Faithfully Yours

oke just af

her bare legs curled under her, the TV's mut

doned warehouse in Brooklyn. The only identifiable item:

carved into the vi

ke she could

e was to

st

't come hom

asked whe

no

top the question t

ody meant

omeone trying

without warning, dressed immac

m Detective Vega," she said quie

d up at her

er. "Because the body i

h numb fingers, her voi

mma called after her. "Did

sed in th

s everyone, Emma. The real question is-w

ice was deep, deliberate,

come down to

ched around the pho

said. "

oom in Lower Manhattan, her hands folded tightly in he

ipping through a folder as h

Sinc

ecti

s?" He slid a phot

tared

But... it wasn't hers.

isn't

gh a lot of trouble to m

his hands. "Do you know anyon

hesit

e

ma

ling threads she wasn't s

know," she

ded, unc

e build as you. We think she died between midnight

ile rise in

eone was trying t

er. "I think som

house, Emma foun

o the frame-still in his tailored coat, rain dri

police," he said

de, chest tight.

tell them

ed their

. "That's not

. "Damian, someone i

't yo

mine. Someone wants

ard her, slow

said. "So you'll run. So I'll

arms. "Who would

sted. "There'

art with

linc

ef-but it

ssa's

e wh

of re

not an

face. "You don't need answers, Emma. You

"I'm not some sca

y. "Then why ar

, Damian l

plana

stina

allery, staring at her ow

ell what was m

ad tried to mi

t of her wasn

she returned to

she flipped

entries o

ed notes and err

other s

r pa

at

st two m

ECT:

ed. Carefully. Quietly. She hides her damage behind wide ey

. I'll s

ter. Guilt as currency. Vulnerable. Reactive to co

vision

watching h

er stepped in

e one-nig

the c

e the

ause she thinks she is. I will teach her what s

eaked open

rned s

one was

hrough the crac

white envelop

d it up, hea

: a US

e this

the d

rest laptop in the st

ideo

"Her Las

hesi

cli

and-white surveillance. A hal

ne

er her should

ne fo

w. A ma

h

creen

re fo

creen with thr

INK HE'S

reen, cold sweat brea

uldn'

ad said

e broke

e deser

th

p and pressed her fo

ded to

o

t wait fo

bare essentials-and tuck

gh the penthouse

he ele

the g

y morning haz

lt alien in

cab with sh

ination

ca

apartment, groggy and shirtle

mm

," she said

, scanning the ha

e hurt

," she w

he

ater and led her to the couch

him eve

jour

red

mess

bo

e

shed, Lucas s

id finally. "He doesn

at him. "W

You and me. I have contacts. I can get

hesit

st me?" he

he re

asn't

on Lucas's couch, a message p

ntraceabl

one

e before sh

e to continue wi