And that is what your little while actually looked like on the floor of this kitchen.”

Chapter 12 — Things Like Julian Vance

Wendy’s posture stiffened, and something desperate crept into her voice.

“I was delayed, all right?

Things — things came up.

It happens.”

“Things,” I said, “like Julian Vance?”

The color left her face so fast and so completely that for a moment I genuinely thought she might faint onto the tile.