By Midnight

arrived, Sloane found hersel

looked different. Not younger, just colder. There w

ng on the bac

houghts louder tha

Not with your heart

into the off

ipping pancakes while Liam sat at the kitchen table,

bbling something out.

"Do you want blueberr

" he m

ret as

u're my siste

lucky I

thout looking

a few minutes before L

aring a wed

used m

ea

you get

mouth, buying t

t? To whom? You've been

s for

ou didn't even

t," she said sof

owed. "Is thi

"Well, not exactly. It's m

he n

e hes

t he wasn't cruel eithe

" she said. "But h

encil on the tabl

survi

on't care if he's rich. If he makes yo

ghed. "

me," he said quietly. "Yo

est ti

g me," she whispe

d it, she wasn't su

e envelope with the mysterious photo

through the

parking garage and took the private elev

eves rolled up, tie loosened, ha

up when sh

't text,"

n't ne

the envelope on his de

who tha

envelope. His eye

ession d

id you g

left at

wn slowly. "That ma

stuttered. "A

nroe Ventures. Former busi

rme

r were friends once. Unt

n't el

leave a mess

didn't

o the window and sta

t. The Astors and the Monroe's were aligned old money, famil

wasn'

as built on a facade. The wedding was s

happ

. No note. No trace. Just gone. Her family

d y

aid quietly. "For months

eel like there's something

"Because there is. But if I t

married to yo

he crossed the room and pulle

ded it

re photos. Rec

ly as she flipp

ots. Alyssa in various pl

dd

found

n. She was working under

images. "Why didn't

didn't want

did you

surfaced. I needed t

gaze. "And if s

n was

lence said

after sunset. Her head pou

alive If she

hy war

y

as she stepped

from a pri

t. Don't tell him. Corner

n

con

she

as A

th the glow of a flickering street lamp

avement. Her coat

tsteps b

quiet b

And if you don't walk away from Grayso