The first time I truly met Mrs. Walter, she was already smiling.
Not the casual kind of smile people give when they’re greeting someone new.
This one looked practiced.
Perfect.
Like she had worn it a thousand times before.
“Good morning, Jackie.”
Her voice floated across the dining room before I even noticed her walking in.
I looked up from the table.
Sunlight poured through the tall windows behind her, making the room glow in soft gold. The Walters dining room was huge—bigger than the entire first floor of my old house.
Long polished table.
Crystal glasses.
Fresh flowers arranged neatly in the center.
Everything looked carefully placed.
Controlled.
Mrs. Walter moved toward the table with the calm confidence of someone who belonged everywhere she stepped.
Her dark hair was p
