I heard a sound behind me, footsteps on the stairs outside the main room.
My heart stopped.
Someone was coming.
The footsteps reached the third floor landing. The outer door opened.
I stood up quickly, my legs weak, still clutching Uncle Mario's folder in my hands. There was nowhere to hide, no way to pretend I wasn't exactly where I shouldn't be.
Heavy footsteps moved through Rafael's private room toward the hidden door.
A shadow fell across the opening.
Rafael stood there, silhouetted in the doorway. His face was unreadable in the harsh fluorescent light, but I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw was clenched tight.
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
"I—" I started, my voice shaking. "I can explain."
But the words died in my throat. How could I explain?
