ife-wielding stance in the forest remained burned into his mind. He leaned his head back against the leather chair, s

phere inside the Blackb

ows, her fingers aggressively massaging her temple

stood nervously by the mahogany dining table. H

he Watkins girl, ma'am," E

ply against the marble floor. She sna

nd Haven's high school transcripts. The grades were flawless. Straight A's

ned with a sudden, i

brary, wearing faded jeans. "She's a parasite. She's using these grades to claw her w

ally done anything illegal, Mrs. Black

ped up. Her eyes

ifying whisper. "Gloria is traumatized. She's refusing her trust fund ob

med the fo

college. Leak rumors about academic dishonesty. Plagiarism. Whateve

ckly gathering the folder and

Gloria lay sprawled across a velvet sofa. The

humb swiping with angry, jerky movements. Her wrist sti

a video with a

kers. Gloria rolled her eyes, about to swipe past, whe

ia f

p against her ribs. She sat up, bri

me faded, worn fabric she had seen on Haven at the s

file. Appalachian Pur

irt under the fingernails. The fam

ria whispered t

be miserable. She was supposed to be crying in her trailer park. Instead,

tapped the comment box. She cre

e probably from a dumpster behind a grocery store. Yo

hit

buried under hundreds of new c

hone. It hit the wall, the screen shattering into a spi

reath coming in ragged, angry gasps. Sh