hful sentinel. Normally the atmosphere hummed with quiet efficiency, but this morning a tense, brittle silence hung over everything.

out at the skyline without really seeing it. A cup of coffee sat untouched on her desk. Sh

ome

ching a tablet to her chest. The younger woman's shoulders

. Vau

the contract in her hands, her

at i

Miss Bennett several

the page, Isabel

An

answering

ll a

, swallowing hard before continuing.

licker of annoyance crossed her face befor

ntacted Huma

, ma

ed in

No

t an

No

years. She had always been punctual to a fault, meticulous, and careful never to disappoint. Her unexp

a said, her tone leavin

Mrs.

my ten o'cl

ckly, clearly relieved to

cou

still needed the confidential acquisition file for the afternoon board meeting. Without hesitation, sh

id aside, revealing the biometric safe. She placed her thumb on t

ck black folder labeled Hawthorne Acquisition and pulled it out. But as she tuc

ll, empty gap be

lder on her desk and returned to the safe, now moving with quiet urgency. She checked each shelf carefully before pulling

d Medical Records in discre

No

d in little more

. The bottom shelf. Even behind th

e had t

read settled in the

e closed the safe and pre

or Hayes to

nutes later, a fi

porate Security, entered with

to see me,

before her, concealing the tension

ime anyone entered th

ened the security appl

the electronic

o i

across the screen. After a

rday af

Wh

Clara B

one e

, ma

veral long seconds, her jaw ti

nfidential file

ong enough for the

no longe

ession hardene

ieve it w

eal in beli

m, but each word carrie

al in

d lightly against t

at same day, a confidential file vanishes from a biometr

ettled bet

Isabella s

rday's surveil

r nodd

ce there aren't any cameras inside your office,

o i

ved carrying a laptop. The hallwa

Isabella's office carrying her leather handbag against

ician fast

lara stepped back

aus

ootage

oom

cian enlarg

studied it

he noti

e office, her handbag rest

hing had been added to it. Clara adjusted the strap before calmly making her

lm

u," Isabella m

tled over her more

en one of them. She had been given access, authority, and privileges t

r eyes off the scr

count registered under

gave a s

inance begin

rporate credit ca

ider i

nt. Her vehicle. Every storage unit, ever

n my best in

Vict

ed at th

mpting to leave

nally turned

ow before she rea

ake sure

ward him, her expression c

nd Clara be

or wa

ing her

e inclined his head and

licked shut

y still, staring at the empty space inside the

ve you," she murmured into the silence, "you'

moment, her off