Chapter 2 - May I Look?
Dr. Elena Ortiz arrived nineteen minutes later carrying a black medical case and the expression of a woman accustomed to being summoned into unusual situations without receiving an explanation.
She examined Sadie in one of the estate’s guest suites.
Declan remained outside.
That surprised Sadie.
She had expected him to dominate the room simply because he could.
Instead, when Dr. Ortiz asked for privacy, Declan walked out without argument.
Anthony stayed in the hallway with him.
The bedroom door closed.
Dr. Ortiz carefully removed the duct tape.
Sadie bit down on a towel.
“You did this yourself?” the doctor asked.
“The splint?”
“Yes.”
Sadie nodded.
Dr. Ortiz sighed.
“It’s creative.”
“That’s doctor language for terrible.”
“It’s doctor language for you probably prevented additional movement, but please never use kitchen equipment as orthopedic care again.”
Despite everything, Sadie laughed.
It hurt.
Dr. Ortiz examined the arm, then arranged for a portable imaging technician from her clinic.
When the scan confirmed fractures in both the radius and ulna, Sadie stared at the ceiling.
“How bad?”
“You need proper reduction and immobilization today.”
“Can I work tomorrow?”
Dr. Ortiz gave her a look.
“What?”
“You have a broken forearm.”
“I understood that part.”
“No.”
Sadie’s throat tightened.
“How long?”
“Several weeks before you should even think about normal duties.”
Several weeks.
Several missed paychecks.
Her mother’s facility.
Rent.
Insurance.
Food.
Sadie closed her eyes.
“I can’t.”
The doctor lowered her voice.
“Declan said everything is covered.”
Sadie opened her eyes again.
“I didn’t ask him.”
“I know.”
“That doesn’t mean I owe him something?”
Dr. Ortiz studied her carefully.
“No.”
“You said that quickly.”
“Because I’ve known Declan for twenty-six years.”
Sadie waited.
Dr. Ortiz smiled faintly.
“He owes me more favors than you could accumulate in three lifetimes.”
That didn’t make Sadie feel much better.
Nothing involving Declan Watters felt free.
Outside, Declan stood at a window overlooking the estate gardens.
Anthony approached with a tablet.
“We have a problem.”
Declan didn’t turn.
“I assumed that when one of my employees showed up with two spoons taped to a broken arm.”
“Rosebridge confirmed Mrs. Miller’s mother is safe.”
Declan looked over.
“Security?”
“I sent two people I trust.”
“How many do you trust?”
Anthony hesitated.
That answer told Declan enough.
“Exactly.”
Anthony lowered his voice.
“I pulled the exterior footage from the staff garage.”
“And?”
“Missing.”
Declan’s expression flattened.
“How much?”
“Between nine forty and ten eighteen last night.”
“Sadie clocked out when?”
“Nine forty-six.”
Declan slowly turned.
“Convenient.”
“There’s more.”
Anthony held out the tablet.
“The camera system wasn’t down.”
Declan took it.
“Someone manually deleted the footage.”
“Access level?”
“Senior security.”
Declan stared at the screen.
Six names appeared.
One was Victor Hale.
Declan’s thumb paused.
Victor had worked for him for eight years.
Former military.
Reliable.
Disciplined.
Or so Declan had believed.
“Where is Hale?”
“East wing.”
“Does he know we’re checking footage?”
“No.”
“Keep it that way.”
Anthony nodded.
“Do you think Sadie saw something?”
Declan looked toward the closed guest-room door.
“She’s terrified.”
“Of you?”
“No.”
Anthony raised an eyebrow.
Declan gave him a dry look.
“Not only of me.”
The doctor emerged twenty minutes later.
“Her arm needs treatment at my clinic.”
Declan straightened.
“She’s stable?”
“Yes. In pain, dehydrated, exhausted and more worried about missing work than the fact that she has two fractures.”
Declan’s jaw tightened.
“Can she travel?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll take her.”
Dr. Ortiz studied him.
“Declan.”
“What?”
“Don’t interrogate her.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“You interrogate people while asking whether they want coffee.”
Anthony looked down to hide a smile.
Declan ignored him.
Dr. Ortiz continued.
“She is frightened. Whatever happened, pushing her won’t help.”
Declan glanced toward the room.
“I know.”
That seemed to surprise the doctor.
Sadie emerged wearing a temporary medical brace.
Declan stepped toward her.
She immediately stiffened.
He noticed.
So he stopped.
“There’s a car outside,” he said.
“I can drive myself.”
“No.”
Sadie’s expression hardened.
Declan reconsidered the word.
“Your medication makes driving unsafe.”
That was better.
Barely.
Sadie looked at Dr. Ortiz.
“She’s right,” the doctor said.
Sadie sighed.
