Prologue
Prologue
2031
Cassidy Barr slid back toward her desk chair, never taking her eyes off the body. A dark spot had appeared from underneath it, spreading across her office carpet. A metallic smell assaulted her senses.
She slumped by her desk. She couldn’t think. For an hour, she remained as still as a statue. Outside her window, the gray afternoon faded to dark. Then she stirred, sat up straighter, and rubbed her eyes. What should she do next?
Call someone. Her cell phone. In her jacket pocket. The jacket had fallen when she’d pulled out the gun. There. She spotted the jacket on the carpet on the other side of her desk. She moved toward it on slow hands and knees. Her long braid trailed over her shoulder and brushed along the stained floor.
She retrieved her cell phone. Who should she call first? The police.
No, not the police. Not yet. Their arrival would mean a long night of questioning that could end in her arrest. She’d give herself some time first.
Loren, then. But that would cause a terrible scene. Loren would go crazy. How could Cassidy tell Loren she’d ruined her dreams? She’d ruined Loren’s company. She’d ruined everything.
No, not Loren. Not just yet.
