第2章

I stared at that cold line of text, and whatever warmth was left in my eyes drained away.

My father wasn't even cold yet. She wouldn't spare one question about how he was doing, and she was already rushing to strip away the last of his dignity to please Julian's dog.

I didn't reply. I put the phone in my pocket, gathered my father's belongings, and walked out of the medical station.

The next day it was still raining.

The corridor of the funeral home was cold and damp.

An attendant stood there with a clipboard, confusion and pity in his eyes. "Sir, is it just you at the viewing? This man was a fire hero. Isn't there any other family coming to see him off?"

"Just me."

My own voice sounded so calm it was strange to me.

"Then please settle the funeral fee at the window, and confirm which urn you want."

I went to the payment window and handed over the bank card that held my father's compensation fund.

The money in it had been donated from all over after the fire. He had never been willing to touch a cent of it. He said he was saving it to buy equipment for Vanessa's rescue team.

"I'm sorry, sir. This card shows as frozen, and the balance has been emptied."

The clerk slid the card back to me.

I froze. "Emptied? When?"

"The system shows a large transfer yesterday afternoon. The recipient was the Seine Grand Hotel, and the memo says... venue booking for a storm relief party."

My heart clenched, as if an invisible hand had closed around it.

As family, Vanessa did have the PIN for that card.

But she had taken the money meant to keep my father alive and spent it on a party for Julian?

My father used to clamp a hand over his mouth when he coughed so he wouldn't disturb her sleep, so he wouldn't be any trouble to her.

And Vanessa had thrown a fortune at Julian's dog.

I took the card to an empty corner and called her.

It rang a long time before she picked up. In the background there was deafening music and Julian laughing as he played with the dog.

"What now?"

Her voice was thick with impatience. "Didn't I have Mira tell you to clear out of the house? Why haven't you moved?"

"You took money out of Dad's account?"

I ignored her question and asked only that.

There was a beat of silence on the other end. Then she gave a cold, shameless snort. "Yes. Julian's dog was traumatized. It needed a party to settle its nerves. That money was just sitting there collecting dust. What's wrong with borrowing it? Do you really have to nickel and dime me over this?"

"That's Dad's money."

I closed my eyes and swallowed down the taste of blood in my throat.

"Enough about your father. Are you clearing out of the house or not?"

Her tone hardened. "If you keep stonewalling me, I'll cut the power and the supply deliveries to that whole area. Let's see how long you can hold out!"

She hung up.

Half an hour later the building management called. Using her authority as rescue dispatch director, Vanessa had cut off everything that area needed to survive, under the excuse of line maintenance.

I looked out at the downpour and called my attorney, Mr. Dalton.

"Mr. Cole. You finally called."

Dalton spoke in a steady, professional voice. "Ms. Reid's recent conduct is well past the line. Say the word and we can start the unwind any time."

"Get it ready."

I looked around the empty viewing hall and picked up my father's urn.

A voice message from Vanessa popped up on my phone. "Come to Julian's party tonight with the transfer deed and apologize to my face. Otherwise don't ever think about coming home again."