d with agoniz

. "C

. "C

pression gear. Her shoulder burned under the thin fabric. She had rubbed dirt on her face

D was being dragged away by two guards. He

that wouldn't stand up to this level of scrutiny. She had a stolen ledger in a buck

ression pants. It was a desperate move. It would buy her

Have you see

, bordering on hyste

by the lapels. She was older, her face tight with plastic surg

The girl had dark, curly hair

five years ago. This was the moment she had bee

chaos, people didn't see details. They saw what they wante

ling strands loose to frame her face. She let her sho

out of line.

ne!" a guard shouted

. She looked up at the w

..

whisper, brok

She turned slowly. Her

photo had a mole there. Or a scar. Or anything. She knew for a fact there was a

wasn't logical; it was emotional. It was

d. Then she screamed it. "Ca

onto Vesper. The impact jarred Vesper's wounded sh

nor shrieked at the gua

anor's neck. The woman smelle

guard stammered. "W

the crowd. He was a wall of expensive wool and authority. "You

e was calculating. He saw the dirt. The blood. The fear. But he also

the probl

walked up. He holstered his weapo

ng the dirty girl. He looked

ned," Harding said. "

led, lying or confused. "She

er back. It was a physical weig

und," Har

d. Eleanor tigh

was heavy, cream-colored cardstock. "This is my lawyer. If you touch my family, I will end

ves," Hardi

scaped God knows what. Are you going to keep

The press had s

the press. He hated rich people

," Harding compromis

ed. Then he no

a single tear track through the dirt on her cheek. She made her lower

hard lines of the thief he had chased. He searched f

terrifi

t recogn

Go. But the Sterling estate is under s