ead silent. The engine was a barely perce

ightly against her chest, inside the front pocket was the plastic p

w, but the dark tint turned the passing s

older man sittin

oisa asked. Her voice sh

lap. "Rest assured, Miss Williams, you are perfectly safe. We are

ne out of her pocket.

Ser

the car, she was completely cut off from the wor

ed down. Eloisa heard the heavy metallic clank of iron gat

the Potomac River in the distance. They were in the most

f a massive, stone mansion

door for her. "Welcome t

de her feel incredibly small. A massive stone fountai

he stone steps and pushed

eaming marble floors. The ceiling

elderly woman. She wore an elegant, tailored tweed suit, her silver hair

, calculating, and cold as ice. Eloisa felt

. "Madam, Miss Wil

silver tray. The clink of the por

oice was quiet, but it c

n the edge of the sofa opposite the woman. The cushions w

did not

you are

veins turned to ice.

ked on the word. "H

s security detail reported the... incident at the party. We have been monitoring your situation since. Your appointment a

truck by lightning. Her hands g

ly. "No, that's impossible. You have

. A graduation party near Georgeto

th surgical precision. Eloisa's

about," Eloisa lied, her voice cra

f cold pity. "Of course you don't. You

Pembroke stepped forward and hand

tablet across the

tage, grainy and dark. But she could clearly see the corner of the

e saw

ut he caught her as she fell. He wrapped a strong arm around her

oice drifting over the footage. "He despises those events. He l

. The blank space in her me

. The weight of his ha

a dream. I