Two weeks passed without another lead, the surveillance company running into the same dead ends the shell company had, and the waiting wore on both of them in different ways. Alexander buried himself deeper in the study, staying up later, reviewing the same documents over and over like he might find something new in them if he just looked hard enough. Elena found herself watching him more carefully now, worried in a way she hadn't let herself be before.
She found him in the garden one night, later than usual, sitting on the edge of the old stone fountain instead of walking his careful circles around it. He looked tired in a way that had nothing to do with the late hour.
"You should be asleep," Elena said, sitting down beside him.
"So should you."
"I couldn't."
"Neither could I." He gl
