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I had a meeting with them this weekend to review the video game demo and the status of The Trogyn investigation. Perhaps I could give them some details, but not everything. I could discuss this with Vanessa so our stories matched up.

The simpler we made this marriage, the easier it would be to end it. We only needed professional photos to disperse to the media. My plan for the marriage and honeymoon shifted in my head. Perhaps we could escape to one of my vacation homes and get married there? God knew my body had been desperate for a vacation. I could bring my laptop to get some work done.

That’s not a vacation.

Yeah, but it was a fake honeymoon. She would probably do something on her own, so I might as well make the best use of my time.

I had to investigate my wife’s history. How had she killed a man? What was the circumstance? Though I didn’t know her well enough yet, I knew she wasn’t a killer. What had happened to her on that day—that moment?

From my experience, when someone was pushed into a corner, survival mode kicked in, and the person could turn into a monster in an instant. He could kill at that moment. I’d been there, so I understood what it felt like. The day those fuckers swarmed me, I wanted to kill them, but my leg and my wrist were broken. If I’d had the energy, I would have killed them. The second time I felt helpless was when I saw my house burned to cinders on the news. The desire for vengeance clawed through my heart.

Where the fuck was Ashton?

I walked down the arched hallway toward my office.

“Are you okay?”

A voice yanked me out of my reverie, and I turned around to see Agnes, the sixty-five-year-old maintenance manager of the museum. She had sharp brown eyes and wore the museum’sgray uniform. Her brown hair was tied back into a short ponytail.

“Hi.” I walked over. “Sorry I didn’t see you.”

She offered a warm smile—one that had gotten me through difficult times. Agnes was another friend of my mom’s. They met through a Lunch Lady Club that exchanged clothes, food, and other necessities. Lunch moms made little money, so they shared what they could. Agnes worked at a different school, but I remembered meeting her a few times while grocery shopping with my mom.

When Agnes applied for the museum job, I hired her immediately. Agnes wasn’t married and lived by herself. She should have retired, but she claimed to love working at the museum so much that she wasn’t ready to leave. She knew the museum's layout by heart.

“Everything okay?” She considered me. “Got a minute? You look like you need some tea and conversation.”

“Aren’t you heading out?” I gestured to her shoulder bag.

“Yes, but I haven’t seen you lately, and I’m worried about you.”

“Nothing to worry about.” I smiled. “Sure, let’s chat.”

We walked to the museum café and got tea and cookies. We sat at a table overlooking the new indoor garden. The bamboo, trees, and plants came from Forrest’s farms.

I sipped my green tea, which was supplied by Forrest’s herbal company. “I know I don’t say this often, but thank you for making sure the museum is always looking top-notch.”

Her brown eyes beamed as she glanced around. “Thank you for offering me the job. This is a fantastic museum. The best one.” She bit into her cookie.

“Mount Museum is small compared to the other museums in the country.”

“It’s not about size, Attikus. It’s about what you offer and what you stand for. I’ve visited a lot of museums and have met several of their employees.” She bit into her cookie, chewed, and swallowed. “The owners aren’t as involved as you. You take pride in this museum. It’s your passion. It’s not just a business that makes money.”

“Thanks. That means a lot to me.”

“Your parents would’ve been so proud of you.” She placed a hand over mine.

“I’m very lucky to be surrounded by genuine people—you and Joseph.” Concern for him surfaced. “I need to follow up with Detective Farmer about his case.”

“He’s been gone for over a month without a trace.” Anxiety stretched her face. “I wasn’t working that day. I had a doctor’s appointment. I wish I’d been around. Maybe I would’ve seen something.”

“We’ll find him. Just let the staff know we won’t stop looking for him.”

Like Agnes, Joseph lived alone and was a dedicated employee.

“It’s bizarre how he just vanished,” she said. “He didn’t mention going on vacation or anything.”

“We checked his apartment. His luggage is still at home. I’ll look at the recording again. Maybe I missed something.”