Then Brooke froze. “Natalie?” she blurted. “What are you doing here?”

Donna smirked. “Interviewing?” she asked sweetly. “Cleaning entrance is in the back.”

Rick chuckled.

I looked up at the polished building behind me. The silver letters read:

HARTWELL TECHNOLOGIES — CORPORATE HQ.

I clipped my badge onto my blazer where they could see it.

SOFTWARE ENGINEER — NATALIE PIERCE.

Their laughter evaporated.

My father’s grin stalled. Brooke blinked rapidly. Donna’s smile became brittle.

“So you did something,” she said brightly.