The foyer was empty.

The smell of fresh coffee and expensive polish filled the air.

As I walked toward the main staircase, I heard voices coming from the library.

The heavy oak door was cracked open.

“It is a security risk, Ethan,” Daniel’s voice came through the gap, sharp and demanding.

I stopped, my boots silent on the runner.

“She is a stranger,” Daniel continued. “We know nothing about her background.”

“We know she can soothe them,” Ethan replied. “That is more than any nurse we’ve hired has done.”

“Because she is hiding something,” Daniel snapped.

I heard the sound of a glass being set down hard on a table.

“My team ran a preliminary check,” Daniel said. “There are years missing from her employment history. No references from her previous residences. It’s a black hole, Ethan.”

“She lost a child, Daniel,” Ethan said, his voice weary. “She took time off. It is not a crime to grieve.”

“And what about before that?” Daniel asked. “My investigator is pulling her older records now. The ones from Chicago.”

My breath caught in my throat.