Chapter 3 - WHO KNEW ABOUT ETHAN’S ALLERGY?Dominic made a list.
He hated that it contained people he loved.
Himself.
Ethan’s mother, Ava.
His mother, Helena.
Rosa.
Dr. Patel.
Julian.
Ethan’s school nurse.
Two household chefs.
The allergist.
And Dominic’s sister, Claire.
Eleven people.
The birthday planners knew there was a nut allergy.
Not which nut.
Guests knew Ethan carried epinephrine.
Not why.
The concentrated cashew powder narrowed knowledge.
Even more disturbing, it had been applied only to Ethan’s personal slice.
Not the whole cake.
Someone knew exactly which plate was his.
That meant observation.
Or planning.
Then police found a text on a disposable phone recovered from the service bathroom.
Blue plate. Candle 8. Only his.
Dominic stared at the message.
His son’s plate was blue.
Every other child had white.
That had been Ava’s idea.
Ethan loved blue.
Only the family, catering supervisor, and event planner knew beforehand.
Now Dominic understood.
This was not an unstable stranger wandering into a mansion.
Someone with inside knowledge had coordinated access.
May you like
The attacker may have been only a hired hand.
The real person behind it could still be among family.
