The Shadow King

tention from the papers sprawled across his desk for just a second. His morning had been taken up with reports of unusual financial activities, shady business operations and

opment concernin

ormation had taught him that reacting too quickly often revealed more than necessary, particularly when discretion was essential. He prefer

o

nancial records. She also contacted two former assoc

s had spent considerable time distancing themselves from the man's affairs, and their reluctance to speak with his daughter came as little surprise. What interested Ethan was not their refusal

hy

s when she mentione

r their words, their associations, and sometimes their entire understanding of the world around them. Those who knew too much rarely spoke freely, while those who knew too little often underestimat

le careless. Kee

r as though he had yet to deliver the most important part of his report. Ethan recognized the pause and waited without prompting him. Marcus had worke

has hired a private investigator

am

ligence officer. He was dismissed

nvestigator with something to prove could be particularly persistent. Cruz's dismissal, however, raised questions that a brief summary could not answer. Depending on the circumstances, it could make him a liabili

e rel

ether he's trustwort

ld have given up on before they even made their initial enquiries. Sebastian Gomez's previous associates had declined to see her, but their reactions had not stopped her from continuing. Instead, she had gone

people they had no desire to antagonize. Serene, however, had decided to investigate rather than retreat, and she appeared willing to follow the trail wherever it led. That made her either remarkably brave o

n ordered. "But nobody touches Serene

seemed to be more calculated than mere prudence. She'd be good to have on hand, particularly since she kept following up on leads pertaining to Sebastian's death. In contrast, interrupting h

before s

he may be va

ormal business. But beneath this mundane facade, corporate rivalry, private deals and ancient animosities continued to influence the actions of people who chose to keep their affairs out

nts her to believe I

y a matter of a daughter searching for answers about her father's death. Someone had given her a reason to associate the murder with the Shadow King, and the possibility that the accusation had been deli

mined it. Certain details contradicted one another, while others led nowhere, leaving gaps that could not be explained by coincidence alone. Someone had taken considerable care to conceal the truth, and the effort suggested that the

bout what they feared. If she continued pressing forward, those responsible for keeping the truth hidden might eventually feel compelled to protect themselves. Ethan intended to identify them before

going through his staff, Liam was one of the few who rarely bothered with formalities. Their friendship had survived enough difficult situations that neither of them felt the

rking again," Liam sai

ing a few

ems usually means someone is ab

pportunity to comment on Ethan's tendency to involve himself in matters other people would rather avoid. Their conversations often followed the same pattern, with Liam quest

u need to w

t her recent actions had already told him more than a casual introduction ever could. She had begun asking questions that others had avoided, and she had sought professional help when the fir

her investigation against him, but neither would he prevent her from searching for answers. For now, he needed to understand what Serene knew, what Daniel Cruz could uncov

u're really lookin

r gave her a start, but the names scattered over the list offered few quick answers. They were each a tie to the Shadow King, each a step closer to the myste

cked her f

Liam Stone's best friend, had no idea h