Alone.
No assistant.
No laptop.
No security.
No corporate car driver.
She saw him.
“Daniel Brooks.”
“Ms. Carter.”
They stood fifteen feet apart.
“You drove from Portland.”
“Two and a half hours.”
“It’s ninety minutes.”
“I stopped twice.”
That answer almost made him laugh.
Almost.
Daniel wiped sawdust from his hands.
“Why are you here?”
Evelyn did not pretend the question was rude.
“I read your file.”
“All of it?”
“All of it.”
“That sounds unhealthy.”
“Yes.”
A tiny change touched her expression.
Then disappeared.
“I read the remote request.”
Daniel’s shoulders tightened.
“I’m not coming back.”
“I know.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“Then why are you here?”
Evelyn looked toward the house.
“Because something didn’t add up.”
“What?”
“Twelve years.”
Daniel waited.
“You gave Arcturus twelve years. Strong reviews. Difficult assignments. You declined promotions instead of making promises you couldn’t keep. Then you resigned immediately and didn’t ask for a counteroffer.”
“So?”
“So people rarely walk away from twelve years that cleanly unless they stopped believing anyone would listen before they reached the door.”
Daniel said nothing.
Evelyn continued.
“I wanted to understand why.”
“You could have called.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you?”
She considered.
“A phone call would have made it too easy for you to tell me what you thought I wanted to hear.”
Daniel stared at her.
“That’s a strange reason to drive three hours.”
“Two and a half.”
He almost smiled again.