Chapter 5 - The Woman Who Finally Spoke
The story should have ended with Todd being fired.
It didn't.
Two days later, Jenna returned to Maple Street Diner to collect her paycheck.
The parking lot was packed.
Not with customers.
With employees.
Current employees.
Former employees.
Margaret stood beside the entrance holding coffee.
When Jenna approached, Margaret smiled.
“You're late.”
“For what?”
“Apparently your revolution.”
Jenna stared through the window.
Kayla was inside.
So was Melissa.
Three former servers Jenna recognized were sitting together.
Richard stood near the register.
Dominic was nowhere in sight.
Jenna entered.
“What is this?”
Kayla approached.
“People started calling after they heard Todd was gone.”
“What people?”
“Everyone he screwed over.”
A former dishwasher stood.
“He fired me after I asked about missing overtime.”
Another woman said, “He changed my timecard.”
A former cook added, “He borrowed money from the safe and blamed me.”
Richard looked devastated.
“I didn't know.”
Jenna turned toward him.
“That excuse is getting old.”
“I know.”
That answer surprised her.
Richard placed a folder on the counter.
“I've hired an outside accountant. Everyone's payroll for the last three years is being reviewed.”
Kayla raised an eyebrow.
“Because Dominic told you to?”
“No.”
Richard paused.
“Because Jenna did.”
Jenna blinked.
“I did?”
“You told me to protect the people working here.”
He opened the folder.
“I'm starting.”
Then the door opened.
Dominic entered alone.
No black SUVs.
No Victor.
Just Dominic.
He took Booth Seven.
Jenna walked over.
“No army tonight?”
“I gave them the evening off.”
“Do terrifying mysterious men get vacation days?”
“Victor has been demanding dental coverage.”
She laughed.
For the first time since the slap, it didn't hurt.
Dominic looked toward the employees.
“Richard doing what he promised?”
“So far.”
“Good.”
Jenna sat opposite him.
“Police recovered the footage.”
Dominic nodded.
“I heard.”
“You already knew?”
“I know people.”
“That sentence gets increasingly concerning.”
“The forensic technician restored enough of the deleted files.”
“And?”
“Todd appears on multiple recordings removing cash.”
Jenna exhaled.
“So he did this to himself.”
“Eventually, people like Todd usually do.”
She looked at Dominic.
“You still haven't told me why you were at Maple Street that night.”
“Dinner.”
“No.”
Dominic smiled.
“No?”
“You barely touched your food. Six men were nearby. Three SUVs arrived within minutes.”
She leaned forward.
“You weren't randomly eating meatloaf beside Highway 35.”
Dominic studied her.
“You're observant.”
“Occupational hazard.”
His smile disappeared.
“I was meeting someone.”
“Who?”
“Richard.”
Jenna stared.
“The owner?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Dominic looked toward Richard.
“He was considering selling Maple Street.”
Jenna froze.
“You were buying the diner?”
“Possibly.”
“So that's why you cared.”
“No.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“Dominic.”
“I didn't know you. I didn't know Todd. I didn't know what was happening here.”
“Until he hit me.”
“Until he hit you.”
Jenna looked toward Booth Twelve.
For days, she had wondered why a man like Dominic Vale had become involved.
Now she understood.
He had already been watching the business.
But that still didn't explain the anger in his eyes that night.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because then everything I did would look like business.”
“Wasn't it?”
“No.”
His answer came immediately.
Jenna studied him.
Dominic leaned forward.
“The moment he hit you, the deal stopped mattering.”
“Why?”
“Because I watched forty-seven people freeze.”
His voice lowered.
“And I knew exactly what would happen if one person didn't speak.”
Jenna remembered.
The silence.
Her burning cheek.
Todd rewriting reality before her eyes.
Then the quiet voice from Booth Seven.
Don't leave yet.
She looked at Dominic.
“You weren't trying to save me.”
“No.”
“You were trying to make sure I had evidence.”
“Yes.”
Jenna nodded.
“That was smarter.”
May you like
Dominic smiled.
“I thought you might appreciate that.”
