Potomac River was bruised blackish-purple

g away the images that had no business being in her head from the night before. Last night's "drama"? Just a cas

178. Not because she was running from

na, almond milk. A green "energy bomb" fizzing with bubbles. She'd worked until 3:00 a.m. and slept only three hours,

cleans

had only

hone

he didn't

at it. Did

diately. Like a distress

e phone on the cool marble countertop. T

EW!

r-hoarse, shattered, marinated overnight in al

ou do?! Have you los

t into her briefcase. The latch clicked

as as light as someone reading a lunch me

That was a setup! A camera

ed. Not a smile. The glint of a b

p joke. "Your tongue was practically tickling her

tip tapped

tton. Red

nk, she came on to me, I didn't know what I was doing, and it didn't mean anythin

the flood. With s

to me. I care about results. And the resu

e?! This isn't a b

briefcase to the

ling." Her voice was as cold and heavy as marble, heavy enough

onds of silenc

a cornered beast suddenly reme

ger now, but fear. "Please. We've been together

anc

her mouth like a poiso

e and turned toward the door. "Speaking of which-I should remind you. The footage of you

the doorknob. The la

, what you said to my mother on the phone last night about my 'unstable mental

le

silence. The kind th

ng a wall-a wall he'd built with his own hands. His defenses shattered. And when they shattered,

s as light as someone saying goodnight. "

econd. Like an executioner letting

, Mr. St

ic

d the au

Evidence_CS_

d the

the ca

never exi

imeter. Her makeup was flawless-the foundation concealing the two dried streaks at the corners of her ey

didn't rea

ever sup

light. The air carried the dampness of the Potomac and the lingering sweetn

ing's name was deleted from her memory-not deleted, but overwritten. With today's schedule. With the

r knuckles went white for

the car's display screen.

heard. Are

ed over the screen

. Dinner at home tonight.

one saw the color in her eyes reflected in the rearview mirror as she backed out. Tha

ackwell & Pratt. The mirrored metal panels reflected a woman

londe receptionist looked up and

the marble floor like a metron

sn't a

s the

as th

the exec

g? He wasn't eve

t-already signed, se