guard disappear thro

out a brass key ring and a standard

linked sharply a

ennan said, his voice flat. "It's not

r palm. It was the most tangible piece of safety she had

his watch, his

I have to go debug it," he

the back of a waiting Uber. The car pulled

led city air. The panic from the morning

d before the wrought-iron

the intercom

pen. She walked up

he housekeeper's face twisted into a

issed, reaching out to grab Ha

the side, dodging

and slapped Niamh acro

k echoed in th

g her stinging hand, h

ectly straight and marched into the living room. Her h

Rudy Petrov sat across from her, his massiv

alked in, the room

muddy legs. He licked his lips, standing

away," Rudy purred, ta

cer. "Go upstairs, wash the filth off y

al chandelier. A cold, mocking smil

out to grab

ed into her pocket, and ripped

nto the mahoga

med into Mildred's teacup. Brown tea splashed violentl

mping back. Her eyes

ity seal glare

off the table, his pudgy fingers trembling. His face

ringing clear and hard in the large room. "If

f his study, his fac

tch!" Benton roared, rais

She tilted her chin

sper, "and my husband will have the police here in five minu

humiliation was the only thing stronger than his

rtificate onto th

He turned and stormed out of the house, slammi

ns. She collapsed back onto the sofa,

arriage certificate. She brushed a

gs," Hazel announced

nd walked up

cond-floor hallway, Jani

ed her arms tightly around

ed fiercely into her mother's hair. "As

d duffel bag and shoved her clothes and a framed pho

ignoring Mildred's venomous gla

her pocket. Her fingers closed tightly around the cold brass ke