Chapter 1

Moreen Lee stared down the security camera as it watched her. Then she punched in the code that she’d gotten from the client. A light on the keypad blinked green, and the ornate, iron security gate across the client’s driveway swung slowly open.

Satisfied, Moreen leaned back into her car and closed the window, cutting off the scent of salty sea air. The client’s mansion was right across the street from the beach, a narrow strip of white sand that charged fifteen dollars an hour for parking. The house was three stories tall, with balconies on both the second and third floors. A kitchenette and bar were visible on the second balcony, bringing to mind extravagant parties and guests laughing over champagne. The white railing bore decorations of seahorses and starfish, and the walls were a cheery, pastel yellow that gave it a definite South Florida feel. Moreen could see two garages and guessed the place had twenty rooms at minimum.

But as she drove closer, the perfect illusion faded. Patches of shingles were missing from the roof, and water stains marred the yellow walls near the ground. The fountain that the driveway wrapped around had been turned off, and the stagnant water had gone moldy green.

Moreen killed the ignition and drummed her fingers against the steering wheel. Either the client didn’t care how the place looked—which was unlikely given the millions it must have cost—or money was too tight to fix it.

I’d better get a deposit up front, she thought. Then she got out, strode up the front steps, and rang the doorbell.