Chapter 6 - The Woman Beside HimDominic raised his gun.
Evelyn dropped the knife instantly.
“It isn't mine.”
“Don't move.”
She pointed to the floor.
A thin red line ran from the knife toward the hallway.
Blood.
Fresh.
Dominic followed it.
The trail disappeared behind a cabinet.
He moved the cabinet.
A ventilation opening had been smashed.
Small enough for a child.
Large enough for someone to crawl through.
Evelyn crouched.
“The girls.”
Dominic stared into the darkness.
Then he heard a soft tapping sound.
Three taps.
Pause.
Three taps.
Pause.
Olivia's voice echoed from somewhere beyond the wall.
“Daddy!”
Dominic tore the panel away.
The passage opened into a hidden room.
His daughters were inside.
Alive.
A security guard was lying unconscious beside them.
And beside the guard stood a woman Dominic knew.
His mother.
Lucia Romano.
Dominic went completely still.
“Mom?”
Lucia looked at him calmly.
She wore an elegant black dress.
Not a hair out of place.
She had arrived at the mansion three minutes earlier.
Or at least that was what the security log said.
Dominic lowered his gun slightly.
“What are you doing here?”
Lucia glanced at the girls.
“They were frightened.”
Olivia immediately ran to Dominic.
Lucia's expression changed.
Only slightly.
Dominic noticed.
Evelyn noticed too.
“You know her,” Evelyn said.
Lucia's eyes hardened.
“And who are you?”
Dominic stepped between them.
“Mom, answer me.”
Lucia sighed.
“You always were impatient.”
“Did you know Isabelle was investigating the ledger?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know someone wanted her dead?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know the girls saw the killer?”
Lucia paused.
“Yes.”
Dominic's voice became quieter.
“Who killed my wife?”
Lucia looked at Olivia.
Then Sophie.
Then Nora.
“Ask your daughters.”
Dominic stared at her.
“You're avoiding the question.”
“No.”
Lucia walked toward him.
“I am telling you the truth.”
She touched Dominic's face.
“You believe murder begins with a gun.”
Dominic said nothing.
“Sometimes,” she whispered, “it begins with a wedding.”
Evelyn's eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?”
Lucia ignored her.
She looked at Dominic.
“Isabelle was not murdered because of the ledger.”
Dominic felt his stomach tighten.
“Then why?”
“Because she discovered who you really are.”
Dominic's expression changed.
“What are you talking about?”
Lucia smiled sadly.
“Your father told you the Romano empire belonged to him.”
“Yes.”
“He lied.”
Dominic stared.
“The first Romano who built this empire never owned it.”
“Who did?”
Lucia's eyes moved toward the girls.
“The woman who still does.”
A gunshot shattered the window.
Lucia collapsed.
Dominic caught her.
Blood spread across her dress.
Evelyn ran to the window.
No shooter.
Only the distant sound of a car.
Dominic knelt beside his mother.
“Mom.”
Lucia opened her eyes.
Her breathing was shallow.
“Don't…”
“What?”
“Let… them… find…”
Her hand closed around his wrist.
“The nursery.”
Then she lost consciousness.
Dominic looked at Evelyn.
“Call an ambulance.”
Evelyn nodded.
But Olivia was staring at her grandmother.
The little girl spoke softly.
“She knew Mommy.”
Dominic looked at her.
“How?”
Olivia's face tightened.
“She was there.”
“When?”
“Before Mommy died.”
Dominic felt the world shift.
“Where?”
May you like
Olivia pointed toward the window.
“At the preschool.”
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