Chapter 6 - The House with Too Many Empty Rooms
Dominic did not answer immediately.
That frightened Cassidy more than the photograph.
“Who sent it?”
“I don't know.”
“Guess.”
“Richard.”
“Your uncle sends threatening photographs?”
“I didn't say he sent it.”
“But you think he could.”
“I think he benefits if you're frightened enough to leave.”
Cassidy stared at the image.
“She will cost you everything.”
Her throat tightened.
“Is Emily in danger?”
“No.”
“Don't give me the fast answer.”
Dominic's jaw flexed.
“I have no evidence that anyone intends physical harm.”
“That's different.”
“Yes.”
“Then say that.”
He nodded.
“I have no evidence Emily is in danger.”
Cassidy folded her arms.
“But?”
“The publicity makes privacy difficult.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning until I know who sent this, there will be security outside.”
Cassidy looked toward the hallway.
“You want guards around a seven-year-old?”
“I want people watching entrances.”
“She's going to think we're in prison.”
“She doesn't have to see them.”
Cassidy stepped closer.
“This is exactly what I was afraid of.”
Dominic said quietly, “I know.”
“Do you?”
“You married a stranger and discovered his family is worse than advertised.”
Despite herself, Cassidy almost laughed.
“That isn't funny.”
“No.”
“It was a little funny.”
Dominic's mouth moved.
Then Emily appeared in the doorway.
Both adults instantly stopped.
“What are you doing?”
Cassidy covered the photograph.
“Talking.”
“You were doing serious faces.”
Dominic answered, “We both have unfortunate serious faces.”
Emily looked at him.
“Cassidy doesn't.”
“Thank you,” Cassidy said.
“She has mad face.”
“Less helpful.”
Emily pointed down the hall.
“There's a room with a piano.”
Dominic nodded.
“Yes.”
“Can I play it?”
“Do you know how?”
“No.”
He considered this.
“Then statistically you cannot make it worse.”
Emily smiled.
She grabbed Cassidy's hand.
“Come on.”
The music room was enormous.
Tall windows overlooked a garden.
A black grand piano sat in the center.
Emily climbed onto the bench and pressed one key.
Then another.
Then five at once.
The result was terrible.
She loved it.
Cassidy laughed.
Dominic remained in the doorway.
For several minutes, he watched.
There was a photograph on the mantel.
Cassidy noticed it first.
A woman in her fifties stood beside a younger Dominic.
Same gray-blue eyes.
Same controlled smile.
Emily noticed too.
“Is that Evelyn?”
Dominic stiffened.
“Yes.”
“She's pretty.”
“Yes.”
“Did she play piano?”
He looked at the instrument.
“Every morning.”
Emily pressed another key.
“Can you?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“She tried teaching me.”
“And?”
“I was bad.”
Emily shrugged.
“So am I.”
Something changed in Dominic's face.
He walked into the room.
Then sat beside Emily.
He pressed a simple three-note pattern.
Cassidy stared.
“You said you couldn't play.”
“I said I was bad.”
“You lied.”
“No. I'm terrible.”
Emily copied the notes.
Dominic repeated them.
She copied again.
For ten minutes, Cassidy watched the most intimidating man she had ever met teach her sister the beginning of a melody he claimed not to remember.
Later, after Emily went to bed, Cassidy found Dominic alone at the piano.
He played the entire piece flawlessly.
Cassidy leaned against the doorway.
“Terrible?”
He stopped.
“You were spying.”
“You left the door open.”
He looked down at the keys.
“My mother taught me.”
“I guessed.”
“She played that piece when she couldn't sleep.”
Cassidy walked closer.
“What happened to her?”
Dominic's shoulders became rigid.
“Cancer.”
“I'm sorry.”
“It was six years ago.”
“That doesn't make it less sad.”
“No.”
Cassidy sat in a chair nearby.
“Emily keeps our mother's sweater.”
Dominic looked at her.
“She sleeps with it.”
“I saw.”
“I used to think I should hide things like that.”
“Why?”
“I wanted people to think we were okay.”
“Were you?”
“No.”
He nodded.
“Neither was I.”
The honesty surprised both of them.
Cassidy looked around.
“This house doesn't feel like you live here.”
“I don't much.”
“Where do you live?”
“Hotels. Office. Plane.”
