Chapter 12 - A Midnight Meeting Behind Closed Doors
Back at Whitmore House, the massive oak front doors rattled as a heavy knock echoed through the empty foyer.
Naomi was the first to reach the entryway, her hand instinctively resting near her pocket where a small titanium pen flashlight hung.
She unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the heavy door inward, revealing a weathered woman with sharp eyes and a silver trench coat.
Margaret Hale stepped across the threshold without waiting for an invitation, shaking the winter rain from her umbrella.
“You’ve gotten sloppy, Naomi; half the country thinks you’re a superhero on TikTok,” Margaret said with dry amusement.
Naomi closed the door behind her mentor, a rare, genuine smile breaking through her stoic expression.
“I didn't ask for the cameras, Margaret,” Naomi replied, leading her toward the quiet warmth of the private library.
Ethan stood up from his desk as they entered, looking between the two women with immediate, instinctive alertness.
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“Who is this?” Ethan asked, sensing the undeniable authority radiating from the elderly visitor.
“This is the woman who taught me how to stay alive,” Naomi answered simply.
