Chapter 2 - The Woman Who Hired Me
I stared at the photograph until my own face stopped looking familiar.
“That isn't possible.”
Marcus enlarged the image.
It had been taken outside the small apartment building where I lived in Dorchester.
I was carrying grocery bags.
My hair was pulled into a messy knot.
I wore the old brown coat my mother had given me.
The date in the corner was June 11.
Three weeks before Cassandra hired me.
I looked at her.
“You knew who I was.”
Cassandra pulled against the guards holding her.
“This is ridiculous.”
Marcus swiped to the next image.
An email appeared.
The sender address had been partially hidden, but the message was clear.
Confirm subject still wears silver necklace.
Obtain employment contact.
Do not approach until instructed.
My skin went cold.
Dominic read it twice.
“Who sent this?”
“I don't know,” Cassandra said.
Marcus laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“That's your private foundation account.”
Cassandra’s head snapped toward him.
“You went through my emails?”
“I secure this house.”
“You work for us.”
Marcus looked at Dominic.
“I work for him.”
The ballroom guests had gone completely silent.
Nobody wanted to leave now.
They wanted to hear everything.
Dominic pointed toward the library.
“Take Cassandra inside.”
She jerked away from the guards.
“Dominic, don't humiliate me in front of these people.”
“You hit an employee in front of these people.”
“I made a mistake.”
“You had Elena photographed before she ever worked here.”
Cassandra froze.
He continued.
“That isn't a mistake.”
Her face changed.
The tears disappeared.
“Then maybe you should ask your precious maid why she came here.”
I stared at her.
“I answered a job listing.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
Cassandra smiled.
“You expect him to believe that?”
“I don't care what he believes.”
That surprised Dominic.
It surprised me too.
But I was tired.
Tired of being stared at.
Tired of rich people deciding I must be lying because my uniform cost thirty dollars.
Dominic handed the locket back to me.
“Come with us.”
“I'd rather go home.”
“You may be in danger.”
“I was in danger five minutes ago and nobody moved.”
Several guests looked away.
Dominic absorbed that without arguing.
Then he nodded.
“Fair.”
He turned toward Marcus.
“Clear the ballroom.”
Cassandra shouted, “No!”
Dominic looked at her.
“You wanted an audience.”
His voice was quiet.
“Now you have one.”
Within ten minutes, the guests were escorted out through the east doors.
Phones were collected from anyone who had recorded the confrontation.
That part bothered me.
“You can't just take their phones.”
Marcus said, “They'll get them back.”
Dominic glanced at him.
“Immediately.”
Marcus nodded.
That surprised me too.
Maybe Dominic had noticed my expression.
Maybe he was used to people obeying without question and had suddenly realized I wasn't going to.
We entered the library.
Cassandra sat in a leather chair with her arms folded.
Dominic stood by the fireplace.
I remained near the door.
Marcus placed a folder on the desk.
“We checked Miss Vance’s office after the email alert came through.”
Cassandra stared at him.
“What email alert?”
“You deleted a file tonight.”
Her face changed.
Marcus opened the folder.
Inside was a copy of my employment application.
A second page had handwritten notes.
Height.
Weight.
Work schedule.
Apartment address.
Mother deceased.
No known father.
Locket always worn.
My stomach turned.
“You investigated my mother?”
Cassandra said nothing.
I stepped closer.
“Why?”
Dominic picked up the last page.
His eyes narrowed.
“What is this?”
Marcus answered.
“A floor plan.”
It showed Sterling Manor.
One section had been circled in red.
EAST WING.
I had never been inside that part of the house.
Nobody had.
It had been sealed since the fire.
There was another note beneath the circle.
LOCKET MAY OPEN INNER PANEL.
I touched the necklace.
“No.”
Dominic looked at me.
“What?”
“My mother used to tell me never to let anyone take this off.”
Marcus leaned forward.
“What exactly did she say?”
The memory came back so clearly that I could hear Lucia’s voice.
We were sitting in our tiny kitchen.
I was nine.
She was fixing the broken clasp.
“If anybody ever recognizes this,” she told me, “you leave.”
At the time, I thought she was being dramatic.
“What else did she say?” Dominic asked.
I looked at Cassandra.
“She told me never to trust anyone named Sterling.”
Dominic’s expression tightened.
Cassandra suddenly laughed.
“There. You see?”
But I wasn't finished.
“And she told me one more name.”
The room went still.
Dominic asked, “Whose?”
May you like
I looked directly at Cassandra.
“Vance.”
