Chapter 9 - The Shadow on the Terrace
By one o'clock that afternoon, thick gray fog rolled across the estate's sprawling back lawns, obscuring the distant treeline and stone gazebos.
Ethan walked out onto the covered marble terrace, his hands buried deep in his trousers pockets, his black suit jacket pulled tight against the cool wind.
A tall figure in a dark rain trench coat stood near the balustrade, looking out over the misty gardens below.
ETHAN: "You were supposed to remain in London until the end of the month, Julian."
Julian Vance, thirty-six years old, Sarah's younger brother and Ethan's former business partner, turned around slowly. His face was sharp, pale, and unreadable beneath the brim of his wet hat.
JULIAN: "I caught the first flight out of Heathrow when your mother called my private line last night, Ethan."
Ethan stopped three paces away, his blue eyes scanning his brother-in-law's damp coat.
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ETHAN: "My mother called you before she threw Leo across the hall?"
JULIAN: "She called me because she knew you were about to open the vault."
