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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The ambulance doors slammed shut behind Julian DeLuca, sealing him inside a narrow white box filled with alarms, fluorescent light, and the woman he had intended to marry.<\/p>\n
Cassandra Vale did not look untouchable anymore.<\/p>\n
Her silver gown had been cut open at the shoulder so the paramedics could place monitoring pads against her skin. Her carefully arranged hair had come loose. One strand stuck to the corner of her mouth beneath the oxygen mask.<\/p>\n
Julian sat beside the stretcher, gripping the steel rail hard enough for his knuckles to whiten.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did she drink?\u201d<\/p>\n
The paramedic did not look up.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was champagne.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe collapsed less than thirty seconds after swallowing it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe understand that too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s voice dropped.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen tell me what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
The paramedic finally looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can tell you that her heart rhythm became unstable almost immediately. I can tell you her blood pressure dropped dangerously fast. I can tell you this does not look like an ordinary allergic reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian stared at Cassandra.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does it look like?\u201d<\/p>\n
The man hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething toxic.\u201d<\/p>\n
The word entered Julian like a blade.<\/p>\n
Toxic.<\/p>\n
Not sick.<\/p>\n
Not faint.<\/p>\n
Poisoned.<\/p>\n
Cassandra\u2019s fingers moved weakly beneath his hand.<\/p>\n
Julian leaned closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cCass?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her eyes fluttered but did not open.<\/p>\n
He remembered the ballroom.<\/p>\n
The shattered flute.<\/p>\n
Thomas Bell near the curtains.<\/p>\n
The old man\u2019s eyes fixed not on Cassandra but on Julian\u2019s untouched champagne.<\/p>\n
Then Thomas stepping backward.<\/p>\n
Disappearing.<\/p>\n
Julian pulled out his phone.<\/p>\n
His security director answered on the first ring.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. DeLuca.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLock the estate.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s already done.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one leaves.\u201d<\/p>\n
A pause.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice are arriving.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. DeLuca, there\u2019s something else.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s jaw tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThomas Bell is missing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian said nothing.<\/p>\n
The ambulance siren wailed above them.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was seen entering the west service corridor two minutes after Miss Vale collapsed,\u201d the security director continued. \u201cThat corridor leads to the staff parking area and the old wine cellar.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSearch both.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFind him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian ended the call.<\/p>\n
For thirty-two years, Thomas Bell had been more permanent than furniture.<\/p>\n
Thomas had carried Julian downstairs the morning Julian\u2019s mother died because the nine-year-old boy refused to walk into the room where adults were crying.<\/p>\n
Thomas had taught him which fork to use at state dinners and how to drive a manual transmission in the estate\u2019s oldest Mercedes.<\/p>\n
When Julian\u2019s father was buried, Thomas had stood six feet away beneath a black umbrella.<\/p>\n
When Julian took control of the DeLuca companies, Thomas had been one of three people permitted to enter his office without knocking.<\/p>\n
And four years ago, when Claire Arden disappeared, Thomas had been the man who sat outside Julian\u2019s study until sunrise while Julian made phone call after phone call.<\/p>\n
Thomas knew how long Julian had searched.<\/p>\n
He knew what Claire had meant.<\/p>\n
He knew everything.<\/p>\n
Julian looked at Cassandra again.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t die because of me,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n
The monitor continued its frantic rhythm.<\/p>\n
At Northwestern Memorial Hospital, a trauma team was waiting.<\/p>\n
The ambulance stopped.<\/p>\n
The doors opened.<\/p>\n
Cassandra vanished beneath a crowd of doctors.<\/p>\n
Julian tried to follow.<\/p>\n
A nurse blocked him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need to stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going with her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m Julian DeLuca.\u201d<\/p>\n
The nurse\u2019s expression did not change.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd in this hospital, you\u2019re the fianc\u00e9 in the hallway.\u201d<\/p>\n
For perhaps the first time that night, Julian obeyed.<\/p>\n
He stood under painfully bright lights while the doors closed.<\/p>\n
Eleven minutes later, two Chicago police detectives approached.<\/p>\n
Detective Lena Alvarez was a compact woman in her forties with tired eyes and a black notebook. Beside her stood Detective Marcus Reed, younger and broader, his coat still damp from the November rain.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. DeLuca?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to ask about what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should be at my house.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have officers there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen ask me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alvarez studied him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho poured Miss Vale\u2019s champagne?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA waiter brought the tray.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cName?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho ordered the tray?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCassandra.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho delivered it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy head butler arranged it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThomas Bell?\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s eyes sharpened.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou already know his name.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t been located.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian folded his arms.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think he poisoned her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe think someone may have tampered with the drink.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThomas has worked for my family longer than you\u2019ve probably been a detective.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat doesn\u2019t answer the question.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. It tells you not to make the easiest assumption because you\u2019re in a hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alvarez closed the notebook halfway.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were supposed to drink from the tray too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCassandra collapsed before I could.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2019s your glass?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBallroom floor, last I saw.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUntouched?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The detectives exchanged a glance.<\/p>\n
Julian noticed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
Reed answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe glass has already been collected.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian stepped toward him.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there was something in that glass\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s phone vibrated again.<\/p>\n
He looked down.<\/p>\n
Nora Bennett.<\/p>\n
He had never received a call from her before.<\/p>\n
He answered immediately.<\/p>\n
\u201cNora.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her breath sounded uneven.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. DeLuca, I\u2019m sorry. I know this is not the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs Lily all right?\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a brief silence.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the staff apartment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSecurity has you there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStay there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. DeLuca.\u201d<\/p>\n
Something in her voice stopped him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to tell you something.\u201d<\/p>\n
He walked several feet away from the detectives.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nora whispered, \u201cLily saw something.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian went still.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did she see?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe says Mr. Bell didn\u2019t touch the champagne.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cChildren misunderstand things.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe saw someone else near the tray.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe doesn\u2019t know his name.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDescribe him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said he was the man with the gold bird.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian opened his eyes.<\/p>\n
