I stood before 875 Third Avenue, my reflection fractured across its glass façade like the pieces of the lie I was about to tell. The building reached toward a sky heavy with unshed rain, just as the weight of deception pressed against my chest. I smoothed my dress and tried to remember why I had thought this masquerade would work. But I knew. The dead man had told me so.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5pe4pWjK1
The revolving door spun me into a lobby of polished stone and security barriers. Men and women with purpose in their steps and wealth in their wardrobes streamed past me, parting around my hesitation like water around a stone. I clutched my handbag tighter.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsR59s40kM
“Summer & Associates,” I told the security guard. “Twenty-first floor.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhlbnZUaaK
He barely glanced at me before waving me through to the elevator bank. Perhaps my new dress was more convincing than I’d thought. Or perhaps he simply didn’t care who went up, only who came down.
In the elevator, I stood among strangers who smelled of coffee and ambition. As we ascended, the crowd thinned, until I was alone by the fifteenth floor. I used the mirrored doors to check my appearance once more, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, adjusting my posture to mimic the straight-backed confidence of the women I’d observed in the lobby.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMQEdNdhd0
The woman reflected back at me was a stranger—professional, composed, possibly even someone who might catch the eye of a centenarian billionaire. I’d never been a good liar, but today, I needed to become excellent at it.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTwJf4zuNG
“You look perfectly adequate,” came Mister B.’s voice, faint as a breeze through autumn leaves. He materialized partially in the reflection, a smudge of presence rather than a clear figure.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyq4cpmkGiY
I didn’t respond. The last thing I needed was to be caught talking to empty air.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JU0bDvX4Z
The elevator announced the twenty-first floor with a discreet chime that somehow managed to sound expensive. When the doors parted, I stepped into an anteroom designed both to impress and intimidate. Cream marble floors stretched beneath my feet, cool and flawless. Walnut paneling lined the walls, interrupted by abstract paintings that resembled nothing so much as money set on fire and framed. The air smelled of orchids and power.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoipkYEzFbL
Behind a curved desk of matching walnut sat a receptionist whose appearance suggested she’d been hired to complement the decor—sleek, beautiful, and utterly without warmth. Her blonde hair was twisted into a knot so perfect it seemed painful.
“May I help you?” she asked, her eyes performing a swift inventory of my worth.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eCQRhi7U3
“I’d like to see Mr. Edward Summer,” I said, my voice steadier than I’d expected. “My name is Rahel Vega. I don’t have an appointment, but it concerns Seamus Green.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbJFntqNt1
I watched her face as I spoke the name. Her expression didn’t change, but something flickered in her eyes—recognition, certainly, but also something else. Wariness, perhaps.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqiQ7tvIvf
“Mr. Summer is quite busy today,” she said, fingers hovering over her keyboard. “May I ask what this is regarding specifically?”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPGrfmvYJ5
I leaned forward slightly, lowering my voice to create artificial intimacy. “Please tell him it’s a personal matter concerning Mr. Green and myself. He’ll want to see me.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjuMtE0SWe
She hesitated, her perfect eyebrows drawing together for just a moment before smoothing back into professional placidity. Then she picked up her phone, turning slightly away as she spoke in tones too quiet for me to hear. When she replaced the receiver, her smile didn’t reach her eyes.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5sOqXhbm6
“Please have a seat. Mr. Summer will be with you shortly.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8E9wr8X7L
I chose a leather armchair positioned to observe both the reception desk and the hallway beyond. The chair was designed to look comfortable while ensuring visitors remained alert and slightly off-balance—too low, too soft in the wrong places. I sat straight, crossing my ankles rather than my legs, and placed my handbag precisely beside me. I resisted the urge to check my phone or fidget with my hair, maintaining the façade of someone accustomed to wealth and power. Someone who might have caught Seamus Green’s eye.
