ing for a body that wasn't there. The cold sheets on the left side of the b

ce. Apply foundation to cover the dark circles that looked

multimedia message f

on a pristine white hospital sheet. One hand was large, tanned, with a familiar signet ring

ter, thank you for borrowing him f

t, hot and acidic. She rushed to the toilet and dry heaved, he

en-year-old Daneen sitting on the stairs, swinging her legs, holding a riding crop. Her mother, Beatrice,

her silk robe, soaking the fabric. She looked at the closet behind her. Rows of desi

ated

reached for the top shelf and pulled down a battered canvas duffel

rd. And the external hard drive wrapped in a t-shirt-the drive that cont

cess Denied. The joint account she shared with Ev

moved

t. She opened a separate app, a secure offshore banking interface she had set up three years ago under a pseudonym. The balan

aled a

a

d was warm, maternal. Gis

turned white. That fellowship in Los Angeles

getting married, Gisele. E

ele cut in, her voice fla

e industry; she knew the sound of a woman burning

She felt light

orbell

hole. It was Xavier, Evander's personal assista

th. She smoothed her ha

black velvet box. Mr. Mathews sends hi

pendant. She recognized it immediately. It was the exact necklace Daneen had circled

gift. It was

, Gisele said. He

ook at the diamonds again. She dropped the velvet box into the garbage