Author's pov
The afternoon sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of a private estate in the foothills west of Denver.
A select group of women, the kind whose names regularly appeared in the society pages, lounged around a linen-draped table.
They sipped imported tea and picked at artisanal cheeses, their conversation a low, polished hum.
Yvonne stretched, savoring the feeling of being among people again. She'd been a recluse for over a week, declining every invitation since the Dahlia masquerade.
The strange events of that night, followed by their hostess's abrupt disappearance, had left a chill she couldn't shake. But even a socialite couldn't hibernate forever.
She'd chosen a powerful, brand-new Carolina Herrera dress and decided to rejoin the world.
"You simply must h
