Victor Ashford.
The words refused to make sense.
I looked from the report…
To Julian…
Then back again.
“No.”
My voice was barely a whisper.
“That’s impossible.”
Julian leaned back in his chair.
“Is it?”
I shook my head.
“Victor has known me for only a few weeks.”
“He met you a few weeks ago.”
Julian corrected.
“Knowing you…”
He smiled thinly.
“…is another matter entirely.”
I stared at the report.
“This is fake.”
“I expected you’d say that.”
He slid another document across the desk.
A laboratory seal.
Chain-of-custody records.
Blood sample IDs.
Everything appeared authentic.
My stomach twisted.
⸻
“What do you want from me?”
I asked.
Julian folded his hands.
“The truth.”
“I’ve been asking you for that since the day we met.”
“And you’ve only been asking the wro
