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same company, and moved to Denver. I’d been
assigned to a different site, one that was less pricey and a good starting
place. I was pretty motivated, but it turned out I was pretty good at that sort
of work. Maybe it’s genetic. My maternal grandfather had been a salesman all
his life and could literally sell ice to an Eskimo. My mother also seems to
have this gene.
    Being closer to Matt, I’d believed
our relationship was getting stronger. After six months, he’d begun talking
about wanting to marry me. He’d officially proposed after eleven months. Of
course, I’d agreed.
    I’d thought my life was shaping up
to be exactly what I wanted it to be. I was engaged, had begun a career, and
the money was pouring in. I was making more than most college graduates. I was
doing all the things I wanted: taking vacations, paying off my car, buying nice
clothes and jewelry, saving for a wedding. I even bought a house, then a condo,
then later a second house. I’d gotten a serious elevation in economic status
and was thrilled to explore what that meant.
    My success caused me to get noticed
by the higher-ups and advance within the company. After working at Colorado
Property Management Group less than a year, I’d been appointed to a management
position overseeing nine of the properties. The Northern Denver Region, as it’s
called. I’d been responsible for hiring, firing, the budget, and everything
else. Turned out I wasn’t half bad as a manager, either, and I’d certainly
liked the doubled income. I was able to pay off the condo and one house
entirely and make a serious dent in the debt on the other.
    Ultimately, I’d been a fool. Matt’s
interest in me was just a way for him to get closer to Brandi. And despite
being my friend, she’d begun a relationship with him behind my back, one that
carried on for several months. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t catch on until
Brandi wound up pregnant. A scheduling slip-up connected the dots for me; Matt
was the father.
    I’d been heartbroken, but mostly
out of spite, I’d kept my job and stayed in Denver. Matt had prided himself on
his job and his stats. So I’d thrown myself into work, and quickly climbed the
ladder, earning two major promotions and an income twice as big as his.
    I’d continued to immerse myself in
the lifestyle of wealth and success, but it had lost a lot of appeal after
that. Through the tint of heartbreak, all I’d seen were miserable people trying
to ease their pain with objects, money, status, and power, myself included. For
a moment, I’d almost lost myself in that world.
    When I finally broke free, I knew I
never wanted to go back. But after bouncing around from one minimum wage job to
the next, I’d finally taken a position with a small, local company working for Mark
White. I liked this job, and I did good work, but I couldn’t let myself get
drawn in. Accepting White’s promotion would have put me a step closer to a life
I didn’t want.
    Paige’s door was closed, but I
could tell the windows were open; he was in. Paige rarely made appointments so
early. Actually, Paige rarely made appointments. Appointments mean work. White
is one of the only people Paige meets with.
    As I turned into my office,
glancing at the messages, I wondered if White was meeting with Paige now.
    I had three messages. Two of them
were from residents in Elizabeth Tower. They both expressed concern regarding
the safety of the building.
    The building had been wired for
exceptional security when it had been for senior living; the cameras and other
security measures still in place. The only pieces of equipment currently being
used were the three-dozen security cameras. The controlled access doors had
been disabled, along with the rest. After Stacy was stabbed, it had crossed my
mind the people living in the building would be upset. I’d even considered the
idea of posting a security guard, if only for temporary measure. I didn’t
foresee the attacker making a return visit,