Chapter 10
Dominic did not believe Adrian immediately.
That was growth.
Twenty-six years earlier, he would have.
Then killed whoever stood closest.
“Samuel killed Father.”
Adrian nodded.
“Under Silas’s order?”
“No.”
Dominic frowned.
“Explain.”
“Samuel entered the lodge after Silas left.”
“Why?”
“To finish Richard.”
“Why would he?”
Adrian’s face hardened.
“Because Richard ordered Elena killed.”
Silence.
Dominic stared.
“Elena.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She knew too much about the Shepherds.”
Dominic’s mind moved back.
Elena had served the family.
Samuel worked for Silas, then defected.
If Elena knew the structure, Richard might have seen her as dangerous.
“That’s not proof.”
“No.”
“Did you see Samuel strike him?”
“Yes.”
Dominic felt his hands tighten.
“And you did nothing.”
“I was across the room.”
“Convenient.”
“Yes.”
Adrian did not defend himself.
“Samuel stabbed Richard once.”
“The wound that killed him.”
“Yes.”
“Then?”
“He cried.”
Dominic stared.
“Samuel?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard had already changed his mind.”
“What?”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Donna convinced him Elena should live.”
Dominic felt sick.
“Samuel didn’t know.”
“No.”
“So he killed a man over an order already withdrawn.”
“Yes.”
Tragedy built from information arriving too late.
Adrian continued.
“Silas had arranged it.”
Dominic’s eyes narrowed.
“How?”
“He told Samuel Richard was sending men for Elena that night.”
“Was he?”
“No.”
“Silas manipulated Samuel into killing Father.”
“Yes.”
“Why leave the Moretti symbol?”
“To aim you.”
Dominic almost laughed.
Of course.
The war.
Seven months.
Bodies.
Silas had turned Dominic’s grief into a weapon against an unrelated family.
“And Samuel?”
“Silas killed him days later.”
Elena believed Silas killed her husband because he saw him leave the lodge.
Not exactly.
He killed the man he had used.
“Does Elena know Samuel killed Richard?”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
Hattie whispered:
“She will.”
Dominic looked at her.
Hattie stared toward the rear chapel doors.
Too late.
Elena stood there.
She had followed.
Donna beside her.
Dominic’s mother had insisted again.
Elena’s face was empty.
“Say it again.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“Elena.”
“Say it.”
“Samuel killed Richard.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“I saw him.”
“No.”
Donna stepped toward her.
“Elena…”
She pulled away.
“You knew?”
Donna cried.
“I suspected.”
“You knew.”
“I never knew for certain.”
“You let me believe my husband died loyal.”
“He did love you.”
“That is not the same thing.”
Elena looked at Dominic.
Twenty-six years of service.
Meals.
Funerals.
Children.
Secrets.
“I served the son of the man Samuel killed.”
Dominic stared at her.
“You also hid Michael from Silas.”
“That doesn’t erase—”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“Nothing erases anything tonight.”
Silence.
He looked toward Adrian.
“Where is Silas?”
Adrian’s face changed.
“Hunting lodge.”
Donna whispered:
“No.”
Dominic turned.
“He wants us there.”
Adrian nodded.
“All three sons.”
“Why?”
“To finish what Richard interrupted.”
Michael looked at the collars.
“What does finish mean?”
Adrian stared at him.
“Silas doesn’t want one of us dead.”
May you like
Dominic understood before he said it.
“He wants one of us to kneel.”
