MARION

I had a meeting with a landowner here in my resort, Oceanview, so I couldn’t drive Demetria to her bakery. Stephen did that. The meeting took place in my office at the resort. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls framing the Pacific Ocean, sunlight bouncing off the water straight into the room. Everything was deliberate, from the black marble desk to the Italian leather chairs, designed to remind anyone sitting across from me of who held the upper hand.

Mr. Buckman sat opposite, nursing a ...