(Reese)
The alarm went off at six and I reached for it before the second ring.
I'd slept better than I expected to. Not deeply but enough. I got up and showered and made coffee and moved through the morning routine without letting my head go anywhere it didn't need to go. That was the plan and I was sticking to it.
I was out of the apartment before seven thirty.
The drive in was easy. Light traffic, good timing, the kind of morning that felt cooperative before it had any reason to. I parked and went upstairs and the office floor was quiet the way I needed it to be.
I sat down and opened my laptop and got to work.
Simone came in at eight forty five with a folder and her expression already set which meant something needed a decision before good morning.
"Burgundy sample came back wron
