Chapter 6
Four nights later, Dominic found the toddler sitting on the bottom step of the service staircase at one in the morning, eating half a cookie.
“Why are you awake?”
“Bad dream.”
“Where’s your mother?”
“Sleeping.”
Dominic sat beside her.
For a while neither spoke.
Then Dominic asked softly, “Lily, do you remember the man you saw with Ethan’s cake?”
She nodded.
“Was it Vivian?”
“No.”
“You’re sure?”
Lily looked almost offended.
“Aunt Vivian had a pink dress.”
“She changed clothes that afternoon.”
Lily shook her head harder.
“It was a man.”
Dominic became very still.
“Did you see his face?”
“No.”
“What did you see?”
Lily thought.
“His hand.”
“What about it?”
“A pretty watch.”
Dominic’s breathing slowed.
“What did the watch look like?”
Lily used one finger to draw in the air.
“A little gold crown.”
His stomach tightened.
“With something across it?”
“A star.”
The hallway seemed to tilt.
Dominic looked at the child.
“Are you sure?”
Lily nodded.
“I like it.”
There was only one watch like that in existence.
Dominic had designed it.
Dominic had paid for it.
Dominic had fastened it around Marcus Bell’s wrist himself.
The next morning, Sophia and Lily were crossing the second-floor hallway on their way to preschool when Marcus approached.
He glanced at his watch.
Sunlight flashed across the face.
Lily stopped.
“That one!”
Sophia looked down.
“What?”
Lily pointed.
“That’s the pretty watch from the cake room.”
Sophia went white.
“Lily!”
Marcus smiled.
A very normal smile.
“Kids remember shiny things.”
Sophia quickly pulled Lily away.
At the far end of the hallway, hidden partly behind an open doorway, Dominic had heard every word.
He did not confront Marcus.
He did something much more dangerous.
May you like
He continued trusting him.
At least on the surface.
