The vault door swung open.There was nothing of value in it. No money, no jewelry. Just five folders stacked neatly inside the padded interior, each one labeled with a number on the tab.Gray stared at them. His brow furrowed. "Files?" he whispered.Not what he expected. But files kept in a hidden vault bolted to the back of a cabinet behind rows of other files were not ordinary files.[4:42][4:41]He dropped to the floor and sat with the vault in front of him. He pulled the first folder out and opened it.The contents hit him before he finished turning the first page.His fingers locked on the paper.There were photographs, but not press shots or event pictures. These were surveillance photos. And the faces in them were faces he knew.The first was Leonard. Entering a hotel through a side entrance with a woman who was not his wife. The shot taken in multiple angles with time stamps in the corner of each frame. The woman was young, the shots leaving nothing to the imagination about

"I missed this," Selina said. Her voice was low and soft against his skin."Me too," Gray said.They lay on their sides, tangled under the blanket. Selina's head rested against his chest, her arm draped across his waist. One of his hands traced slow circles on her arm while the other stayed on the curve of her hip.It had been more than a week since they last saw each other. The trip with Conrad had taken longer than expected, and the days without her had felt emptier.Having her here now, with the sound of her breathing against his ribs, made all of that drop away at once."You look more tired since I last saw you," Selina said, tilting her head up to look at him. Her lower lip pushed out slightly."That's because you were gone so long," Gray said, putting on a wounded expression.Selina giggled. The sound vibrated against his chest."I'm serious," she said, though the playful glare she gave him didn't fully commit."All right, all right." He laughed. "It's work. That's all."Selina

The meeting continued after Gray's announcement. Schedules were adjusted. Names were moved around the calendar. The directors looked comfortable and pleased, the way people look when they know the money is coming and the only question is how much.Gray watched them work through the details. The hospital visit would open the week. Then there was the school event on Thursday and two charity appearances after that. Each one paired with a media plan, a donation amount, and an expected turnout."Don't worry, Mayor. I'll make sure the amount is generous," Alistair said when one of the directors made a joking comment about the donations. The table laughed. Alistair laughed louder.The directors took turns speaking. Each one had something to offer Alistair, and each one made it clear they expected something back. The hospital director wanted facility upgrades. The university representative wanted a new wing named. The charity directors wanted visibility, funding, and the kind of access to the

The quiet days didn't last.Over the following week, Alistair sent two invitations through Steven asking Gray to join upcoming public visits. Gray declined both. By the third, he knew he couldn't keep saying no without it looking deliberate.He checked in with the lawyer first. The man told him it was fine, and how showing up for one event wouldn't compromise anything. In fact, it might help since him staying visible would help keep suspicion low.So Gray accepted.That was how he ended up standing in front of the main gates of Westbridge College on a Tuesday afternoon.The university was small with a few thousand students. The buildings were modern, the kind of architecture that came from recent investment rather than history. Above the entrance, a banner stretched between the gateposts in bright letters: Welcome, Mayor Alistair!Gray didn't need to ask why it was there. He already knew. During the directors' meeting, one of them had mentioned this school specifically. Alistair had d

Alistair didn't answer right away.He stood there and looked at Gray. His eyes narrowed slightly, as though he were turning the question over, checking its edges."You really don't know?" he said.Gray deepened the frown on his face. He kept his weight even, his hands staying visible."You know me, Mayor. I wouldn't ask if I did."Alistair's arms folded across his chest. He watched Gray for another few seconds then he let out a slow breath."I'll be direct with you." "Please go on.""A few days ago, my cleaner found something in my office." Alistair's voice was even and measured. Each word placed deliberately. "A company folder. A confidential one at that. It was on the floor, near the base of one of my cabinets."Gray's pulse hit harder against the inside of his ribs. He tilted his head and let his brow crease further."Under the cabinet?" He leaned forward slightly. "Are you sure?""Yes." Alistair's gaze sharpened. "And you're the only person who was around the area recently."Gray