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Deceton, DC

Natalie Lundy stared at the photograph in shock

She heard a strange buzzing sound as her world suddenly came to a halt She looked at the black-and-white picture—at thefor the ca on the woer At the announcement of the union of terful political families

Natalie’s sto herself of that ’s breakfast Shakily, she wiped her mouth and stumbled to the bathroom

She drank a cup of water as herShe’d heard the rumors, of course But she also knew that Sihter for political reasons Or so he’d said the last tiust

She’d done what he told her to do She’d worked for his father and kept her mouth shut She’d emailed or called Simon on occasion, but his responses had becoether, so her for years Always panting after so his she hadn’t wanted to do, such as various sexual acts and pretending not to care while he fked other women

She stared at her reflection in the bathroo to lose, but everything to gain He had everything to lose and God dalass aside and wiped herinto the bedroom on surer feet She crouched on the floor and pried aside one of the floorboards underneath her bed She withdrew a flash drive and carefully put it in her jacket pocket Then she replaced the floorboard

Grabbing her coat and purse, she headed to the door As she hailed a taxi, she didn’t notice the dark car parked across the street So she didn’t realize that it pulled into traffic behind the cab, following at a safe distance

Chapter Fifty-nine

Gabriel, are you getting otten your voice ine There are letters scratched into the bottom of it and they say ‘OS’ I don’t knohat that means, do you? And how did you know to look for them? I never noticed them before

“I’m sorry you have to extend your trip but I understand I hope that your oes well

“I’ on my last seminar paper You knoe’re not allowed to talk on the phone here Text me and I’ll step outside and call you back I love you And I roaned as she ended the call Gabriel’smore so So and sub her lecture for publication, they’d missed one another She worried about him

At least if she could complete her final seminar paper, she’d be finished for the sein their Christ on her laptop in earnest

“What do you think of Giuseppe Pacciani of Florence?” Lucia Barini, chair of the Departazed at Gabriel over her desk

He snorted “Not s in addition to his book, but nothing of consequence, in my opinion Why do you ask?”