a was a

y's absence with practiced ease. "Emergency board business," she murmured to the conce

calculations of what a solo appearance meant for the Sanford marriage. But she gave the

s, slightly concer

ed lines about "helping children in need." When the carousel display opened, she rode the pai

e of the spotlight, her smil

stamped entries and digital signatures and the

afternoon, through the dinner hour that came and went without any message from Denny. Zoe Va

ou should ea

, Zoe. Th

s building something, piece by piece, an

four in the aftern

mes before answering, her ey

s time, frayed at the edges. "I... I'm sorry t

ylus. She leaned back i

ink it affected the baby. I'm at the Lennox Hill private clinic. Denny brought me in. An anxiety attack, they said, and possib

ic beep of a hospital monitor in the backgrou

m up. He's been with me all night, here at the clinic. His

th surgical precision. Found me.

lus and tapped it against

ed. "I have a document that requi

expected tears, accusations, the

peaking with

e remained level, professional, utterly indifferent. "I'm glad you're feeling better

etch, let Brittany hear

have such a devoted brother-in-law. Denny alw

ations. Not love. Not passion. Just duty, just burden, just

had lost its performative w

a meeting. Take care of yourself, Brittan

call and set d

orway, her eyes wide. "Dr.

ent young woman who had worked beside her for three years without

assessment of the Stardust Project. Budget allocation,

itiative, a charitable technology program that the research division

se. May

We're going to audit it. Thoroughly. A

ing would include an emergency agenda item, added by special request of the Chief Technology

nvoke family, invoke grief, invok

would

Byrd had spent seven

just getti