ung open. Piper's Porsche convertibl

house had been sold to pay off Derrick's gambling debts. Her parents

d her eyes.

, opened the door, his eyebrows shooting u

erson. Are my

rawing ro

e, Piper trailing be

eas in a crystal vase. Her father, Robert, the CEO

ower shears. They clatte

d forward. "Oh my god, lo

e. His face, usually stern, filled with

se. She couldn't sound crazy. She had to pla

the door," C

od with her back to

down, twisting her hands in her lap, forc

ne the wedding," Claire

icking of the grandfather c

ations are out. The Governor is coming.

felt so real. I dreamed Derrick was... changing things. In the company. He was signi

, her hands flyi

went dark. "

hide behind the fiction of a dream. "He says they're to help me cope with the stress. But they ma

. She only had her memory and the terror in her ey

e genuine fear she was projecting. He didn't need a forensic accountant to see the red flags in

t his daughter, truly looked at her, and saw the sha

him. She grabbed his hand

let him know. If I'm wrong, I'm just a silly, ne

her daughter, sobbing. "Listen to

s was terrifying. "I'll have our internal auditors run a qui

ed. The first step was tak

rs opened. Piper

strode in. He was a short,

e bride here? The stock price is up three points in anticip

ormed instantly. The steel vanished

er voice trembling. "I...

ront of Claire. "She's just nervous, Heber. W

them, suspicious. "Dowry? We

details," Rober

k. Derrick called me. He's worrie

ring her eyes. "I'll be at the party to

"Good. Remember, the fami

ned an

sed, Claire looke

he said. "Heber is

his jaw. "Then h