Becky’s POV
Every step I took appeared to count down from the corridor walls closing in on me. Alone, Paul's last words — "Be careful"—kept running in my head like a mantra. Though I understood he was concerned, I also understood this was the only way. We had to separate to locate Joan, and even though anxiety tore at my nerves, I persisted.
Heart pumping with every creak of the old mansion, I moved slowly, gazing into the rooms. Joan seemed to be both here and elsewhere at once. The deeper I descended, the more I understood how unfit I was in this world of wealth and dishonesty.
A door opening down the hall suddenly disturbed the quiet. I pushed myself up against the wall and listened attentively. The gentle shuffling of feet got closer, but I had no idea whether it was a friend or an
