The Girl With The Map

rning like it's st

The kind of cold that seeps into your bones and makes you sit up straighter. I was seven. School was on break, and Daddy brought me

old me, patting the wooden benc

I can see

y meant to listen. But the longer I sat there, the louder the silence got. And

off the ben

iked that smell. It made everything feel clean and expensive. The boss's office was ahea

I

carpet, dark wood furniture, and sunlight pouring in like honey through the tall glass win

ar the leather chair.

hing with a rope around it. It felt smooth and warm from the

are. It wasn't a toy, but it looked impor

ing over my head. The plastic piece

ed around. No

d around and walked out l

s all i

hiny

eless

hat, my life wa

tarted... even before I ever

where I sat on the bench, my legs now swinging nervously. My juice box had gone warm in my hand, but I didn'

oss raise his voice b

ro Cruz growled."That I would hide it? The

meone in your house took it. Or you mispl

o De

ing, the kind of man who smiled without his eyes. Daddy had told me to av

om... and the house felt lik

y estate and accuse me

," Angelo snapped back. "I had men waiting

talking about. Just three letters on a s

d. Something hea

gerous way. "And I don't give a damn if it was your men

le

ro muttered, lower now. "Who

"Cleaner finished just after ten. Then

fr

d sideways. I c

ce turned cold

le one. A

silence like thunder. "No. She did

t she?" Angelo hissed. "She's

r here," Case

arted, but the door

came

h big arms and

lutched the string around my neck, where the sm

es turned to me. My father stood across the table

wasn't even human. "Show us

e floor," I whispered.

he sn

y eyes as I p

ps. Everywhe

from my trembling hands and stared at it l

I whispered. "

ed at m

hing in D

said quietly. "I did

was listeni

oke for a

lowly, eyes scanning its surface like he expected it to confess something. Beside

s eyes lifted

k into my office... take t

shaking. "She thought it was a to

o you know what's on this drive? Goldmine coordinates. Access points. Routes that to

her said again, louder

e handed thi

did

ze him anymore. "You were meant to guard th

ld," he said

t. No warning. No yelling. Just a q

fr

me, arms wide. "Please. I'll take whatev

punishment already began wh

t betray

didn'

the gun-

too loud, too fast. My ears rang. My visio

umbled b

n f

ame before he eve

a t

a fo

h shot, I w

y jerked once, then went still. Blood spread beneath him, pooling i

en, staring and

addy-" My voice cracked.

Not the bosses. Not even the o

d to Angelo. "

like nothing had happ

hat, they w

e ones with names that

father's blood, grabbing the edge of his jack

r would

ght, I

oise. Not

with blood o

her father di