Julian put on his jacket.
“You always make simple matters difficult.”
I stepped aside.
“Then go.”
He walked toward the door with Victoria.
At the threshold, he looked back.
“You have no idea who has been carrying you.”
Then the door closed.
I remained in the foyer until Chloe went upstairs.
Evelyn disappeared toward the dining room.
The house settled.
At 7:46, I went down to the wine cellar.
I stood before the old shelves and counted bottles I was not really seeing.
My hand stopped at an antique tequila bottle Evelyn had once been forbidden to touch because the bottle itself was older than the house.
I moved it.
Pressed my palm against the wood behind it.
The panel shifted.
A narrow elevator door appeared behind the wine rack.