The rain had intensified by the time Clara pushed through the heavy glass doors of the institute. The storm battered the city with relentless fury, turning the streets into slick, black rivers reflecting the harsh glare of the streetlights.

Clara barely felt the cold. She felt numb. Her right thum

The armored SUV rolled to a halt, the heavy crunch of gravel beneath its tires signaling the end of the line. Clara peered through the tinted, bulletproof glass, her breath fogging the pane. Through the driving rain, Ironwood Estate loomed like a gothic nightmare ripped from a forgotten century. It

"The *Vermeer* is my favorite," a voice murmured from the shadows.

Clara spun around, her heart leaping into her throat.

Julian stepped out from the darkened archway of the gallery, his hands casually shoved into the pockets of his dark trousers. He had shed his suit jacket and tie, the top butto