Chapter 17
Mary slid her key card through the reader, and the archive door unlocked with a soft click. Still giggling from their banter in the hallway, she and Sam stepped across the threshold. As the heavy door sealed behind them, the world outside vanished, replaced by an absorbing quiet. The air was cool with the distinctive scent of old paper, leather bindings, and controlled humidity. Mary inhaled deeply, a smile touching her lips.
“Mm, I love that smell.”
“That’s because you, my dear, are nothing but a bookworm.”
“I can’t argue. You nailed it. I could live here,” Mary murmured.
Sam opened her mouth to retort but was cut off mid-breath by a stern, clear voice.
“你好。”
Both women turned toward the main desk. A middle-aged woman sat behind it, impeccably dressed in a tailored brown suit. Her salt-and-pepper hair was drawn into a severe bun at the na…
