"Ethan, who was it?" Valerie asked, her voice laced with concern.
He didn't answer.
"I need to go," he muttered, almost to himself.
Valerie stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "Ethan, who was it? Is everything okay?"
"Yes. Everything's fine." The lie tasted bitter on his tongue. "I'll make this call in my study."
The phone was still in his hand, warm from the call. He wasn't even sure if the caller was still on the line. Maybe they'd hung up. Maybe they were still listening. Either way, he needed privacy. Space. Somewhere to think. Somewhere to feel.
He walked briskly to his office, shutting the door behind him with the weight of a man about to discuss matters of national security. The click of the latch echoed through the silence.
His heart thudded.
