How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

"Give me the address." Watts started the car, his tone already strained.

He had a bad feeling-Patricia in this state was bound to cause trouble.

"Why do you care so much? If you could actually handle Elodie, I wouldn't be in this mess," Patricia shot back with a cold laugh. "I'm flying to France tomorrow for the art show, and I can't even finish my last painting. I sent Jarrod an invitation and he just completely ignored me! Why? Are there really men as blind as him?" Watts had no interest in listening to her drunken tirade.

Patricia had been on edge lately-the classic artist's temperament.

He pulled up the tracker he'd installed on her phone and checked her location: some private club, a good two and a half hours' drive from here. Not exactly close.

In a flat voice, he said, "Clear out your drinking buddies. I'll be there to pick you up soon."

Elodie was heading upstairs when she ran into Lily Lockwood at the landing.

Who knew how long Lily had been standing there.

She must have overheard the conversation with Watts.

As soon as she spotted Elodie, she quickly wiped her eyes. "There you are! I've got a ton of questions for you. I don't care how talented you are, you can't just take time off whenever you want."

Elodie noticed her eyes were red.

Having been through her share of heartbreak, Elodie could guess who Lily was upset about.

If things had gone sideways with the data incident last time, Lily would've been the first to take the fall.

Elodie climbed the last two steps, pretending not to notice Lily's distress. She pulled a few chocolates from her pocket and pressed them into Lily's palm. "Come with me to the test flight field. See for yourself just how bright your future could be."

With that, she started down the hall.

away the last of her tears as she stared at the chocolates

she understood

hurried to catch up, fiddling with the chocolates and grumbling, "I don't even like milk hazelnut. Way too

and reached for the chocolates. "Then give them

shoved them into her pocket, hugging them protectively. "Nice try.

from the

step beside Elodie,

figured

wasn't worth her feelings. If it was him, he'd played her for a fool, even left her to take the

she cared

change in her and

arrived at the

chief walked up. "We've got

Mercer. You'll

over the test

him."

Elodie nodded.

at this base,

national treasures.

glanced across

a sharp flight suit, tall and impossible to

head over when

Lily. "Go talk to

to bite the hand that fed her, just grunted and

over.

aside to answer the