f the precinct slid open. The 2 AM wind hit her bare

parked at the curb and pulled open the heav

to the passenger seat. He slammed the door so hard the

ressed against the opposite door, trying to put as m

er voice was barely a whisper, but i

ched. "Watch your mouth, Ashley. Y

er head against the cool glass of th

tting the expansion joints of the bridge. Ashley calculated her heart rate. I

driveway. The wrought-iron gates groaned and clicked

stiff with salt, chafing her skin. She kept her spi

rs open. The crystal chandelier in

er, sat dead center on t

His arms were crossed tightly over his chest. His jaw wa

ushed forward, reaching her hands out toward Ashley

pped entirely out of Fleda's reac

. It makes me want t

from Ashley's nose. "How dare you speak to her like that? You ruined your own pa

he man who had been slowly poisoned by the woman sitting on the couch. Her ches

is right hand high, aiming

arm, blocking his wrist with her forearm. Her right hand shot o

buckled from the intense

his eyes. The sclera had a distinct, sickly yellow tint

curity!" Fle

wooden cane against th

eld a silver tray with a steaming porcelain teacup.

s, Ashley. You are clearly having a

ied the scent of chamomile, but undernea

dark liquid. A ring of unnatural, tin

dol," Ash

. Her eyes widened for

tea directly onto the million-dollar Persian ru

d, clutchin

voice clinical and dead. "You wanted to drug me, lock me

e. "You are insane! Edson, lis

doorway. "She's complet

bout the tea. You will log onto your social media right now. You will post a v

her DNA. Her heart rate didn't spike

ashtray off the coffee table. He

d smashed into the drywall behind her. Shards of glass explo

ran down her collarb

ou can't handle," Ashley said, her voice dripping with ice. "You're thr

veins in his forehead pulsed. "Lock her

med a tight circle around Ashley, cutting off every p

wiped her fake tears, h

on her phone. She clicked it twice, activating the emergency voice mem

her shoulders, a deafening

icked open with such violent force that the hi

into the foyer, gro