Always a Stand-In

ie's

he bottom in delicate handwriting, but the words above it blurred as my

ed as I forced

r it to be hidden this long, but some things are buried not out of deception, but out of

ightly my fingers ached. My stomach twiste

n by Daniel? Or

handwriting varied slightly between them. Some were older, the ink fad

Daniel h

pieces of a puzzle I wasn

y spine. I glanced at th

wasn't

answers. But something told me

clearly keeping

e letters back, shutting the drawer. I

eded to act lik

hiding something... th

el's

just the way I preferred it. The city lights flickered in

was

y glass in front of me, the amber liquid sw

e like a man

r voice behind me. Instead, I

Long dark hair, piercing eyes, a smirk

d, sliding into the seat across

htening around my glass. "

ys told you I'd come back

hat she w

a part of me had been w

er chin on her hand. "So, tell

ut my face remained u

ured fingers against the table. "That she

n't r

ed to deny it, there was a time w

ngs had

't t

g dramatically. "Poor Sophie. What do

h a quiet thud. "That's

ets have a funny way of catching up to people. And this one?" She le

composed, but deep down,

ophie was

hadn't foun

ould

ie's

tossed and turned, my mind r

e those

s Danie

as I truly just a stan

began to rise, I h

give me answers, I'

ncovering a truth

hough I had locked them away hours ago. No matter how hard I tried

meant to be ju

o wrote them? And why did D

I knew there was only one way to get

itting the cold floor. The clock on my nigh

ingers hesitated over Daniel's name. I wanted to conf

knew I wouldn't get the

I did the ne

led E

s, her voice groggy. "Sophie?

econd-guessing my decis

el right, and I needed

y voice low even though Daniel wasn't home. "Some

p instantly. "I

ng two cups of coffee. She shoved one into my hands befor

k to

About the letters, the words, the lingering do

fee. When I finished, she exhaled slowl

nderstatement

ing was different in s

e they were written

hen we need to figure

wned.

a thing or two about handwriting analysis. If we can compare the lett

inside me. "That's a

e letters, but I sto

d a brow.

from Daniel, then that mean

ened. "And you're afrai

st want to be prepared

s start small. Let's confirm

room door. A sinking fee

't write them.

ly-what else was h

el's

into my office, I kn

near my desk, his face tens

dy exhausted. "

a file. "It

ore I even opened it.

pages, my chest tigh

n said quietly. "She'

ourse, she was. I shoul

le it?" Mason a

my hea

my mess t

it before Sophie u

ie's

in. His suit jacket was slung over his arm, his tie loosened. He loo

sing a kiss to my fo

a smile

sting his hands on my

. "Yeah.

ensed slightl

i

ng for something-anything-that would t

found

acing my fingers through his. "Daniel

dy sti

a kiss to my hair. "Not as mu

answer. To

n't push.

cards right, I'd have