Decision made, I crossed to the desk, immediately drawn to the framed photo. It showed a younger Victoria with her arm around a smiling young woman who could only be Sophia, tall, confident, with eyes that matched her mother's in both color and intensity. They stood on a beach somewhere, casual in a way I'd never seen Victoria, their matching sunglasses pushed up on their heads, genuine smiles brightening both faces.
Happy. They looked genuinely happy.
I set the photo down carefully, exactly as I'd found it, and began my search. The desk drawers yielded nothing of interest, business papers, correspondence, a spare pair of reading glasses. No keys.
Next, I examined the bookshelves lining the walls, looking for hidden compartments or safes. Nothing. The elegant cabinet bar contained only