The minutes stretched. I counted them silently, watching the receptionist pretend not to watch me. On the wall opposite, a clock with no numbers and hands so thin they were almost invisible marked time with soft, expensive clicks.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxkKDnPmuB
Exactly twelve minutes later, a door opened down the hallway. A man appeared, walking toward me with measured steps. Edward Summer matched his surroundings perfectly—expensive without being flashy, authoritative without being imposing. In his early sixties, with silver hair and shrewd eyes behind designer frames, he wore his tailored suit like armor and his practiced smile like a weapon.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡta81q9s4Kn
“Ms. Vega,” he said, extending his hand. “Edward Summer. I understand you wish to discuss Seamus.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaq2PBA6iK
The use of the first name was deliberate, I realized. A test to see how I’d react, what I knew.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptAbksuIWI
“Yes,” I replied, rising to shake his hand. His grip was firm but not aggressive. “Thank you for seeing me without an appointment, Edward. I wouldn’t have come if it weren’t important.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hqMEfpvK2
A flicker of surprise at my reciprocal familiarity crossed his face, there and gone in an instant. Good.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVCeve3TZC
“Of course. Please, come to my office.” He gestured toward the hallway, studying me with barely concealed curiosity.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1kO49PYOC
I followed him through a labyrinth of corridors, past glass-walled offices where associates and paralegals glanced up briefly from their work before returning to their screens and documents. Summer walked with the easy confidence of a man who knew exactly how much his time was worth.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbEFPwNTyk
His corner office was a throne room disguised as a workspace. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered panoramic views of Manhattan, the city spread out below like a scale model of power and commerce. One wall held shelves of leather-bound law books that looked both expensive and untouched. Another displayed framed credentials and photographs of Summer with various dignitaries—former presidents, Supreme Court justices, celebrities whose wealth required careful management.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUs8dZA4IJ
“Please, sit,” he said, indicating a seating area with leather chairs arranged around a glass coffee table. Not the desk. Interesting.
I chose a seat that put my back to the windows rather than being silhouetted against the cityscape. I wanted to see his face clearly when we spoke.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkz7a5JCyI9
Summer settled opposite me, crossing one leg over the other, arranging himself with practiced ease. “Now, Ms. Vega. You mentioned Seamus Green. May I ask your relationship to my late client?”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNw6mAjNlb
The moment of truth. I met his gaze directly, channeling all my conviction into the lie I was about to tell.
“I was Seamus’s companion,” I said, the rehearsed phrase rolling off my tongue more naturally than expected. “His mistress, to be blunt.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyLMkFfnFk
Summer’s expression remained neutral, but I caught the subtle tightening of his jaw, the slight narrowing of his eyes.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpsLpzc1wM
“I see,” he said, his tone revealing nothing. “And when exactly did this… companionship begin?”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34CkBkoRjz
“Three years ago,” I replied, adhering to the timeline I’d constructed. “We met at the Whitney Museum Gala. October 2022.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKkh2svsto
Summer’s eyebrow rose slightly. “Seamus was ninety-nine at the time.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVCcn78IHn
I didn’t flinch. “Age was never relevant to our connection,” I countered smoothly. “Seamus had a brilliant mind and a remarkable perspective. Our relationship began intellectually and evolved into something more personal.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtn5jt4VGnq
“How interesting.” His tone suggested skepticism rather than belief. “And you’ve come to me now because…?”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6s1WawBz3
I took a calculated breath, feeling a cold drop of sweat trace its way down my spine beneath my dress. “Before he died, he told me that if something happens to him, I should seek a conversation with you. He told me to give you a code: 11-65-87-19.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8ufUiJoMP
