His voice was cultured, calm.

“I don’t know,” a woman replied.

It was Nora.

Her voice was weak, trembling.

“You have been her housekeeper for twenty years,” the man said.

“You know where she keeps the papers.”

“She doesn’t keep them here,” Nora said.

“They are in the city.”

“The city office was cleared out this morning,” the man said.

“We found nothing.”

“Adrian is smarter than you,” Nora said.

“She knew you were coming.”

There was a sharp slapping sound.

Nora gasped.

“Do not insult my intelligence, Mrs. Carter,” the man said.

“We have the child.”

“If you want her to see the morning, you will tell me where the ledger is.”

I leaned against the wall, my fingers tightening on the rifle.

They wanted the ledger.

The ledger contained the names of every politician and developer Caleb had bribed over the last decade.

It was the foundation of my empire.

And it was the only thing keeping us alive.

“I don’t know,” Nora repeated, her voice cracking.

“Kill her,” the man said.

“We don’t need her anymore.”

I did not wait.