“That sounds miserable.”
“It's efficient.”
“You really love that word.”
“It solves problems.”
“No. It avoids them.”
Dominic looked at her.
Cassidy realized she had gone too far.
“Sorry.”
“Don't be.”
The silence between them no longer felt uncomfortable.
Then Dominic's phone rang.
Mara.
He answered.
“What?”
Cassidy watched his face change.
“When?”
He stood.
“Send it.”
He ended the call.
“What happened?”
Dominic opened an email.
Richard Vale had filed a sworn petition with the trust court.
Attached were photographs.
Cassidy working at the Bluebird.
Cassidy entering Dominic's car.
Cassidy at the courthouse.
And one image that made her blood go cold.
Emily entering school.
Cassidy took the phone.
“They photographed her.”
“Yes.”
“Today?”
“Yes.”
Her anger replaced fear.
“Call your uncle.”
“Cassidy—”
“Call him.”
Dominic studied her.
Then pressed the number.
Richard answered almost immediately.
“Dominic.”
“Stay away from the child.”
A pause.
Then an older man's voice came through.
“I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“You filed photographs of Emily Miller.”
“Public sidewalk.”
Cassidy reached for the phone.
Dominic hesitated.
She held out her hand.
He gave it to her.
“This is Cassidy.”
Richard was silent.
Then amused.
“Mrs. Vale.”
“Don't call me that.”
“Legally—”
“If another person working for you photographs my sister, I will personally bring that information to every judge involved in my case and your nephew's.”
Dominic watched her.
Richard chuckled.
“You've been in the family one day and already sound like a Vale.”
“No.”
Cassidy's voice hardened.
“I sound like a woman telling you to stay away from a seven-year-old.”
The line went quiet.
Then Richard said, “You have no idea what you've involved yourself in.”
“Then enlighten me.”
“Dominic didn't?”
Cassidy looked at her husband.
Richard continued.
“Ask him why Evelyn's trust is worth destroying his reputation for.”
“I know about the properties.”
“Do you?”
Cassidy felt Dominic go still.
Richard laughed softly.
“Ask him what is underneath the Franklin Street property.”
The line disconnected.
Cassidy slowly lowered the phone.
“What's underneath Franklin Street?”
Dominic said nothing.
“Dominic.”
He looked at her.
“A records archive.”
“What records?”
“Financial.”
“Whose?”
“My father's.”
Cassidy waited.
Dominic continued.
“My uncle wants the building because he believes my mother kept evidence there.”
“Evidence of what?”
“Fraud.”
Cassidy stared.
“How much?”
“We don't know.”
“Millions?”
“Yes.”
“Tens of millions?”
Possibly.”
Her stomach dropped.
“So this isn't about shelters.”
“It is.”
“It's also about evidence.”
“Yes.”
“And if Richard gets control, he gets the archive.”
“Yes.”
Cassidy looked toward the hallway where Emily was sleeping.
Then back at Dominic.
“You didn't marry me just to protect buildings.”
“No.”
“You married me because I'm part of a fight over evidence that could destroy your uncle.”
“Yes.”
Cassidy's face went cold.
“You promised no hidden consequences.”
“I told you what I knew.”
“You knew this.”
“Yes.”
She stepped away.
Dominic's voice lowered.
“Cassidy.”
“No.”
“Listen.”
“I have spent my entire life surrounded by people who thought they could decide what information I deserved because they had more power than I did.”
Her eyes filled.
“My landlord. Social workers. Employers. Doctors when my mother was sick.”
She pointed toward him.
“You don't get to become another one.”
Dominic absorbed the words.
Then nodded once.
“You're right.”
Cassidy wasn't prepared for agreement.
He walked toward a locked cabinet.
Opened it.
Removed a black file.
He placed it on the piano.
“No more pieces.”
Cassidy stared.
“What is that?”
“Everything.”
“Everything what?”
“The trust. My uncle. My father. The archive. The properties.”
His hand remained on the folder.
“And the real reason I was at the Bluebird at 12:40 that night.”
Cassidy's breathing slowed.
“You weren't there accidentally?”
“No.”
“Why were you there?”
Dominic looked directly at her.
“Because someone from the Bluebird called me.”
May you like
And suddenly Cassidy understood that their meeting might not have been random at all.
---
Related Stories
