n three blocks fr

pologetic explanation that the vehicle needed to be checked before it could continue. Outside, the rain came down like they were personally offended by

the second car. Estimated a

he stationary car and the distance be

hes had never

phone out. Rowan had his. The pretending-to-be-busy laste

er phone a

s down a s

you somethin

just ask wit

ne's dif

e. "The

anted this?" she asked.

than usual, or maybe the low light just made the composed version harder to maintain. "I d

same as knowing

agreed.

she asked

thing that doesn't work and making it work. I'm good at that." A pause. "The rest of it, the performance, the positioning,

the forensic work, the evidence-following, the moment when a number told you something true. She had wanted to do it at her father's firm be

he said. "The accou

Forensic accounting tells you what someone didn't want you to know

n. A kind of recognition. "You've b

car. "He'd sit at the kitchen table going over the household accounts and call me over. I was maybe eight, and he showed me where the numbers told a story. Not just what we spent. But what does

ught yo

ht slightly. Just slightly. "Which is why

lar

m fi

e fine right now. The

e meant exactly what he said, no subtext, no angle. He was simply giving her perm

going to find. Of what it means if I'm wrong about

. "I've been scared of what's in th

d that. "You knew s

s." His eyes were dark and very direct. "I think we're both looking

realized how c

ldn't say when the eighteen inches had become eight. Mayb

k. Not the CEO look. Something unguarded and direct and very, very still,

dn't mo

ke he was giving her ever

idn't

her mouth. Just for a

Four. His breath was warm, and the city had dissolved

phone

is time, sharp, immediate, lik

His voice was completely controlled. Not even rough. Ju

ed to face

the glass, each one cho

im end the c

car is two

voice came out even.

t say any

, she was aware, acutely, painfully aware, that he had not apologized. He had not pr

went quiet when they were feeling somethi

ht, so much worse tha

lammed door

omething el

ment he'd decided and made herself think instead about the Meri

ut those things

replaced what she wa