow. He wore a silver watch. And…”

She suddenly opened her eyes.

“He had a tattoo on his wrist.”

Roman’s expression turned cold.

“What kind of tattoo?”

“A black eagle. I remember because he covered it with his sleeve when I handed him his coffee.”

Arthur exchanged a tense glance with Roman.

“That’s one of the men from the warehouse attack,” Arthur said.

Roman stood.

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“Get me everything on that man.”

Then he turned to Penny.

“You’re going to help us identify him.”

Penny looked horrified.

“Absolutely not.”

“Penelope—”

“I bake cinnamon rolls, Mr. Vale. I don’t investigate criminals.”

For a moment, the room went silent.

Then Roman surprised everyone.

He laughed.

“Fair enough.”

He pulled out a chair.

“You won’t be involved in anything dangerous. My people will handle the investigation.”

Penny folded her arms.

“Then can I go home?”

Roman looked at Arthur.

“Prepare the car.”

Finally, she thought.

But before she could celebrate, Arthur’s phone rang.

He listened for a few seconds before his expression changed.

“Boss, we have a problem.”

Roman’s eyes narrowed.

“What?”

“Someone broke into Miss Gallagher’s apartment last night.”

Penny stood abruptly.

“What?”

“They searched the place. The furniture is damaged, and the front door was forced open.”

“My cat!”

Roman immediately looked at Arthur.

“Is the animal safe?”

“One of our men found her hiding under the bed. She’s fine.”

Penny covered her mouth, tears filling her eyes.

“They went into my home because of me?”

Roman approached her.

“Listen carefully. Nobody will hurt you or your cat.”

“But why would anyone care about me?”

“Because you refused to sign a delivery receipt.”

He paused.

“And because you remember something they desperately want forgotten.”

For the first time, Penny understood that her ordinary life was gone.

Roman picked up his coat.

“You’re staying here until we find out who’s behind this.”

Penny looked at him.

“Is that an order?”

Roman hesitated.

“No. It’s a promise that I’ll keep you safe.”

She didn’t know why, but something in his voice made her believe him.

That afternoon, Roman received another message.

The man with the eagle tattoo had been identified.

His name was Victor Sloane.

And he wasn’t just a courier.

He was Roman’s most trusted financial adviser.

The man who had managed the Vale empire for twelve years.

The man who knew every secret account, every hidden shipment, and every weakness in the organization.

Roman stared at the message.

Then another message appeared.

Victor has requested an emergency meeting with the Chicago families. He’s claiming you have become compromised.

Roman slowly put his phone away.

Arthur watched him.

“What are your orders?”

Roman looked toward the upstairs hallway, where Penny was playing with her rescued cat.

“Find Victor.”

His voice was dangerously quiet.

“And don’t let him know we’re coming.”