Archie
Linda stood stiffly in front of my desk, the envelope clutched in both hands like something she was afraid to let go of before she'd finished making her case. I'd agreed to see her only because my assistant had mentioned it concerned Thea, and something in that framing had pulled my attention away from the contract I'd been reviewing.
"Mr. Chester," she began, her voice carrying a formal, rehearsed quality that immediately put me on edge. "I need to speak with you about a serious concern regarding Thea."
"Go on," I said, though something in her tone already had my patience thinning.
"I've been observing some troubling inconsistencies for months now," she said. "Her behavior has changed dramatically. The way she walks, the way she speaks, small details about the household she sud
