Chapter 4 - Someone Wanted Rachel Gone
Rachel returned to Vale House under protection.
But she refused to hide.
The next morning she pushed her cleaning cart down the hallway exactly as usual.
Dominic appeared.
“What are you doing?”
“Working.”
“I told you to remain in the guest wing.”
“And I told you I hate sitting around.”
“That wasn't a negotiation.”
Rachel lifted her feather duster.
“I have a weapon.”
Dominic stared at it.
“That is literally feathers.”
“Then behave.”
Marcus walked past them.
“I like her.”
“No one asked,” Dominic said.
Rachel continued cleaning.
But now she watched.
Who entered Dominic's study?
Who reacted when Sofia was mentioned?
Who disappeared when Victor called?
By afternoon, she noticed something.
One security officer, Nathan Pike, entered the west wing despite having no reason to be there.
Rachel followed from a distance.
Nathan opened the music room.
He searched the piano.
Rachel quietly backed away.
She found Marcus.
“Nathan.”
“What about him?”
“He's looking for the recorder.”
Marcus’s expression sharpened.
Dominic was informed.
But instead of confronting Nathan, they created a trap.
That evening Dominic deliberately told Marcus within Nathan's hearing,
“The original documents are in B-17.”
At 1:08 a.m., security cameras recorded Nathan entering the cellar.
Dominic was waiting.
Nathan stopped.
Marcus stood behind him.
Dominic’s voice was quiet.
“How long?”
Nathan said nothing.
“How long have you worked for Victor?”
Nathan looked toward the exit.
Marcus blocked it.
Finally Nathan answered.
“Six years.”
Rachel watched through the security monitor upstairs with Eleanor.
Dominic asked,
“What happened to Sofia?”
“I don't know.”
“Wrong answer.”
“I swear.”
Nathan swallowed.
“Victor never told me. But Sofia wasn't supposed to disappear.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“What does that mean?”
“She was supposed to leave.”
“Where?”
“Canada.”
Dominic froze.
Nathan continued.
“She discovered everything. Victor offered her money to stay quiet. She refused. Then suddenly she was gone.”
Dominic’s face changed.
“Are you saying she might be alive?”
“I’m saying Victor spent eight years making sure you believed she wasn't.”
Rachel stared at the monitor.
Eleanor whispered,
“Oh my God.”
Nathan gave Dominic an address.
A private property north of Albany.
Dominic immediately prepared to leave.
Rachel intercepted him in the foyer.
“I'm coming.”
“No.”
“My mother helped Sofia.”
“No.”
“She left the letter for me.”
“No.”
Rachel folded her arms.
“Do you know any other words?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Stay.”
She glared.
Dominic lowered his voice.
“Rachel, this is not your fight.”
“Maybe it wasn't six days ago.”
He stared at her.
She stepped closer.
“But your sister knew my mother. My mother died carrying this secret. Somebody sent a message to my phone because of it.”
Dominic said nothing.
“I’m already involved.”
Marcus appeared.
“She has a point.”
Dominic turned.
“Whose employee are you?”
Marcus considered it.
“Technically yours.”
Rachel smiled.
Dominic exhaled.
“Fine.”
Then he pointed at her.
“You stay beside Marcus.”
Rachel saluted with her feather duster.
Dominic looked at it.
“Why are you carrying that?”
“Nervous habit.”
“Leave it.”
Rachel reluctantly put it down.
Two hours later, they reached the address.
The property was empty.
Almost.
On a kitchen table sat a photograph taken three days earlier.
A woman stood outside a grocery store.
Dominic picked it up.
His hand trembled.
Rachel looked at the woman.
She had Dominic’s eyes.
May you like
“Sofia,” he whispered.
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