Chapter 5

"Leave it playing," I said.

Lila kept her hands in her lap. My husband's voice had ended, but the alarm continued. Underneath it, something struck metal three times.

I knew the sound. I had made it with the base of a chair against the archive door.

The room tilted. I looked at the club carpet, counting the blue lines until the edges of the table stopped moving. Lila started to speak, and I held up one hand. I needed to hear what followed my husband's decision.

Rusk asked whether he should bring the papers. Adrian said to leave them. Then…