Chapter 4

Four days later, Emily stood by the window, watching the morning light spread across the lawn outside.

Her phone lay on the table, its screen lit with a message from David: [Clearance for the records is ready. Meet me at the old City Hall archives at 3 p.m.]

She typed a reply: [Got it.]

Then she slipped the phone into her pocket, picked up her bag, and walked out.

The hallway was quiet. The rest of the family was likely still asleep or already out. Emily had kept her distance over the past few days, maintaining only polite detachment.

She…