Richard

I arrive at James’ doorstep at 8 a.m. with a coffee in hand, ready to talk to Maya. I’m running on limited sleep and a lot of caffeine after an endless night of tossing and turning.

My brother opens the door wearing a suit and tie, which is out of the norm given he doesn’t even have a job to go to.

“Where are you going?”

“Work.” He shuts his front door and locks it.

“Since when do you have a job?”

“Since you needed an assistant.”

My mouth drops open. “What?”

“Maya isn’t coming in today.”

“Like hell she isn’t. Her two weeks haven’t even started.”

He laughs. “Maybe you should check your email.”

I frown as I pull out my phone and scan my inbox. “You’re kidding me.”

“Nope. She’s taking a two-week vacation, starting today.”

“No, she’s not.”

He actually grins. “Are you giving me a…