The hospital corridor seemed suddenly colder.<\/p>\n
\u201cSay that again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe man with the gold bird.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s mind moved rapidly through the guests.<\/p>\n
Then it stopped.<\/p>\n
At DeLuca Maritime, senior executives wore small gold lapel pins at major public events.<\/p>\n
Most were shaped like ships.<\/p>\n
One man had refused the ship design years ago because he considered it unfashionable.<\/p>\n
His custom pin was a falcon.<\/p>\n
Miles Greer.<\/p>\n
Chief financial officer.<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s father\u2019s former prot\u00e9g\u00e9.<\/p>\n
One of the few men who had known Claire.<\/p>\n
Julian turned toward the detectives.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome to the estate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alvarez raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause your witness is four years old.\u201d<\/p>\n
Forty minutes later, Cassandra was still fighting for her life.<\/p>\n
Julian stood at the elevator when the attending physician approached.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. DeLuca?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve stabilized her for now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The words nearly took Julian\u2019s legs from beneath him.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s critically ill, but she\u2019s responding.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you know what caused it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re running a full toxicology screen. There are several possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWill she live?\u201d<\/p>\n
The doctor did not give him the comforting lie he wanted.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are doing everything we can.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian nodded once.<\/p>\n
Then he left.<\/p>\n
By the time he returned to the DeLuca estate, the mansion no longer resembled a gala.<\/p>\n
The musicians were gone.<\/p>\n
Guests had been interviewed in the library and released in groups.<\/p>\n
Police tape crossed the ballroom doors.<\/p>\n
Broken champagne glass still glittered beneath evidence markers.<\/p>\n
The chandeliers remained lit, absurdly beautiful over a crime scene.<\/p>\n
Nora sat in the drawing room with Lily asleep across her lap.<\/p>\n
The child was still wearing the pale blue dress.<\/p>\n
Her bare feet were tucked beneath Nora\u2019s coat.<\/p>\n
Her stuffed rabbit rested against her cheek.<\/p>\n
Detective Alvarez sat nearby.<\/p>\n
Julian entered quietly.<\/p>\n
Nora started to stand.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
She remained seated.<\/p>\n
Lily stirred.<\/p>\n
Her eyes opened.<\/p>\n
She saw Julian and sat up.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs the shiny lady okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
The question struck him harder than anything an adult had said all night.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s very sick.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily looked down.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause of the drink?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t make her sick.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her eyes lifted quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI only danced.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian crouched in front of her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did nothing wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily studied his face with unnerving seriousness.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sad?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mama says sad people need somebody to sit close.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nora looked away.<\/p>\n
Julian remained crouched.<\/p>\n
After a moment, Lily moved the stuffed rabbit aside and patted the sofa cushion beside her.<\/p>\n
The most feared man in Chicago sat.<\/p>\n
Detective Alvarez leaned forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cLily, your mother told us you saw somebody near the drinks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bird man.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you tell us what he did?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe put his hand by the glasses.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nora\u2019s fingers tightened around Lily\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he put anything inside them?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened after that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Thomas came.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian focused completely on her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did Thomas do?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looked mad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he touch the glasses?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told bird man, \u2018Not tonight.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The room became silent.<\/p>\n
Alvarez wrote it down.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did the other man say?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily frowned, remembering.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked toward Nora.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he say, sweetheart?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily\u2019s small brow furrowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said, \u2018Four years was already too long.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian stopped breathing.<\/p>\n
Four years.<\/p>\n
Claire had disappeared four years ago.<\/p>\n
Alvarez looked at him immediately.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat means something to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian stood.<\/p>\n
Before he could answer, a security officer entered.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found Mr. Bell.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s expression hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe old nursery.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nora made a small sound.<\/p>\n
Julian turned.<\/p>\n
Her face had gone white.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy does that matter?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nora did not answer.<\/p>\n
\u201cNora.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at Lily.<\/p>\n
Then at the stuffed rabbit.<\/p>\n
Finally, she looked at Julian.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause that nursery used to belong to Claire.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room froze.<\/p>\n
Julian stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew Claire?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nora\u2019s eyes filled.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian took one step backward.<\/p>\n
Everything around him seemed to lose its shape.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told me your last name was Bennett.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cClaire\u2019s name was Arden.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHer professional name.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have lived in my house for eighteen months.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have served meals at my table.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou watched me search for her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nora\u2019s voice broke.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily looked frightened now.<\/p>\n
Nora hugged her.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Claire made me promise.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPromise what?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nora stared at Julian across the wreckage of the night.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat I would never tell you who Lily was unless you recognized the dance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian looked at the little girl.<\/p>\n
The dark curls.<\/p>\n
The serious gray-green eyes.<\/p>\n
The bluebird turn.<\/p>\n
His hand gripped the back of a chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nora began to cry.<\/p>\n
Julian shook his head once.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily looked between them.<\/p>\n
\u201cMama?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nora kissed her hair.<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s voice was barely audible.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is her father?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nora closed her eyes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The ambulance doors slammed shut behind Julian DeLuca, sealing him inside a narrow white box filled with alarms, fluorescent light, and the woman he had intended to marry. Cassandra Vale…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=255"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":256,"href":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255\/revisions\/256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=255"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}