Chapter 2 - What Audrey Remembered
Dominic Vale's mansion stood behind iron gates overlooking Lake Michigan.
I expected luxury.
I didn't expect silence.
Audrey sat beside me in the back of the armored SUV, clutching her rabbit.
Dominic sat opposite us.
He kept watching our hands.
Finally he asked, “What is she saying?”
Audrey noticed.
I signed.
Your dad wants to understand you.
Her expression became guarded.
He never understands.
That hurt Dominic more than he let show.
“What did she say?”
I hesitated.
“She said you don't understand her.”
His jaw tightened.
“I understand my daughter.”
“Then ask her yourself.”
“I don't sign.”
“That's the problem.”
His bodyguard glanced toward me as if I'd just volunteered for execution.
Dominic leaned forward.
“Be careful.”
“No.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“Excuse me?”
“She's eight years old, Mr. Vale. Everyone around her expects her to adapt to them. Maybe somebody should adapt to her.”
Audrey watched our faces.
Dominic looked away.
When we reached the mansion, Victor wasn't with us.
Dominic had ordered two men to keep him at Aurelia.
Inside, he took us directly to his study.
“Tell me exactly what Audrey said.”
I sat beside her.
“Don't ask me. Ask her.”
“I told you—”
“I'll interpret.”
Dominic slowly faced his daughter.
“What happened to Mommy?”
I signed.
Audrey froze.
Then she hugged her rabbit.
Mommy fought with Victor.
“When?”
Before the loud night.
“The bombing?”
She nodded.
Mommy was crying. Victor grabbed her.
Dominic's face hardened.
“Where?”
Daddy's old house.
“What else?”
Audrey touched her wrist.
Mommy scratched him. Then something burned him.
I translated.
Dominic became very still.
“What burned him?”
Audrey struggled.
Then she signed:
Silver cup. Hot.
Dominic turned toward one of his guards.
“Marco.”
“Yes, sir?”
“The night Sophia died, where was Victor?”
Marco hesitated.
“He told us he was downtown.”
“Told you?”
“Yes.”
“You didn't confirm it?”
“Victor was head of security.”
Dominic stood.
“So the man responsible for confirming his alibi was Victor himself.”
Nobody answered.
Then Audrey tugged my sleeve.
Mommy hid something.
I looked at her.
“Where?”
Rabbit.
She held up the stuffed animal.
Dominic stared.
“That rabbit belonged to Sophia.”
Audrey nodded.
Mommy gave him to me.
I examined it.
The fabric was old, repaired several times.
One seam along the back looked newer.
“Do you have scissors?”
Dominic handed me a letter opener.
I carefully opened several stitches.
Something small dropped onto the desk.
A memory card.
Dominic stared at it.
Marco whispered, “Jesus.”
Dominic immediately grabbed his phone.
“Get Daniel Cho here. Now.”
“Who's Daniel?”
“My cybersecurity chief.”
Audrey suddenly became frightened again.
She signed.
Victor knows about rabbit.
Dominic looked at me.
“What?”
I translated.
His phone rang.
Marco answered.
His expression changed.
“Boss.”
“What?”
He lowered the phone.
“Victor's gone.”
Dominic's eyes darkened.
“How?”
“He never made it downstairs.”
“What does that mean?”
“The security cameras went offline for ninety seconds.”
Dominic turned toward the windows.
“Lock the property.”
Marco moved.
Dominic stopped him.
“And nobody leaves.”
Audrey pulled my hand.
Claire.
“Yes?”
She pointed toward Dominic.
Tell Daddy Mommy said Mercer.
My blood went cold.
I didn't translate.
Dominic noticed immediately.
“What did she say?”
“Nothing.”
“You've translated everything until now.”
“She's tired.”
“Claire.”
I stood.
“I should take her upstairs.”
Dominic stepped between me and the door.
“What did my daughter say?”
Audrey signed again.
Mercer.
Dominic saw my face.
His eyes sharpened.
“What's Mercer?”
I couldn't breathe.
He stepped closer.
“Claire.”
I had spent five years hiding that name.
Now a dead woman had somehow placed it inside the memories of an eight-year-old girl.
“My name,” I whispered, “isn't Claire Bennett.”
Dominic stared at me.
“What is it?”
“Claire Mercer.”
The room went completely silent.
Marco stopped moving.
Dominic's expression changed.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
“You're Thomas Mercer's daughter.”
I stared at him.
“You knew my father?”
Dominic locked the study doors.
Then he said something that changed everything I thought I knew about my life.
“Your father didn't die from cancer, Claire.”
I stopped breathing.
May you like
Dominic looked toward Audrey.
“He was murdered.”