The change was subtle but unmistakable. Summer’s posture stiffened. His eyes narrowed fractionally. His right hand, which had been resting loosely on the arm of his chair, tightened its grip.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9SaRUikJ7
“And did he mention what this code might unlock?” His voice was carefully modulated now, professional interest masking something deeper.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhlLfW0dBK
“No,” I admitted. “But he also said that he was afraid somebody might try to kill him.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbLjqfYX1l
For a moment, silence hung in the opulent office. Summer studied me with new intensity, as if seeing me properly for the first time.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1EPCHvbme
“Well,” he said finally, rising from his chair. “This is certainly unexpected.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPtnvdP7oL
He moved to his desk, pressed a button on his phone. “Margaret, please hold all my calls and appointments for the next hour.” He returned to face me, expression unreadable.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5C0iz1Okv
“Ms. Vega, I’ve been practicing law for thirty-eight years. In that time, I’ve heard my share of outlandish claims from people seeking a portion of wealthy estates.” He paused, the silence heavy with implication. “But none quite like yours.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3I2MnzXGf1
I maintained my composure, waiting. Summer walked to a painting on the far wall—an original Rothko, its soft-edged rectangles of color seeming to pulse against the cream wall. He swung it aside, revealing a wall safe. With his body positioned to block my view, he entered a combination. The safe door opened with a soft click.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYnQhqndUQ
From inside, he removed a slim metal case, bringing it back to the seating area.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzgV5XcKfA
“I’m not entirely sure what to make of you, Ms. Vega,” he said, settling back into his chair. “But those numbers… they’re not public knowledge.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSDw1ZwXU2
He opened the case, revealing a sleek laptop. “Seamus Green was a peculiar man. Brilliant, but peculiar. He left certain… contingency plans in place.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4XqoGzC4V
The laptop powered on, displaying a prompt for a password. Summer entered the numbers from my dream: 11-65-87-19. The screen changed, revealing a video file labeled simply: “In the event of questions.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQ4FsIWOVv
Summer looked up at me, eyes calculating. “Whatever your actual relationship with Seamus, it appears he wanted you to see this.” He turned the laptop to face me and pressed play.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cTRq3LOVQ
My heart hammered against my ribs. I didn’t know what I’d see, what secrets the dead man had left behind. But I knew with terrible certainty that whatever appeared on that screen would change everything. The game I was playing had just become infinitely more dangerous—and there was no turning back.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKL7ZR2g9t
The screen flickered, static giving way to the image of an old man seated in a leather chair. Behind him stood shelves of books—the same shelves, the same books, the same chair from my dream. My mouth went dry. The man before me was both familiar and strange, like a photograph of someone I’d only ever seen in a mirror. Seamus Green sat straighter than a man of 102 years had any right to, though his hands trembled slightly against the leather armrests. His eyes, however, burned with clarity, as if death was a distant rumor he’d chosen to ignore.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtXsNSOorS
I forced myself to breathe normally, to not reveal the shock of recognition coursing through me. The timestamp in the corner read 01/12/2024—just two weeks before his death.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7DSnHUU5O
“If you’re viewing this recording,” he began, voice thin but clear as winter air, “then someone has questioned my final arrangements. I anticipated this possibility.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8QJcI6kNv
I glanced at Summer, whose attention remained fixed on the screen, expression unreadable. He showed no surprise at the content, which meant he’d viewed it before. I wondered what he’d thought when I’d walked into his office spouting numbers I shouldn’t have known.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡguUfA3qVSA
“I, Seamus Patrick Green, being of sound mind though admittedly failing body, record this statement as a supplement to my written will, dated December 1, 2024.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7f1mtLzhB3
