Chapter 8 - HAVEN HOUSE
Haven House did not exist on official maps.
At least not under that name.
Sofia had funded it through three charities and two law firms.
Mateo found the address hidden inside old accounting records.
Leo wanted to go immediately.
Beatrice wanted Lily nowhere near Victoria.
That left them with one problem.
Victoria lived in the same house.
“I’ll stay with Lily.”
Beatrice said.
Leo looked at her.
“Security stays with you.”
“Fine.”
“All doors locked.”
“Fine.”
“You call me if she sneezes.”
Beatrice stared.
“That seems excessive.”
“I don’t care.”
Lily tugged his sleeve.
“Daddy.”
He crouched.
“Yes?”
“Are you mad at Mommy?”
His face changed.
“Never.”
“You look mad.”
“I’m mad because I should have known she was trying to tell me something.”
Lily touched his cheek.
“You didn’t know.”
Leo closed his eyes briefly.
“No.”
“I didn’t.”
Then Lily whispered, “Bee knows when I’m scared.”
Leo looked at Beatrice.
“I’m learning.”
Beatrice gave him a small smile.
He left with Mateo.
Haven House stood inside a converted church on Chicago’s west side.
The woman who opened the door was nearly seventy.
She took one look at Leo and slammed it again.
Mateo caught it with his foot.
“We need to talk about Sofia.”
The door slowly reopened.
The woman stared at Leo.
“You have her eyes.”
Leo’s throat tightened.
“You knew my wife?”
“She saved my daughter.”
“What does that have to do with Arthur Kensington?”
The woman’s face hardened.
“Everything.”
Her name was Evelyn Clarke.
Her daughter, Rebecca, had once worked for Arthur Kensington.
Not as an employee.
As a secret girlfriend.
Arthur controlled her apartment.
Her money.
Her phone.
When Rebecca tried to leave, he threatened her family.
Sofia learned about it through a charity board.
She helped Rebecca disappear.
Victoria found out.
Leo stared.
“Victoria helped her father?”
Evelyn laughed bitterly.
“Victoria protected the Kensington name.”
Mateo leaned forward.
“What happened?”
“Sofia had documents.”
“What documents?”
“Payments.”
“Threats.”
“Judges.”
“Doctors.”
“Police.”
Leo’s face grew colder with every word.
Evelyn continued.
“Your wife was going to hand everything to federal investigators.”
“The night she died?”
Evelyn nodded.
“She told me if she didn’t call by midnight, I was to leave Illinois.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“Why come back?”
“Because Arthur Kensington is getting old.”
She looked at Leo.
“And because cowards get tired too.”
Mateo asked, “Do you still have anything Sofia gave you?”
Evelyn disappeared into another room.
She returned carrying a small metal box.
Inside were copies of bank transfers.
Photographs.
Names.
One photograph showed Dr. Price entering Arthur Kensington’s private club.
Another showed Victoria beside Sofia’s car the week before the bombing.
Leo’s hands shook.
Then Evelyn gave him a flash drive.
“Sofia told me this mattered most.”
Leo looked at it.
“What is it?”
“I never opened it.”
“Why?”
“She said only you would know the password.”
Back at the estate, Beatrice was helping Lily build a blanket fort.
Victoria appeared in the doorway.
“How sweet.”
Beatrice stood.
“Lily is supposed to rest.”
“I’m not stopping her.”
Victoria entered anyway.
Lily’s smile vanished.
Beatrice noticed.
“Maybe later.”
Victoria ignored her.
She carried a silver tray.
On it sat hot chocolate.
“I brought a peace offering.”
Lily looked toward Beatrice.
Beatrice stepped closer.
“I’ll make her something.”
Victoria smiled.
“I already did.”
She handed a cup toward Lily.
Beatrice smelled it.
Almond.
Her stomach dropped.
“Put that down.”
Victoria stared at her.
“Excuse me?”
“Now.”
“It’s hot chocolate.”
“Lily can’t have almonds.”
Victoria looked surprised.
“This doesn’t have almonds.”
Beatrice grabbed the cup.
She smelled it again.
Then set it down hard.
“You used almond extract.”
Victoria’s eyes narrowed.
“So?”
“So she’s allergic.”
“A mild allergy.”
“A mild allergy can become a serious one.”
Victoria laughed.
“You’re being dramatic.”
Lily moved behind Beatrice.
That was when Beatrice realized Victoria had not made a mistake.
She knew.
Victoria had approved the medical menus.
She knew exactly what Lily could not have.
Beatrice reached into her pocket for the panic button.
Victoria saw.
Her smile disappeared.
Before Beatrice could press it, Victoria slapped the button from her hand.
It skidded beneath the bed.
Then Victoria stepped closer.
“You should have left when my father warned you.”
Beatrice felt something inside her become very still.
“You admit it.”
Victoria’s face changed.
Just enough.
Beatrice smiled.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
Beatrice pointed toward the stuffed rabbit on the shelf.
A tiny red light blinked inside one repaired eye.
Victoria stared.
May you like
Beatrice said quietly, “Mateo put cameras in Lily’s room this morning.”
Victoria’s face drained of color.
