Chapter 6 - What Emma Saw
Dominic did not sleep.
Margaret stayed in the bedroom beside Emma's nursery.
Two security men remained outside the hall.
Lucian and Valeria had gone to their apartment in Manhattan after the argument.
At least that was what they claimed.
Dominic sat alone in his study comparing access logs.
At 2:40 a.m., he found the first impossible detail.
Valeria's foundation access record showed she had entered the office at 1:07 p.m.
But the building's parking garage camera showed her car leaving at 2:31.
There was no record of her exiting the office.
Someone had manually edited the system.
Dominic checked administrator privileges.
Lucian Hale.
He leaned back.
The betrayal was becoming real.
A soft sound came from the doorway.
Margaret stood there.
"You should sleep."
"So should you."
She entered.
Her handbag was with her.
Dominic looked at it.
"Why does Lucian keep staring at that thing?"
Margaret sat.
"Because your father put something inside it."
Dominic's body went still.
"What?"
"I can't tell you yet."
His expression hardened.
"Mom."
"Your father asked me to wait until I was certain."
"Certain of what?"
"That someone would hurt us to get it."
Dominic stared at her.
"Someone broke into your house tonight."
"I know."
"Is that not enough?"
Margaret looked toward the window.
"I need one more piece."
"What piece?"
"A bank box."
Dominic stood.
"Where?"
"I'll go tomorrow."
"I'm coming."
"No."
"That's not negotiable."
Margaret smiled sadly.
"You sound like your father."
"He was usually right."
"Not always."
Dominic noticed something behind her eyes.
"What aren't you telling me?"
Margaret looked at him for a long time.
"Angelo was afraid before he died."
Dominic stopped moving.
"Afraid of Lucian?"
"I don't know."
"Did he say anything about his death?"
"No."
"Do you think his heart attack wasn't natural?"
Margaret's voice broke.
"I don't know."
That answer frightened Dominic more than certainty would have.
A cry came from the hallway.
Emma.
They hurried toward the nursery.
Emma stood in her crib, frightened.
Dominic lifted her.
"Hey. Daddy's here."
Emma pointed toward the open nursery door.
"Red lady."
Margaret frowned.
"What?"
Emma pointed again.
"Red lady."
Valeria often wore burgundy.
Dominic looked at the security guard outside.
"Did anyone come upstairs?"
"No, sir."
Dominic checked the hallway camera.
Nothing.
Then Emma pointed toward the corner near the wardrobe.
"Red lady take Nana."
Margaret crouched.
"What did she take, sweetheart?"
Emma struggled for the words.
"Paper."
Dominic and Margaret looked at each other.
Earlier that week, Margaret had spent an afternoon in the nursery while watching Emma.
Valeria must have entered.
"What paper?" Dominic asked.
Emma pointed toward Margaret's handbag.
"Bag."
The child had seen Valeria searching it.
Margaret opened the handbag.
The hidden compartment remained closed.
But an ordinary side pocket had been turned inside out.
Inside that pocket, Margaret used to keep old receipts.
One was missing.
The receipt from St. Gabriel Private Bank.
Valeria now knew where the key led.
Margaret whispered, "We have to go before the bank opens."
Dominic checked the time.
4:18 a.m.
"We leave at six."
"No."
May you like
Margaret stood.
"We leave now."
