rely slept

of Adrian and Catherine Blackwood. She remembered the e

been ang

been

e message Daniel had menti

ive. Stop

was

her

d someone send him such a message? And if Cath

ions circled I

ng the answers were hidden som

tended to

errupted he

s voice called from outsi

I'll be do

a loose ponytail. After washing her face,

ked exh

so looked

d Manor had spent her first days trying to unde

d something m

tr

ded to keep it from her, she

ri

have someth

ind his desk, st

sistant looked

from last night, sir. Nobody enter

d the messag

hat. However, we disco

ed a file o

n ope

veral photogra

tanding outside a building in the city. The last had been

s eyes

took

re taken before your agreement

ooke

ong be

t two

ttled over

mo

abella long before Adrian ha

vestigate h

wever, we found several unexplained transfers

id the m

nt registered under

wly closed

the

tryin

Dan

es

sabella about

l hes

lieve she'

expressio

thing until I

Adrian looked at Isabe

ed her to puni

e truth he

t that someone else had helped

ho knew h

knew about

ight be using Isa

ab

e same enormous dining roo

dy seated when I

hough he hadn'

g," she said

lanc

t d

led out

e in silence, watching him

he put dow

sk you s

hether I give you

ored th

as Cat

stopped halfwa

at followed wa

not to menti

ked you a

lifted

as my

la swa

as

's d

ou cer

e in the room

placed his gla

in you

to you last night. Som

ression

ctly did

omeone believes C

se from h

ning to a priva

as standing in the corri

r na

around

ou hear abo

la hes

n asking questions about you

ace became

hear anyt

N

ard enough to know that Adrian susp

had no i

veral seconds before

ay from my private wing. And stop

a stare

omething when everyone in this house k

se I s

a good eno

struck

oug

oed through t

d, but she refus

reathing w

hought he might say

turned his

your bre

st

hungry

abe

pa

are you

reathe without bei

ing room before

ed seated, hi

teaching himself ne

o make him feel something

ed him more than

rbidde

sehold became busy before ret

orbidden her from ent

inued obeying every rule, she

ridor w

black door and ex

as l

urse

oticed a small brass key lying on

t began

icked

ot belong

ht get

she was doing, she had no doub

erted the key

tur

ened with a

pushed

ust and old wood. Heavy curtains covered the wind

de and closed th

edroom, as sh

rivate sit

place. Bookshelves lined one wall, and a

sat several fra

approac

Adrian wit

ughing. In another, Catherine rested

ppy in every

t from the

noticed some

atherine standing alone in fr

ritten a date

obe

t were fo

everythi

d the photogra

omeone ke

id the da

overed a thin leather notebook

ed it ca

s elegant and unmi

s he can p

the person I need protection f

's breat

rned t

to me, I need someon

age had be

e remaining pages, sea

ard footste

art lu

nob began

beneath her cardigan and moved behin

oor o

n en

ed his voice

ri

e room and stood

nt, he sai

e fireplace and stare

ne," he

held he

you're

e broke

one in this hous

otograph fro

you can see me, give m

sed hi

l me why

n unexpected ac

unded like a man who had been

expressio

toward the

es nar

ing wa

eft the leather notebook's

ed toward t

st

ano

thundered

tly in front of

abe

ood ra

me

pped from behi

seconds, n

at the notebook b

came terrif

it t

la hes

Black

ow

he notebook and

pene

torn page, his entir

did yo

a few

ch l

as afraid of some

as though she

read anyt

N

r, searching he

losed the

t o

can hel

T O

rried towar

ached it, Adri

abe

tu

of Catherine standing outs

r seen this p

ied the

one entrance and tall windows.

bout it fel

he rem

photograph of the same

seen it

never asked

wed. "I think I've seen

nt comple

he

ice. He had a ph

ment, Adrian

tepped to

u to answer my next

no

her know Cathe

n't k

hi

conversation, every strang

memory

one

ing by his office window,

eard him

her

la in the doorway, he had

ked at

nk he

m fell

though the world had s

ached for

en the call connecte

lla f

mas

r securit

s eyes

the same night

ed the

own at the photo

here Catherine is, Isab

ice dr

ing her from me all the

e

as sitting alone in her be

ed at th

ther's

econds, she c

since the day he had ha

d this moment c

him, demanding answers, telli

n her screen, all she felt wa

answ

do you

abe

sounded

you s

ghed bi

are whethe

eart. You need

ll me swe

le

e spok

terrible

sol

kno

man who treats me

I will spend the rest o

urned h

y did yo

a shak

it was the only way

lla f

ha

tever Adrian tells you, don'

t began

s have to do with C

the other end

ered something that m

you hear

stood a

do kno

uldn't have become

this! You made th

n't understand what

explai

s breathing

years searching for Catherine. And there's a

ho

bella heard a loud crash on

the

ce spoke in t

's breathi

ne asks you about the night your

entire body

moth

ecognized he

twelve. What does she hav

asn't who you

ng interr

y, "Find the red box. Everyt

ll wen

stared at

mo

ine Bl

rbidde

ng securi

w a re

g made

ounded at

ly wiped

me

l ent

Blackwood wants to s

tood

ething

l hes

been an i

nd of in

d direct

er has dis

knees nearl

ha

ternoon. His phone was abandoned,

e edge of her

he d

on't

el p

ve that whoever took your father is co

closed

told her to f

w he w

es again, her fear had

rmin

d find h

er the truth ab

r what had happened t

ian tried t

ng was becoming

old to Adrian Bla

ted her inside

as had just made the bigg

Isabella a reas