~ Gideon ~
The silence in Moore Crest was no longer a sanctuary. It was a weight. I stood in the center of my bedroom, but I could not sit down. My suit jacket felt too tight, even though I had already loosened my tie. The air in the east wing was too thin, and the west wing felt like a tomb. I walked toward the hallway. My feet moved without a plan. I ended up in front of the doors to the private study my mother used when she stayed here. The door was slightly open. A sliver of light from the hallway hit the dark wood of her desk.
I walked inside. The room smelled like her cloying rose perfume. I looked at the desk. It was usually empty, but tonight a single blue folder sat in the center. I did not know how it got there. Maribel was gone. The new staff was quiet. I reached out and touch