Seamus adjusted his position, wincing slightly as if in pain. Even through the screen, I could sense his discomfort—not just physical, but something deeper. Anxiety, perhaps. Or fear.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEu6JUG513
“For months now, I’ve suspected someone in my family has been attempting to manipulate me—particularly regarding the disposition of my estate. I cannot prove who is responsible, and who may influence said person to act this way, but the pattern is unmistakable.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQozLW6l7z
I leaned forward, pulse quickening. This aligned precisely with what Jason had told me—that something felt wrong about his grandfather’s will. That his aunt Aurelia had somehow engineered his disinheritance.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeUHEBeh7X
“Mysterious changes to documents I’ve signed. Conversations I’m told I’ve had but cannot recall. Medications that leave me disoriented when I’ve previously been lucid.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlbWDCgWUw
Seamus’s eyes narrowed, wrinkles deepening around them like dried riverbeds. “Someone wants control of my fortune and doesn’t wish to wait for nature to take its course.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHB2IttS8u
He paused, took a sip of water from a glass beside him. I could hear the slight tremor in his throat as he swallowed. Summer shifted in his seat, watching my reaction carefully. Testing me, still.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKUOO2HfuK
“I want to address the matter of my grandson Jason Green.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTL7C2Z4bqa
I tensed, careful not to show too much interest. According to Jason, he’d been unexpectedly cut from the will after years of being assured he’d be provided for.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfN3q9KGze
“For the past six months,” Seamus continued, “I have privately funded Jason’s rehabilitation efforts without the family’s knowledge. I have established a separate trust for him—documentation held by Edward Summer—that will activate when Jason maintains sobriety for six consecutive months.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOBuFRUETz
My heart pounded so loudly I feared Summer might hear it. This confirmed everything Jason had told me—and contradicted the official will that had left him nothing.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf03QcNnFOD
“If Jason is viewing this,” Seamus said, his voice softening, “know that I have not given up on you, boy. Your struggle is not weakness—it’s an illness. One I believe you can overcome.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizr1Yi7S22
I felt a sudden, unwelcome heat behind my eyes. I hadn’t expected compassion from this man I’d never truly met. I blinked away the threat of tears, maintaining my masquerade of the calculating mistress with practiced indifference.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW68tfnqNox
Seamus straightened, professional demeanor returning. “There is one other matter I wish to address. In recent months, I have consulted with an individual possessing certain… unconventional insights. A tarot reader and reiki master of considerable skill.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvAgQ2Snld
My breath caught. In my dream, Seamus had claimed to know of my abilities, but I’d assumed it was just the dream’s internal logic.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcGLcfJSMy
“This consultant warned me of ‘death in the house’—a warning I initially dismissed.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bK2p18JmM
Seamus’s expression darkened, the lines of his face shifting from dignity to something closer to dread. “Recent events have caused me to reconsider this warning. As a precaution, I have installed recording devices throughout my residence. The footage is stored securely and remotely.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmduzQDEO1
He glanced at something off-camera before continuing, his gaze returning with renewed intensity. “Edward has access to this footage. If my death occurs under anything other than clearly natural circumstances, I instruct him to provide these recordings to investigators—official or otherwise—who may help determine what truly occurred.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7Cn5wdhiw
I felt Summer’s eyes on me, measuring my reactions against some internal standard I couldn’t guess at. I maintained my performance of interested concern, hiding the depths of my growing unease. The dead man on the screen had prepared for his own murder. Had sought supernatural guidance. Had somehow reached across the veil to pull me into his posthumous plans.
