hallway. The air was still and cool, smelling of lemon polish

your room, M

in Ohio. A massive four-poster bed dominated the space, draped in heavy, joyless damask.

noted the position of the windows, the thickness of the walls, the potenti

to the room, a sheaf of papers in her hand, her expression one of

erine stated, not asked. "The wife of a Sterling

urse, Mrs. Sterling." She was a chameleon, blending into

ale's daily care regimen. From this day forwar

inute. Hourly repositioning to prevent bedsores. Twice-daily passive range-of-motion exe

lips. This was not about care. It was about contro

sort of faith, "believes that the constant, close proximity of a wife can generate

d of nonsense rich people bought when science failed them. But for Phoenix, this supersti

tion shine in her eyes. "For Cale," she said, her voic

der woman gave a curt nod, a flicker of approval in

s she paused at the door. "Do not entertain any foolish ideas. You are here fo

leaving Phoenix alone

houlders straightened. Her chin lifted. Her eyes, once downcast, were now shar

ft twist, she separated it into two pieces. One end was a standard pin. The

smoke detector. The electrical outlets. The baseboards. She mo

tor remai

The room

g family hadn't even bothered to bug the room of the little country mouse they'd brought i

lawns two stories below. She calculated the drop, the angle, the time it would ta

agazines. Silks and cashmeres hung in silent, colorful rows, a life that wasn't hers. She ra

ced her into Cale's space, gave her a reason to touch him, to observe him, to find the truth. She had to be certain

d, the events of the day replaying in her mind. The feel of hi

ing that something was wrong. But logic was a stubborn barrier. How could a man in

signed her. She would be the devoted, caring wife

, Cale Sterling, she thought, as dar

he faint sounds of the old house, every creak and groan a piece of new intellig