“All right.”
They walked through the hallway.
Household staff watched from distant doorways.
Security officers pretended not to.
Declan noticed every pair of eyes.
Victor Hale stood near the staircase.
Sadie saw him.
Her entire body changed.
Not dramatically.
That was the important part.
One shortened breath.
One hesitation.
One half-step closer to the wall.
Her gaze dropped.
Declan followed the line of her fear.
Victor.
Victor smiled politely.
“Everything okay, boss?”
Declan looked at him.
For years, men had told Declan that he possessed an intimidating stare.
He had never considered it useful until that moment.
“Fine.”
Victor’s smile remained.
“Need anything?”
“No.”
Sadie walked faster.
Declan said nothing until they reached the front doors.
Outside, he touched Anthony’s shoulder.
A small signal.
Anthony understood.
Victor Hale did not leave the estate.
Not anymore.
During the drive to Dr. Ortiz’s clinic, Sadie stared through the window.
Declan sat opposite her in the rear of the SUV.
He did not mention Victor.
He did not ask about the parking garage.
He waited.
Finally Sadie spoke.
“Why do you know I’m right-handed?”
Declan looked up.
“What?”
“You said it.”
“I remember details.”
“About maids?”
“About people in my house.”
“You’ve never spoken more than five sentences to me.”
“Seven.”
Sadie stared.
Declan’s mouth almost moved.
“You corrected my coffee order once.”
“That counts?”
“You were right.”
She looked back through the window.
After a moment, Declan asked, “Why Rosebridge?”
“My mother has early-onset dementia.”
He said nothing.
Sadie expected the usual response.
I’m sorry.
That must be difficult.
Instead he asked, “Does she still know you?”
Sadie’s face softened.
“Some days.”
“And the other days?”
“I introduce myself.”
Declan looked down.
Sadie studied him.
Something about his expression suggested familiarity with loss.
She didn’t ask.
The clinic appeared ahead.
Before the vehicle stopped, Declan said, “Your mother’s bill has been paid.”
Sadie turned sharply.
“What?”
“For six months.”
“No.”
Declan frowned.
“No?”
“You can reverse it.”
“That isn’t necessary.”
“Yes, it is.”
“You went to work with a broken arm because of money.”
“That doesn’t make my bills yours.”
“I know.”
“Then reverse it.”
Declan leaned back.
Most people accepted gifts from him quickly.
Often too quickly.
Sadie looked offended by the idea.
“Consider it paid medical leave.”
“I don’t get six months of paid leave.”
“You do now.”
“Then every employee gets it.”
Declan stared.
Sadie met his eyes.
“If I get special treatment because you happened to notice me today, that isn’t kindness. It’s luck.”
Something almost like admiration appeared in his face.
“You negotiate while medicated?”
“I’ve negotiated with insurance companies. You’re not frightening enough.”
Declan actually laughed.
It was brief.
Sadie looked surprised.
So did the driver.
“Fine,” Declan said. “Six months paid medical emergency leave becomes policy for all full-time household employees.”
Sadie blinked.
“You can’t just—”
“I own the company.”
“That is an incredibly annoying answer.”
“So I’ve been told.”
The SUV stopped.
Sadie reached for the door with her left hand.
Declan spoke before she opened it.
“Sadie.”
She looked at him.
“I’m not going to force you to tell me anything.”
Her shoulders loosened slightly.
“But if someone threatened you because of your mother, I need to know one thing.”
Fear returned.
“What?”
“Is she the reason you’re silent?”
Sadie stared at him.
That was answer enough.
Declan’s expression changed.
Sadie instantly regretted giving him even that.
“Please,” she whispered. “Don’t do anything.”
“I won’t do anything reckless.”
“You’re Declan Watters.”
He almost smiled.
“Fair point.”
“I mean it.”
“So do I.”
Sadie looked toward the clinic doors.
Then back at him.
“There are things happening in your house you don’t know about.”
The words were barely audible.
Declan became completely still.
“What things?”
Sadie closed her eyes.
Victor’s voice returned.
Room 214.
She opened the door.
“I can’t.”
Declan let her go.
But when Sadie disappeared inside the clinic, he took out his phone.
Anthony answered immediately.
“Hale just tried to access the security server,” Anthony said.
Declan looked through the clinic window at Sadie.
“Stop him.”
“Quietly?”
“Yes.”
“And then?”
Declan’s eyes hardened.
“Find me every man who accessed those cameras in the last six months.”
“How far do you want me to go?”
Declan remembered the wooden spoons.
The duct tape.
Sadie telling him she was cold while sweat ran down her temple.
“All the way.”
By sunset, Anthony had seven names.
By midnight, he had eleven.
May you like
And before sunrise, the list would reach fifteen.
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