I held the sealed envelope against my chest, my heart racing.

The shadow of a person appeared on the wall outside the vault door.

The shadow elongated, stretching across the polished marble floor of the vault entryway.

I slipped the thick envelope behind my back, pressing it against the cold metal of the safety deposit box.

Nathan shifted his weight, putting himself between me and the doorway.

“Stay behind me, Emily,” he murmured, his voice barely a breath.

The heels of Eleanor’s designer shoes clicked sharply against the stone.

She appeared in the doorway, her silk scarf slightly askew, her eyes instantly locking onto the metal box on the table.

Two men in dark suits stood just behind her in the hallway, their faces expressionless.

“Nathan,” Eleanor said, her voice dropping to a cold, controlled register. “I knew you would try something this foolish.”

“How did you find us, Mother?” Nathan asked.

“I have eyes at every branch of this bank, and your car is hard to miss,” she said, stepping into the small room.

The air in the vault suddenly felt heavy and thin.