Chapter 3 - THE FIANCÉE CAME HOME SMILING

Claire returned at 10:18 that night.

She arrived in a silver Mercedes.

She stepped through the front doors wearing a cream coat and carrying two shopping bags.

She was smiling.

Dominic watched from the upper landing.

If Claire knew the cellar had been opened, she did not show it.

“Dominic.”

Her smile widened.

“You’re home.”

She climbed the staircase quickly.

Then wrapped her arms around him.

Dominic forced himself not to move away.

Claire kissed his cheek.

“I called you seven times.”

“Busy.”

She pulled back.

“You look exhausted.”

“So do you.”

Claire laughed lightly.

“Wedding planning.”

Her fingers brushed his collar.

“It might actually kill me.”

Dominic looked into the face of the woman he had planned to marry.

For eleven months, he had believed he knew every expression she had.

Now each smile looked rehearsed.

Each touch felt calculated.

Claire glanced toward Daniel standing near the study.

“What happened?”

Dominic said nothing.

Claire’s smile faded slightly.

“There are twice as many guards outside.”

“Security issue.”

“What kind?”

“Internal.”

For the first time, something flickered behind Claire’s eyes.

Gone in a heartbeat.

“Should I be worried?”

Dominic leaned closer.

“Should you?”

Claire stared at him.

Then laughed.

“You’re being strange.”

“Long week.”

She touched his arm.

“Come upstairs.”

“I ordered dinner.”

“I already ate.”

Another lie.

Dominic had eaten nothing.

Claire did not know that.

She did not need to.

“What about Nathan?”

The question came too casually.

Dominic watched her.

“What about him?”

“I saw his car outside.”

Dominic shrugged.

“He’s working.”

“At this hour?”

“He usually does.”

Claire looked toward the hallway leading to the west wing.

Mia was being treated two floors above them.

Harper was asleep beside her.

Dominic wondered whether Claire knew.

Then Claire asked,

“Where’s Mia?”

There it was.

Dominic almost smiled.

“Why?”

“I need her to steam the dress I brought home.”

“She’s unavailable.”

Claire blinked.

“Unavailable?”

Dominic stepped closer.

“She went to Pennsylvania.”

Claire stopped breathing for half a second.

Exactly half a second.

Then she smiled.

“Oh.”

“To see her mother?”

Dominic felt every remaining piece fall into place.

Claire had just repeated the lie Harper had been told.

A lie Dominic had never mentioned.

“Yes.”

Claire relaxed.

“Good.”

“She works too hard.”

Dominic looked at her.

“So do you.”

He kissed her forehead.

Claire smiled.

“You’re sweet when you’re tired.”

Dominic walked past her.

His face became stone the moment she could no longer see it.

Daniel waited near the study.

He had heard everything.

Dominic entered.

Daniel followed.

The door closed.

“She knows the Pennsylvania story,” Daniel said.

“Yes.”

“So Mia was right.”

“Yes.”

Daniel lowered his voice.

“What do you want to do?”

Dominic stared through the window.

Outside, the estate gates were closed.

His entire world sat behind those gates.

Somewhere inside were the people trying to take it from him.

Nathan was under guard in a guest suite.

Claire was free.

Dominic wanted it that way.

“Nothing.”

Daniel frowned.

“Nothing?”

“Claire thinks we know nothing.”

“For how long?”

“Until she shows us who else is involved.”

Daniel understood.

“You’re going to let her move.”

“I’m going to make her think she still can.”

A quiet knock sounded.

Dominic turned.

Mia stood in the doorway.

She wore gray sweatpants and one of Elena’s sweaters.

Her wrists were bandaged.

She looked exhausted.

But she was standing.

Dominic crossed the room.

“You should be in bed.”

“I remembered something.”

Daniel closed the door behind her.

Mia looked toward Dominic.

“When Nathan locked me downstairs, he took my phone.”

“We searched him.”

“It wasn’t with him.”

Dominic’s expression tightened.

Mia continued.

“But before they found me, I recorded part of their conversation.”

“Where?”

Mia touched the silver bird pendant around her neck.

Dominic stared at it.

Harper’s favorite necklace.

Mia removed it.

She twisted the bird’s tiny wing.

A memory card slid from the base.

Daniel stared.

Mia managed a tired smile.

“My husband gave it to me before he died.”

“He used to record music.”

“I kept the memory card inside.”

Dominic took it carefully.

Mia’s eyes became serious.

“I heard enough to know the wedding wasn’t the end.”

“What else?”

“They kept talking about someone called Shepherd.”

Dominic’s face changed.

Daniel noticed.

“You know that name?”

Dominic looked toward the dark window.

“Yes.”

Mia waited.

Dominic’s voice lowered.

“Shepherd was the name my father used for one person.”

“Who?”

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