Chapter 2 - the little brass key
Lily Bennett usually stayed with her mother's neighbor after school.
But the neighbor had gone to Boston for the weekend, so Mia brought Lily to Moretti Manor on Friday afternoon.
Vincent allowed it because Mia had never asked before.
And because Lily had once informed him, with complete seriousness, that his mansion was "too big for one grumpy man."
Vincent had respected the observation.
Lily spent most of the afternoon at the kitchen table drawing horses.
Mia worked nearby.
Isabella entered shortly after three.
She looked exhausted.
The financial transfer had been frozen, but the accusation remained.
Vincent had spent the morning with attorneys and auditors.
He had barely spoken to Isabella.
Lily looked up.
"Miss Isabella?"
Isabella forced a smile.
"Hi, Lily."
"I drew you."
She held up a page.
The drawing showed Isabella in a wedding dress beside a stick figure Vincent whose eyebrows were drawn like two angry lines.
Isabella laughed.
"That's very accurate."
Mia smiled despite herself.
Then Adrian entered the kitchen.
The smile disappeared from Mia's face.
Adrian noticed.
"Everything all right?"
"Yes."
His gaze moved to Lily.
"Didn't know we had a guest."
"My sitter is away."
Adrian nodded.
"Of course."
He took a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
Then he looked at Mia.
"You were near the west corridor last night."
Mia went still.
Isabella noticed.
"I was working."
"That area isn't part of your evening duties."
"I was taking linens upstairs."
"Through the west corridor?"
Mia's mouth tightened.
Adrian smiled.
"I'm asking because we've had a security breach. We need everyone to follow procedure."
"Of course."
He left.
Isabella waited until his footsteps disappeared.
"What was that?"
Mia shook her head.
"Nothing."
"You looked terrified."
"I'm not."
"Mia."
The housekeeper looked toward Lily.
Then toward the doorway.
"I heard him talking to someone last night."
"Adrian?"
"Near the cellar."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Did you tell Vincent?"
Mia gave a bitter little smile.
"Mr. Moretti trusts Mr. Cole more than anyone."
Isabella understood.
At that moment Vincent trusted Adrian more than he trusted his future wife.
Perhaps Mia was afraid Vincent would trust him more than a housekeeper too.
"Tell me," Isabella said.
Mia lowered her voice.
"I heard the woman say your name."
Isabella's stomach tightened.
"What exactly did she say?"
"I couldn't hear everything. Only your name and the word account."
Before Isabella could respond, Lily called from the pantry.
"Mom?"
Mia turned.
Lily was kneeling near a cabinet.
She held something small in her hand.
A brass key.
"Where did you get that?" Mia asked.
"Under there."
She pointed beneath an old wooden storage unit.
Mia took the key.
It was surprisingly heavy.
Old.
Not like the electronic keys used for most parts of the property.
A small number had been scratched into one side.
27.
Isabella looked at it.
"Does that belong to the house?"
Mia frowned.
"I've never seen it."
Adrian appeared again in the doorway.
No one had heard him return.
His eyes landed on the key.
For the first time, his calm expression broke.
Only slightly.
"Where did you find that?"
Lily instinctively moved behind her mother.
Mia closed her fingers around the key.
"Kitchen floor."
Adrian crossed the room.
"Give it to me."
"Why?"
"It's an estate key."
"To what?"
Adrian hesitated.
That was enough for Isabella.
"You don't know."
He looked at her.
"I manage this property."
"Then what does it open?"
Adrian's voice cooled.
"Something Lily shouldn't be playing with."
Mia put the key into her apron pocket.
"I'll give it to Mr. Moretti."
Adrian stared at her.
"No need."
"I think there is."
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then footsteps approached.
Vincent entered.
Adrian immediately stepped away.
Vincent looked from Isabella to Mia.
"What happened?"
"Nothing," Adrian said.
At the same time Isabella said, "Actually, something did."
Adrian's eyes hardened.
Lily reached for Mia's hand.
Then Mia did something Isabella would remember later.
She lied.
She touched the pocket containing the key and said, "It's fine, Mr. Moretti."
Vincent looked at her carefully.
But his phone rang.
His attorney.
He answered and walked out.
Adrian followed him.
Isabella whispered, "Why didn't you tell him?"
Mia pulled out the key.
"Because Adrian wanted it too badly."
That evening Mia hid the key inside Lily's overnight bag.
Then she wrote a number on a piece of paper.
27.
Beneath it she wrote one sentence.
If anything happens to me, give this to Isabella.
She folded the note.
Lily watched.
"Is Mommy in trouble?"
Mia crouched beside her daughter.
"No."
"You look scared."
Mia forced herself to smile.
"I just need you to remember something."
"What?"
"If I ever tell you to hide, you hide."
Lily's eyes widened.
"Why?"
Mia hugged her.
"Because sometimes grown-ups make bad choices."
May you like
In the hallway outside, Adrian stood motionless.
Listening.
