Chapter 2 - THE GIRL WHO KNEW A DEAD WOMAN’S DANCEThe hospital corridor smelled like disinfectant and fear.
Julian stood outside the emergency room while doctors fought to stabilize Cassandra.
His right hand was clenched so tightly that blood had gathered beneath his fingernails.
He barely noticed.
One thought kept returning.
Claire.
He had buried her in his mind four years ago.
Not in the ground.
There had never been a body.
But he had buried her in the only place left.
His certainty.
A doctor finally stepped out.
“She’s alive.”
Julian exhaled.
“But?”
The doctor hesitated.
“She suffered a severe toxic reaction. We’re still identifying the substance.”
“Was it poison?”
“Most likely.”
Julian’s expression hardened.
“Then someone came to my family’s ballroom carrying enough poison to kill my fiancée.”
The doctor said nothing.
Julian turned.
Two men from his security detail waited nearby.
“Lock the estate down.”
“Already done.”
“No one leaves.”
The younger guard swallowed.
“Sir, what about the staff?”
“Everyone.”
Then Julian remembered Nora.
And Lily.
He found them in a small family waiting room.
Nora was sitting with Lily asleep against her chest.
When Julian entered, Nora immediately stood.
“Mr. DeLuca…”
“How does Lily know Claire’s dance?”
Nora’s face went pale.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
Lily stirred.
Her sleepy eyes opened.
She looked at Julian.
“You’re the sad man.”
Julian froze.
“What?”
“Mommy said sad people make their shoulders go like this.”
Lily imitated him.
For the first time that night, Julian had no answer.
He looked at Nora.
“What did you teach her?”
“Nothing.”
“Then who did?”
Nora’s voice trembled.
“Claire.”
The room went silent.
Julian took one step toward her.
“Say that again.”
Nora looked down.
“She knew your name.”
Julian’s heart slammed against his ribs.
“When?”
“Before Lily was born.”
His expression changed.
“Impossible.”
Nora closed her eyes.
“I know.”
“Where is Claire?”
“I don’t know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I expect you to understand that I was afraid.”
“Afraid of whom?”
Nora said nothing.
Julian leaned closer.
“Four years ago Claire disappeared. Tonight my maid’s daughter performs Claire’s exact dance. Then my fiancée is poisoned.”
Nora’s eyes filled with tears.
“Those things are connected.”
Julian stared at her.
“How?”
Before she could answer, footsteps sounded outside.
Three guards entered.
“Sir.”
“What?”
“One of the estate cameras went offline at 11:17.”
“Which one?”
The guard hesitated.
“Your old private suite.”
Julian felt cold spread through him.
The suite Claire had used.
The suite that had been sealed for four years.
He turned toward the door.
Then Lily spoke.
“Mommy.”
Nora looked down.
“What is it?”
Lily whispered something into her ear.
Nora’s face turned white.
Julian caught only one word.
“Basement.”
He looked at Nora.
“What did she say?”
Nora shook her head.
But Lily looked directly at him.
“Daddy used to hide there.”
Julian stopped breathing.
He had never been Lily’s father.
He had never met the child before tonight.
Yet the girl was looking at him as though she knew something he didn’t.
“Who is Daddy?” Julian asked quietly.
Lily blinked.
“Grandma says we’re not allowed to say.”
Julian crouched.
“Who is your daddy?”
Lily pointed toward the hallway.
At the end of it stood Thomas Bell.
But the old butler wasn’t looking at Lily.
He was looking at Julian.
And then Thomas whispered three words.
“Don’t trust blood.”
He turned and walked away.
Julian followed.
By the time he reached the elevator, Thomas was gone.
But a folded piece of paper lay on the floor.
Julian picked it up.
There was only one sentence.
CLAIRE DID NOT DISAPPEAR.
Beneath it was a date.
Tomorrow.
May you like
And a location.
The DeLuca family cemetery.
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