t, the most expensive retail block in Boston. Vivian p

d the towering glass door

eap trench coat, her bruised face, and her bulky arm cast. He hesit

ace. The air inside smelled heavily of rich, treated

oached her. She pasted on a tight, corporate

the jewelry counters. She pointed her unin

kin 30 with the gold h

gize, miss, but those pieces are reserved for

ut the Mercer Capital check for fifty thousand do

ottom. Landon Mercer. Her posture instantly straighte

moothly, masking her judgment. "Please allow me just a brief moment t

a back office. Five agonizing minutes passed. When the associate retu

ur patience. Right this w

d out of the boutique carrying a m

looked down at the bag hanging from her good arm. The a

spent on food in an entire year. Yet, to Lando

l in a cheap coat, sporting a broken arm and a head wound, holding

f money could bridge the gap. She

walked two blocks down to a hi

ristine bag and the original receipt. His eyes gleamed w

a twenty-four-hour authentication process before any pa

and pulled out the Mercer Capital check stub, sliding it across the counter next to her bruis

battered, desperate state. He did the ma

u sign an immediate transfer of liability waiver, I can

sitate. "Cut the

housand dollars in her pocket, Vivian

Orphanage came into view. The sound of children laughing

rtha, her hair completely white, gasped wh

Sister Martha

le. "I'm okay. I just tr

he check. She handed it to the nun. "My comp

paper. She covered her mouth with both ha

yesterday. This will pay for the entire rep

shattered pieces of Vivian's heart felt li

tay for dinner. She walked alone down the

to the cork was a photo of her at ten years old

ched the face of the little girl

etched her shadow long across the pavement. She was

her pocket. It was

8 PM. Mercer Est