Chapter 3 - The Nanny’s Secret
Her name was Rebecca Lane.
She was thirty-one, professionally trained and had worked for Damien for eleven months.
According to him, she loved the twins.
According to his security chief, she had passed every background check.
According to the Bellavita camera footage, she had also replaced their bottle seventeen minutes before both babies became distressed.
“That doesn't mean she contaminated it,” I said.
Damien stared across his private hospital suite.
“She switched bottles.”
“Yes.”
“Without telling anyone.”
“Yes.”
“And then my sons nearly stopped breathing.”
“I understand what it looks like.”
“No, Ellie. You don't.”
His voice stayed low.
That made it worse.
“Somebody got close enough to hurt my children.”
A security guard entered.
“Rebecca's downstairs.”
Damien stood.
“She came voluntarily?”
“Yes.”
“Bring her.”
Rebecca entered crying.
“Mr. Moretti—”
“Sit.”
She sat.
Damien placed a tablet on the table.
The security footage played.
Rebecca appeared beside the twins’ carrier.
She removed one bottle.
Replaced it.
Rebecca covered her mouth.
“I can explain.”
“Do it.”
“The bottle smelled strange.”
Damien stared at her.
“What?”
“I noticed something around the nipple. I thought the formula had spoiled.”
I leaned forward.
“So you replaced it?”
“Yes.”
“Where is the original?”
“I threw it away.”
Damien's palm slammed onto the table.
Rebecca flinched.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“I was scared!”
“Of spoiled formula?”
“No.”
She looked toward the guards.
Then toward me.
“Of Marco.”
Silence.
Damien slowly sat.
“What did Marco do?”
“He told me to use that bottle.”
Damien's eyes darkened.
Rebecca started crying harder.
“He brought it from the kitchen and said it had already been prepared. I thought it was strange because I prepare everything myself.”
“And you took it?”
“He's your cousin.”
I looked at Damien.
Marco wasn't merely an employee.
He was family.
Rebecca continued.
“I trusted him because everyone trusts him.”
“Then why replace it?”
“Because after I gave them some, I noticed the residue. They hadn't finished much. I switched bottles immediately.”
My stomach turned.
The twins had already consumed part of it.
Damien stood.
“Where is Marco?”
A guard answered.
“Secure room at Bellavita.”
“Don't let him leave.”
I stepped between Damien and the door.
“Wait.”
“Move.”
“No.”
“Ellie.”
“If Marco did this, you need to know why.”
“I intend to ask.”
“Not like this.”
His face hardened.
“You don't know how I ask questions.”
“I know exactly what you're implying.”
He leaned toward me.
“My children are in hospital beds.”
“And if you lose control now, you may never learn who else is involved.”
That stopped him.
Rebecca looked at me.
“There is someone else.”
Damien turned.
“Who?”
“I heard Marco arguing with a man two nights ago.”
“Name.”
“I don't know.”
“What did they say?”
Rebecca closed her eyes.
“One sentence.”
“What sentence?”
She looked directly at me.
“He said, ‘Hart should have stayed gone.’”
My blood turned cold.
Damien looked at me.
I couldn't speak.
Rebecca whispered, “I'm sorry.”
Damien's phone rang again.
The hospital laboratory.
He listened.
Then his face became stone.
“What was it?” I asked.
He lowered the phone.
“The bottle contained a compound that wasn't supposed to be there.”
Rebecca began sobbing.
Damien looked at his guards.
“Get Keller.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“Stephen Keller.”
“How do you—”
“My people found him.”
“Where?”
“Chicago.”
That made no sense.
Keller had left Illinois after the investigation.
At least, that was what I had been told.
Damien continued.
“He's been back for six months.”
I felt sick.
“Doing what?”
Damien looked at me.
“Consulting for one of my companies.”
The room went silent.
And suddenly the connection became impossible to ignore.
Marco.
Keller.
My ruined career.
Damien’s sons.
This wasn't beginning tonight.
May you like
It had begun three years ago.
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