r asked. His eyes in the rearvi

ouse. Corinna had infiltrated her social circle years ago,

t," Ariel said.

et chain. Ano

ielding-he was blocked. It was the landline

ling throu

the phone of

, Fielding downed hi

said, staring at hi

m. Where is she gonna go? She has no job, no skills, and a bad leg.

worried about her, Fielding. What if

ding said, his jaw tight. "

not doing it this time. Let her sit in the cold

ut off the money. That usu

d into his phone. "Freeze

satisfaction. He was the pr

lobby of the Comfort Inn. It smelled of

rench coat-Burberry-and t

ght?" h

," Ari

She pulled out a stack of twenties-the cash she had received f

required," the

in

r key card

ed out onto a brick wall. The carp

the deadbolt, she fe

fe

. Her leg was throbbing with a vengeance

pulled out the clear fo

morning

ible for the student visa. If sh

g. She should be mo

ears woul

had spent the last two years taking online courses, listening to French podcasts whi

. She was a sleeper

d months ago. She navigated to a forum about offshore assets. Her fingers flew across the keys, searching for

ice now, or maybe taking Corinna ba

ting on a park bench, shivering

ned the s

nctif

ad aloud, her a

t que je s

ssary that

ding sat in the living

as silent.

he lock to click. Expecting the limping

th

chauffeur. "Di

voice crackled. "She's

. "A Comfort Inn? Jesus. She's

pick her

her. Let her spend one night on polyester sheet

hun

enches and shared motel rooms during dance competitions. Luxu

ne. He reached out to th

as c

ered to the darknes