Elena woke up at seven. She put on jeans and a t-shirt. She did not bother with makeup. There was nobody to impress in the house. She went downstairs to the kitchen. She took a carton of eggs out of the refrigerator. She put a pan on the stove and turned on the burner. She put some butter in the pan and waited for it to melt. She cracked three eggs into the pan.
The kitchen door opened. Cole walked in. He did not knock. He never knocked. It was his job to check the rooms on a regular schedule. He walked through the kitchen, the dining room, the living room, and the hallways every two hours. He walked to the sink and washed his hands. He dried them on a paper towel. Then he turned and looked at Elena.
"Good morning, Mrs. Vance," Cole said. His voice was flat and professional. He did not s