Seamus leaned back, suddenly looking every one of his 102 years. The weight of centuries seemed to press down on his shoulders, bending him toward the earth that would soon claim him.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99N6NZDzby
“I don’t know if my suspicions are justified or merely the paranoia of an old man who’s lived too long. But I’ve not survived a century by ignoring my instincts.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq28CHlfYkK
His gaze seemed to fix directly on me, though logically I knew he couldn’t have been looking at me when recording. Yet the sensation of being seen—truly seen—crawled across my skin like electricity.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVHZZdYfoG
“To whoever is watching this—if you seek the truth about my passing, look carefully at those who profit from it. And remember that not all inheritance is measured in dollars.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEwrKsS9j3
He leaned closer to the camera, his voice dropping to almost a whisper. “To my lawyer Edward Summer, if I have died from anything other than pure natural causes, please consider it my last will that all that I own at the time of my death will be transferred to my grandson Jason Green’s trustfund, as he is the only one I, as well as my spiritual teacher, consider to have genuine, pure and good intentions for his old grandfather.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDsV4STLKS
The video froze on Seamus’s face, his eyes still seeming to peer directly into mine, then faded to black. For several seconds, neither Summer nor I spoke. The weight of Seamus’s words hung between us in the silent office, heavy as unspoken accusations.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxofzfKlHA
Finally, Summer closed the laptop with a soft click that seemed to break the spell. “Well,” he said, studying me with new consideration. “It appears Seamus anticipated this conversation.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqJ1EwRJBM
“He mentioned a tarot reader,” I said carefully, knowing I needed to maintain my cover while pursuing this new thread. “It wasn’t me.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3mGEx1tXM
“I didn’t think it was,” Summer replied, his tone suggesting nothing yet revealing everything. “The consultant he referenced was a man named Markus. I don’t know his last name, and unfortunately, I’ve forgotten the URL of his website. You may find it at the last page of this book.” He gestured vaguely at one of the leather-bound volumes on his shelf. “Anyways, I’ve met him—unusual fellow.”
I filed the name away for future reference. Another piece slotting into place in this puzzle I’d never asked to solve. “Mr. Summer, the video mentioned footage from Seamus’s residence.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYncgUpYWS
Summer nodded slowly, weighing his words before speaking. “Yes. And here we reach a complicated juncture.” He steepled his fingers, pressing them against his lips momentarily. “According to the legal ethics that govern my profession, I should not share that footage without proper authorization or legal process.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DUEIJrPaM
He studied me, calculation evident in his expression. “However, Seamus’s instructions in this video create certain… ambiguities. He specifically mentions ‘investigators—official or otherwise.’”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIPNQ5t7Jb
Summer’s mouth quirked slightly. “A deliberately crafted loophole, knowing Seamus.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTGHouBB5C
“And which category do you believe I fall into?” I asked, leaning forward slightly.
Summer removed his glasses, polishing them methodically with a microfiber cloth from his pocket. Without them, his eyes seemed smaller, more vulnerable. More human.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfotujx4and
“That’s the question, isn’t it? Who exactly are you, Ms. Vega?”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8ET8uxVtU
The moment stretched between us, heavy with implication. I could feel my lie stretched to its breaking point. One wrong word and it would snap, leaving me exposed.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuPGXIpDr5b
“I’m his mistress, trying to discover the truth about Seamus Green’s death,” I said finally, doubling down on my deception while offering a version of truth. I was seeking the truth of his death, just not for the reasons I claimed.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQjV7FswAP
Summer replaced his glasses, his gaze once again sharp and assessing. “I knew Seamus for over thirty years. He was… unconventional, but possessed of remarkable insight.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAg7EcXPby
He shook his head slightly, a gesture that seemed more private rumination than communication. “If he arranged for you to give those numbers, to see this video… he had his reasons.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfToYYETCoi
He returned to his desk, opened a drawer, and removed a small object—a USB drive in a protective case. “The security footage,” he said, holding it up. “Three weeks’ worth, ending the day of Seamus’s death.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dRrfg5fna
He did not immediately offer it to me, turning it over in his fingers like a coin he couldn’t decide whether to spend.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZCE3oJWNl
“I should warn you,” he continued, “what you may see on this footage might be disturbing. And yet, it proves nothing that would stand up in court. Nothing that would challenge the official finding of natural causes.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6wNwK8NPs
“But?” I prompted, sensing the unspoken qualification.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOfLT1y0mU
