He had a cup of black coffee in front of him, untouched.

I walked over and sat opposite him.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said. “I heard them.”

“I know,” he said. “Daniel is determined.”

“He wants me gone because of Dr. Vance,” I said.

“Yes,” Ethan said, looking down at his coffee. “Vance is the key to the whole expansion.”

“If Vance pulls his money, the company takes a massive hit.”

“But that is not why I am here,” Ethan said, looking up at me.

His eyes were bloodshot, filled with a sudden, sharp intensity.

“You believe them,” I said.

“No,” Ethan said. “I believe you.”

“And I believe Claire.”

He leaned forward across the laminated table.

“If Vance is this worried about you asking questions, he is hiding something.”

“Something about the night Claire died.”

“What are you going to do?” I asked.

“I am going to find out,” Ethan said.

“But Daniel will watch you,” I said. “He will watch me.”

“Then we have to be smart,” Ethan said.

“I cannot fire you, Grace.”

“But I have to make Daniel think I did.”