Chapter 1 - THE MAN WHO PRETENDED
“My God,” Nathan said.
“Who did this?”
His voice carried the right amount of horror.
His face did not.
Dominic remained on one knee beside Mia, but his eyes lifted toward the doorway.
Nathan stood beneath the weak cellar bulb with both hands open.
He looked like a loyal friend walking into a nightmare.
Dominic had watched men lie before.
Most liars focused on the accusation.
Nathan focused on Dominic’s reaction.
That difference was small.
It was also dangerous.
Mia’s fingers suddenly closed around Dominic’s wrist.
Her grip was weak, but the fear behind it was not.
“Harper,” she whispered.
Dominic turned toward the little girl.
Harper had buried her face against her mother’s shoulder.
Daniel stood behind her, one hand resting near the weapon beneath his jacket.
“She is safe,” Dominic said.
Mia shook her head.
“No.”
Her cracked lips barely moved.
“Not while he is here.”
Dominic became still.
Nathan heard her.
A shadow passed over his face.
Then concern returned.
“Mia is confused,” Nathan said.
“She has been trapped down here for days.”
“She needs a doctor.”
“She needs water.”
“She needs to stop talking before she hurts herself.”
Dominic looked at Marcus.
“Call Doctor Russo.”
Marcus reached for his phone.
Nathan stepped farther into the cellar.
“We should move her upstairs.”
“No,” Dominic said.
The single word stopped him.
Nathan glanced toward the ropes on the floor.
“You think I had something to do with this?”
“I think nobody leaves the property until I understand what happened.”
Nathan gave a strained laugh.
“Dom, I have been running this house while you were gone.”
“That is exactly why you are staying.”
Harper lifted her head.
Her cheeks were wet.
“Mr. Cross brought Mommy soup.”
Nathan’s expression did not change.
Dominic’s did.
“When?” he asked.
Harper pointed toward the cellar floor.
“Yesterday.”
Nathan looked down at her.
“She must be mistaken.”
Harper pressed closer to Mia.
“You opened the door.”
“I heard your voice.”
Nathan crouched slowly.
“Sweetheart, you were frightened.”
“Children hear things when they are frightened.”
Dominic rose.
He placed himself between Nathan and Harper.
“Do not speak to her again.”
The cellar became silent.
Nathan straightened.
For seventeen years, nobody had heard Dominic speak to him that way.
Not even during the worst wars.
Not even when Nathan had disobeyed orders that left men dead.
Nathan’s jaw tightened.
Then footsteps echoed down the iron staircase.
Claire appeared wearing a pale cashmere robe.
Her blond hair fell loosely over one shoulder.
She looked beautiful, sleepy, and perfectly surprised.
“What happened?” she asked.
Then she saw Mia.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
“Oh my God.”
Mia began trembling again.
Dominic noticed.
Claire rushed toward them.
“Mia, who did this to you?”
Mia tried to pull away.
Dominic stepped in front of Claire.
“Stay where you are.”
Claire froze.
“Dominic?”
“You told Harper her mother went to Pennsylvania.”
“That is what Mia told me.”
Mia shook her head.
“I never said that.”
Claire’s eyes filled with tears.
“She must not remember.”
“She was acting strangely before she left.”
Nathan nodded.
“She was exhausted.”
“Maybe someone followed her down here.”
Dominic looked at the new padlock.
“Then locked the door from the outside?”
Neither of them answered.
Doctor Russo arrived fifteen minutes later.
He examined Mia where she lay.
Her dehydration was severe.
Two ribs were fractured.
There were injection marks near her elbow.
Someone had given her enough sedative to keep her weak without killing her.
Dominic carried her upstairs himself.
Harper walked beside him, holding the edge of his coat.
Nathan followed at a distance.
Claire remained near the cellar entrance.
As Dominic reached the iron staircase, Mia turned her face toward him.
Her voice was almost too quiet to hear.
“They wanted the bird.”
Dominic looked at the silver pendant resting against her torn uniform.
“What bird?”
Mia’s eyes closed.
“The one Elena gave me.”
Dominic stopped breathing.
Elena had been his wife.
May you like
Elena had been dead for five years.
And Nathan had been the last person to see her alive.
