Gemotions

“Where is he?” she'd demanded of the elderly shop assistant, her voice sharp as broken glass. Arthur, the meekest of men, simply shook his head and offered a weak, "I don't know, miss." Her mentor, Mr. Davies, had left behind a signed legal document bequeathing her everything. Everything! Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat.

The moment Arthur left for his lunch, she started pulling open the locked cabinets, rummaging through Davies's personal collection of first editions. His meticulous notes, his priceless finds… all hers. She ignored the pang of… something… that she vaguely associated with him. All that mattered was the value. The sheer, unfathomable value.

A bead of sweat trickled down her temple as she examined a first edition of *Moby Dick*. It was practically priceless. She felt a lightness in her chest and smiled, rubbing her palms together. Her future was secure.