Chapter 4 - NOAH HAD SEEN MORE THAN ANYONE REALIZEDThat afternoon, Dominic found Noah sitting on the floor of Catherine’s old library.
The boy was holding one of his grandmother’s books.
“Hey.”
Noah looked up.
“Mom says the wedding is canceled.”
“It is.”
“Because I called you?”
Dominic sat beside him.
“No.”
Noah looked worried.
“I ruined it.”
“You didn’t ruin anything.”
“Brooke said I did.”
Dominic’s expression changed.
“When?”
“Last week.”
“What exactly did she say?”
Noah looked down.
“She said kids who listen at doors break families.”
Dominic felt cold.
“Were you listening at a door?”
Noah nodded.
“What did you hear?”
“Brooke talking to a man.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“What did they say?”
Noah thought carefully.
“She said the trust would be empty before you noticed.”
Dominic stopped breathing.
“What else?”
“She said after the wedding, nobody could make her leave.”
“Why didn’t you tell your mother?”
“Brooke said if I caused trouble, Mom would lose Grandma’s cottage.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
This woman had threatened a nine-year-old.
Not directly enough to leave evidence.
Carefully enough to scare him.
Dominic put one hand on Noah’s shoulder.
“You did the right thing calling me.”
Noah looked up.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Are you mad?”
“Very.”
“At me?”
“Never at you.”
Noah leaned against him.
Dominic held his nephew.
And remembered Catherine.
His mother had been dying when she made him promise.
“Whatever happens after I’m gone, Natalie always has a home here.”
Dominic had answered:
“I promise.”
He had almost broken that promise without realizing it.
Not because he wanted to.
Because he had trusted the wrong woman.
That guilt stayed with him.
Investigators traced part of the stolen money to an offshore account.
The account belonged to a company called Bellweather Consulting.
Director:
Elliot Price.
Marcus stared at the screen.
“Our lawyer.”
Dominic nodded.
“He helped her.”
But then another name appeared.
Authorized account manager:
Brooke Langley.
Clear.
Direct.
Undeniable.
Dominic called Elliot again.
May you like
This time, Elliot did not answer.
Because Elliot had already disappeared.
