Chapter 3
My security chief found the kitchen worker’s name within twenty minutes.
Anthony Rusk.
Temporary catering hire.
False address.
No family references.
But the photograph Lily identified showed the same snake ring she described.
Julian stopped denying recognition after I put the image in front of him.
“He used to work security.”
“For you?”
“For the family.”
“Which part of the family?”
Silence.
I leaned back.
“Julian.”
He looked at me.
“Mine.”
There it was.
Genevieve closed her eyes.
I noticed.
“How long?”
“Years ago.”
“Why did he leave?”
“He became unreliable.”
Genevieve interrupted.
“This proves nothing.”
I turned toward her.
“It proves your son’s former man touched Ethan’s cake after you gave him something.”
“I handed him a box.”
Finally.
Admission.
“What was inside?”
“Sugar decoration.”
I almost smiled.
“In a silver box.”
“It was expensive.”
“Then why hide it?”
“I didn’t.”
Lily’s voice came quietly from the doorway.
“You looked around first.”
Everyone turned.
Sarah immediately moved to take her back outside.
Lily held onto the frame.
“I saw.”
Genevieve’s face hardened.
“You should teach your daughter not to listen to adults.”
Sarah froze.
I stood.
“No.”
Genevieve looked at me.
“I’m going to teach the adults in this family not to give her things worth hearing.”
Her jaw tightened.
Ethan stepped beside Lily.
“She saved me.”
Genevieve turned toward him.
Her expression changed immediately.
Soft.
Grandmotherly.
Fake enough that I finally saw it.
“Oh, sweetheart, nobody was trying to hurt you.”
Ethan looked at the broken cake.
“Then why did Julian hit Dad?”
No answer.
Children make conspiracy difficult.
They ask questions without respecting the story adults prepared.
I looked at my aunt.
“Where is Anthony Rusk?”
“I don’t know.”
Julian answered at the same time.
“He left town.”
I turned slowly.
Genevieve looked at her son.
Julian realized it.
Too late.
One claimed ignorance.
The other already knew the man was gone.
I smiled faintly.
“Good.”
Julian’s eyes narrowed.
May you like
“What?”
“Now I know which one of you I ask first.”
