She shut the dark plastic cover fast with a loud snap that cut through the low hum of the coffee machine.

She twisted the thin gold ring on her right middle finger twice before tucking the tablet under her arm.

Garrett adjusted his silver wristwatch with his thumb and turned smoothly to face me with an easy smile.

“Morning, Dad,” Garrett said, his voice warm and measured.

“You’re up early for a Thursday.”

“I had some old files to go through,” I said, stopping three steps away from them in the corridor.

Valerie stepped past Garrett and handed him a folded white document she’d taken out of her folder.