Five Audited Bank Receipts Proved What Julian Had Done Before Noah Was Born

I stood up slowly, gripping the edge of the carved wooden bench until the cramp in my right calf eased.

I walked into the master bathroom and closed the door without turning on the overhead light, leaving only the little nightlight glowing by the sink.

I looked into the bathroom mirror at my pale face in the yellow glow.

My left hand was shaking against the cool porcelain basin, so I pressed my left thumb hard into my palm until the sharp ache made my breathing slow down.

By eight o’clock the next morning, I sat across from Chloe Park in her storefront office on Market Street.