Source One by Allyson Simonian

sleeve of the robe.
    He thought of what Amber’s friend had said. Thought of the look on Amber’s face that last night.
    He closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath.
    If Amber hadn’t been behind this, he’d get to the bottom of who had.
    He went to the dresser and grabbed his phone.
    Michelle had brought Amber into the company. She was the place to start.
    Brian quickly dialed Matt. Left a message when he didn’t pick up. For the first time in two months, he felt something. It was hope.

CHAPTER 23
     
    I was going to ask you to marry me…..
    Amber squeezed her eyes against the tears . She took a calming breath and walked down the hallway.
    Over the last few days, Amber had thought a lot about Brian when she’d first met him. Brian had said he’d been attracted to her even then.
    Brian’s actions had been based on fear.  Fear of forgetting Diana.  Fear of not honoring her memory.  Acting standoffish had been a defense mechanism.
    Amber thought of the night Brian had ended their relationship.  She had seen the raw emotion on his face before he’d walled himself off. She felt certain now that he still had feelings for her.  Shutting down had been a way of protecting himself. 
    Amber walked into the kitchen.  Her eyes fell on the mail.
    Several pieces lay unopened. She recognized Cal Coast’s logo on one of the envelopes. Her bank statement.
    Amber chewed her lip. Nicole’s boyfriend, Rick, worked for Cal Coast. Maybe he could help her uncover something.
    It was worth asking.
    Amber picked up the phone and dialed Nicole.
    “What’s up?”
    Amber explained.
    “I’ll call you back,” Nicole said.
    An hour later, Amber’s phone rang. “Rick knows someone in IT,” Nicole said. “He wants you to come in tomorrow morning.”
    She gave Amber an address in San Francisco. “I’ll cover for you until you get back.”
    Amber thanked Nicole and hung up.
    She closed her eyes.
    She had a plan of action. And it felt good.
    An hour later, she attended a luncheon thanking everyone who’d worked on Second Street’s job fair.
    Amber drove to a grocery store on her way home. The lot was crowded, but someone was pulling out.
    Amber took the spot. She put the car in park. Turned off the engine and looked up.
    A woman was walking in the next row. Amber squinted. It was definitely Michelle. Had she not gone to L.A. this weekend?
    Amber stepped out of her car, but Michelle had already gotten into a car.
    Amber frowned. It wasn’t just any car. It was a Porsche Boxster, like Peter Sumner drove.
    Amber sucked in a breath. It couldn’t be. It was just a coincidence.
    As the car back out, a flash of red caught her eye. Peter’s car also had a red sticker – a parking permit - in his back window. She had walked by it probably a hundred times.
    Were Michelle and Peter together?
    Amber gripped the door.
    It didn’t make any sense. Michelle had said her boyfriend was in Los Angeles.
    A shiver ran down Amber’s spine as she remembered how unhappy both of them had been to learn she was dating Brian.
    Amber got back into the car and quickly restarted it.
    Amber had hoped to see the cleaning crew’s van but her car was the only one in the parking lot when she arrived at Sumner Systems. The sun was rapidly setting and the night had grown chilly.
    Amber made her way to the front of Sumner System’s building with determined steps. The office was eerily quiet as she opened the door with her key.
    She made a beeline to Mr. Sumner’s office and flipped on the light. He had a locked drawer. Maybe there’d be some answers in it.
    Amber had had a magic kit as a little girl. She had practiced and practiced opening the kit’s lock. Hopefully her skills weren’t rusty and would help her now.
    She opened Mr. Sumner’s top drawer and found a paper clip. Bent the end backward until it was a long metal stick and went to work. After several minutes of turning the paper clip, Amber heard the lock of the bottom drawer click.
    She quickly