CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN - Whispers in the Shadows

Nia typed back a quick response: "Mission accomplished. We need to talk." She hailed a cab, her hand clutching the USB drive in her pocket. Whatever was on those files, Nia knew it could be the key to unraveling the whole mystery – and finally clearing her name. A few nights later, Nia found herself in a very different environment. The annual Benson Foundation Charity Gala was in full swing, the ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton hotel transformed into a glittering sea of designer gowns and tuxedos. Nia tugged at the hem of her borrowed evening dress, feeling out of place among the city's elite. She scanned the room, trying to spot any familiar faces from the files she'd retrieved from the law firm. "Champagne, madam?" a waiter asked, appearing at her elbow with a tray of flutes. "Oh, thank you," Nia said, taking a glass. She sipped the bubbly liquid, using it as cover to continue her surveillance. Across the room, she spotted a familiar face – Jonathan Benson, Kyra's uncle and the cur