“But Seamus didn’t trust coincidences,” Summer said, his voice taking on a note of something I couldn’t quite identify—perhaps respect, perhaps fear. “Neither do I.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSBt0OOHIX
I met his gaze, feeling the weight of unseen forces converging around us. The dead man’s plan unfolding like a chess game where half the pieces were invisible. Summer was testing me still, but I sensed he’d already made his decision. He wanted me to have the footage. Wanted me to see what he’d seen.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkhqBAPwfJ
Something in my reflection must have satisfied him, because he nodded once, decisively.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuzrb5JffrA
Summer still held the USB drive between his fingers, turning it slowly as if testing its weight against my trustworthiness. Light caught on its metal connector, flashing like a warning. I watched his face, trying to read the calculations happening behind his eyes. He’d already revealed more than professional ethics would typically allow. I wondered what battle was being waged in that careful mind—duty against curiosity, perhaps. Or maybe something darker, something that had troubled his sleep since he’d first viewed whatever waited on that small plastic rectangle.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWg5H9UMUh
“This contains approximately five hundred hours of footage from various locations in Seamus’s residence,” he explained, his voice carrying the measured precision of a man choosing each word like ammunition. “Living areas, hallways, his study. Nothing from bedrooms or bathrooms—Seamus had boundaries, even in his paranoia.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzIdGIsSq1
I remained silent, sensing that interrupting might disrupt whatever internal debate Summer was conducting. The afternoon light through the windows had shifted, painting the office in lengthening shadows.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUUehWdQHs
“The cameras were installed discreetly. No one in the household knew they existed.” Summer’s expression grew troubled, lines deepening around his mouth. “Though I questioned the ethics of such surveillance, Seamus insisted it was necessary.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1Mhv3jLmk
He rose, pacing slowly before the windows, Manhattan spread below like a three-dimensional map of power and ambition. His reflection floated over the city, a specter of authority.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtL0bSLlfZ4
“You understand my position is delicate,” he continued, hands clasped behind his back. “As executor of Seamus’s estate, I have certain fiduciary responsibilities. As his attorney, I remain bound by confidentiality, even after his death.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjfkHCUoJB
“Yet Seamus clearly wanted this footage reviewed,” I observed, keeping my voice neutral while watching his reflection for reactions.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05i7A8zvr1
Summer turned to face me. “You still haven’t explained how you came to possess that specific code. The numbers that unlocked the video.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mNIeepkTX
I maintained my composure, committed to my role. The lie had become almost comfortable now, wrapping around me like a coat borrowed against the cold. “Seamus shared many things with me, Mr. Summer. Personal matters. Security measures. He was… cautious in his final months.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkGF2wo8DO
“And he trusted you with such sensitive information?” Summer’s tone wasn’t accusatory, merely curious—a lawyer probing for inconsistencies in testimony.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWa2j4Ncrtv
“Our relationship was built on trust,” I replied, the falsehood flowing naturally now. “Seamus knew I had no interest in his wealth. Only in him.”
A half-truth, at least. I had no interest in his money. Only in the truth of what happened to him, and why he’d reached across the barrier of death to pull me into his family’s secrets.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgH3kA0Gpun
Summer studied me with careful consideration before nodding slowly. “He was a good judge of character. Always has been.” He pushed the USB drive toward me across the glass table. “Which brings us to this.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOqOtWQ1Vd
I didn’t immediately take it. The drive seemed to pulse with dangerous potential, like a vial of poison or a loaded gun. “You still haven’t said why you’re willing to give me this.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvh5dCBzgL
“Because,” Summer said with a slight smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “Seamus clearly wanted you to have it. He gave you the code, after all.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCMT2TjGbe
We both knew he was acknowledging the hole in my story while choosing to ignore it. Whatever game Seamus had set in motion, Summer had decided to play along.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HLptLVYDM
I reached for the USB drive, my fingers closing around it. Its edges pressed against my palm, sharp despite their smoothness.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhy6Ni20xtM
“One last thing,” Summer said, his voice lowering as if concerned about being overheard in his own office. “There are… unusual elements in this footage. Things that defy conventional explanation.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyZ12LUpAz
A chill crawled down my spine. “What things?”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjvSQxoMTM
“I think it’s better you see for yourself,” Summer replied, his eyes steady on mine. “But I will say this: Aurelia Green appears in many of the recordings. Her behavior is… concerning.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnsR8oj6Id
“Concerning how?” My voice remained even despite the quickening of my pulse.
Summer hesitated, fingers drumming once against the arm of his chair before going still. “See for yourself. And how you interpret it is your affair.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLRrQjylxC
He rose, indicating our meeting was concluding. I stood as well, smoothing my dress with my free hand while the other held the USB drive like a talisman.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkcF5Ukp84
“One more question,” I said, reluctant to leave with so many mysteries still unresolved. “The trust for Jason—is it still valid? Despite the written will excluding him?”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLu5JLIMCy
Summer’s posture relaxed slightly, relieved perhaps to be back on firmer legal ground. “The trust exists as a separate legal entity,” he confirmed. “It remains in force, contingent on the sobriety requirement Seamus specified.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JVFT3Y0N7
“And how would Jason prove six months of sobriety?”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIGHiEXmBq
“Monthly testing at a facility of my choosing,” Summer replied, his tone now purely professional. “Documented results submitted directly to me. The clock would begin when Jason initiates the process.” He adjusted his glasses slightly. “But as there is no such passage in the last will, Jason doesn’t know about it yet.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hr1KOHKbY
I nodded, tucking the USB drive securely into my purse. The weight of it seemed to pull the bag down, heavier than its physical presence should allow. “Thank you, Mr. Summer.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmPjcJl3hQ
“Don’t thank me yet, Ms. Vega.” His expression was grave, the late afternoon light casting deep shadows across his features. “Whatever you discover on that drive may raise more questions than it answers. And some questions, once asked, cannot be unasked.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28JV5cpKo2
As Summer escorted me back through the labyrinthine office, I felt the weight of watching eyes—not just from the associates we passed, but something else. Something colder. In the hushed atmosphere of wealth and privilege, my footsteps seemed too loud, my presence an intrusion in this temple of power.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aSHKmdJYx
At the reception area, Summer shook my hand formally. “I assume I’ll be hearing from you again.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyzfhPbUoz
“Most likely,” I agreed, meeting his gaze directly.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0xDFBpT1A
“Then I’ll leave you with this observation,” he said, voice pitched for my ears alone. “Seamus once told me that true power doesn’t always wear an obvious face. Sometimes it lurks in shadows, speaking through others. Keep that in mind as you watch.”61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2dwB9Nijh
Before I could ask what he meant, Summer had turned and disappeared back into the inner sanctum of his domain, leaving me with cryptic words and five hundred hours of footage to review. The receptionist watched me with renewed curiosity, perhaps wondering what I’d said or done to earn an hour of Summer’s precious time. I nodded to her as I passed, maintaining my façade of belonging until the elevator doors closed around me.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoJ6AMZzbl
Alone in the descending car, I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My reflection in the polished doors looked strange to me now—a woman playing a part in a story whose plot she didn’t understand. The USB drive in my bag seemed to pulse with secrets, with truths I wasn’t sure I wanted to uncover.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CpaRw2yZX
“Interesting meeting,” came Mister B.’s voice, quiet as a thought.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSKyMjfDRg
I didn’t answer. Not yet. Not here.
The lobby swallowed me back into the stream of humanity. I moved through the revolving door and into the cooling afternoon, where shadows stretched long across the sidewalk. The sky had darkened further, promising rain that hadn’t yet fallen.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fUJFiHhzR
I hailed a cab, giving the driver my address. As we pulled away from the curb, I glanced back at 875 Third Avenue. Summer’s office was too high to see from street level, but I felt watched nonetheless. Something had been set in motion today, something I didn’t fully understand.61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4xdL79LNv
The dead man had plans for me still. And somewhere in five hundred hours of footage, I would find out what they were.
61Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrVaGSzqmA
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