Chapter 09 What We Fear

Dorothea lowered her head and went back to drawing. The crayon scratched across the paper.

"Dorothea." Avery crouched beside her daughter.

"Who told you that number?"

Dorothea didn't look up. "I saw it."

"Where did you see it?"

The little girl's hand stopped. She put down the crayon, picked up her rabbit, and buried her face in it. No answer.

Avery didn't push. She stood up and walked to the door. Dominic leaned against the wall in the hallway, holding the pin she had left downstairs. He was tracing the pattern with his thumb.

He hadn't stepped into the room. He just stood at the door and glanced at the drawing.

His fingers slowly lifted and pressed against the star shaped scar on his wrist. He paused.

"That mark," he said, voice low. "It's on that door."

Avery saw his fingers on the scar. She didn't ask how he knew.

"Your parents' lab. 17 North Industrial District." He placed the pin back in her hand. "That's what your daughter drew."

Avery's fingers closed around the pin.

Dorothea had never been there. She had never even heard that address.

"Someone taught her." Avery's voice trembled, but she forced herself steady. "Or someone made sure she saw it."

Dominic pressed his fingers to his brow. The bandage on his arm scraped against the wall. A faint smear of blood appeared. He didn't notice.

"Drake." He pulled out his phone. "Get me everything on 17 North Industrial District. All recent entry and exit records. And Wenger's movements. Everyone under him. Every detail."

"Also, what about the surveillance you were checking yesterday?"

Drake's voice came through. "One of the household staff we questioned last night is missing. The woman who cleans the living room. The one Dr. St. Clair mentioned, who touched her pocket."

Dominic's eyes went cold.

"Find her. Every exit from the villa. Perimeter cameras. City traffic footage. Dig her out."

He hung up.

Avery looked at the blood stain seeping through his bandage. She stepped forward and reached for his arm.

Her fingertips had just touched the edge when he caught her wrist.

"Don't."

She didn't pull back. "I'm a doctor. Let me handle it. If you tough it out and get an infection, it won't just affect you."

He looked at her. The pressure on her wrist slowly eased.

"The study," he said. "There's a medical kit there."

They walked into the study. Dominic unbuttoned his cuff and revealed his bandaged arm.

Avery unwrapped the gauze. The wound was worse than she thought. The edges were red and swollen. The inner layer of bandage had stuck to the dried blood.

She pinched a corner and peeled it off slowly. He didn't make a sound, but his fingers gripped the armrest of the chair. His arm trembled.

She put on fresh gauze. Her fingertips pressed gently at the edge of the wound. She waited for him to breathe through it.

"Hurt?"

He didn't answer. His throat moved.

She didn't ask again. The iodine swab brushed over the wound. His arm tensed, then relaxed just as fast. She looked up at him. His eyes were lowered, watching her hands. There were dark circles beneath his eyes.

"Dominic."

"Mm."

"You were watching surveillance all night?"

He didn't answer.

She finished re wrapping the wound. His fingers were still clenched around the armrest.

"Your hand."

He looked down and slowly let go. She saw four nail marks pressed into his palm.

"Take your medication on time. At least you'll sleep." She closed the medical kit. "I need you to do something for me."

He looked up.

"The missing maid. She's connected to the mole. There might be others left." She paused. "You're better at reading people than Drake's men. You want me to interrogate them?"

Dominic pulled a folder from the drawer and pushed it across the desk.

"They're afraid of me. They won't say anything in front of me. You're different."

He pushed the folder toward her. His fingertips lingered on the edge for a moment. He didn't say please. He didn't say I'm asking.

"This is everyone's file. Including my own people."

She looked at his fingers for a second, then picked up the folder.

"You suspect Drake's men?"

"I suspect everyone." His voice was flat. "I never needed to check before. Now Dorothea and Julian are here."

"Alright. I'll do it."

The interrogation room was in the basement.

Drake pushed open the heavy steel door. A woman sat inside. Mid forties. Head down.

Avery stood at the door and scanned the room. Steel door. Soundproof walls. Even the door handle was twice as thick as normal. She had seen rooms like this in crime shows. Now she was standing in one.

"Wait outside," she said to Drake.

He nodded and closed the door.

"What's your name?" Avery sat down.

"Marie."

"How long have you worked here?"

"Two years."

"Do you like it here?"

The woman blinked. She didn't answer.

Avery placed the folder on the table. Inside was Marie's file and a few photos of her family.

"Your daughter is starting college this year?"

The woman nodded.

"Tuition isn't cheap."

The woman didn't answer. Her fingers clutched her knees. Her body leaned forward, tense.

"Someone asked you for a favor. They paid you."

The woman's head shot up. "I didn't—"

"You didn't hurt anyone." Avery cut her off. "You just lent someone your key card. You didn't know what she was going to do."

The woman stared at her. Her lips were shaking.

"Tell me when she came to you."

"Last month... She said her brother was sick. She needed money. Just a five minute borrow of the card. I didn't know—"

"What's her name?"

"Leah. The one who's missing."

Avery stood up.

"I—am I going to be fired?" The woman's voice shook.

"No." Avery walked to the door and opened it. "Next."

The second one was a young man. Early twenties. His leg bounced nervously.

"Do you know Leah?"

He nodded. "She's my cousin."

"What did she tell you?"

He hesitated. "She said... someone was looking for something. In the villa. If she found it, she'd get a lot of money."

"What something?"

"I don't know. She said it was a box. Metal. Small."

Avery's fingers paused. Her face didn't change. "What else?"

"She said there was someone behind it. Not Dr. Wenger. Someone higher up." He looked at her. "She said that person knows you. Has known you for a long time."

Avery stood there for a few seconds. "Did she say a name?"

"She was too scared. Said if the information leaked, she'd be killed."

The rest of the questions got nothing useful.

Avery walked out of the interrogation room. Drake followed.

"What about the third one?"

"The third is a driver. Been with the boss for five years." Drake lowered his voice.

"He didn't say anything. But surveillance caught him near the garage the night Leah went missing."

"Who was he waiting for?"

"Don't know. But the garage cameras were shut off for fifteen minutes."

She stopped and looked at Drake, thinking.

"Who can turn off the cameras?"

Drake didn't answer, but something in his eyes said enough.

"Your men."

He gave a heavy nod.

She stood there, gripping the folder. Her frown deepened. Her thoughts were a mess.

Dominic suspected Drake's men. Drake suspected his own men.

No one could be trusted. Just like he said.

Avery was about to head upstairs when Drake's phone rang first.

He answered, listened for a few seconds, then handed the tablet to Dominic.

Dominic glanced at it and turned the screen to Avery.

Live surveillance footage of 17 North Industrial District. On the outer wall of the abandoned lab building, someone had carved a fresh line of text. The ink was still wet.

"Candidate A. I'm waiting for you inside."

Avery stared at the words. She didn't move.

Dominic stood beside her, looking at the same screen.

"Tomorrow," he said. "Tonight, finish going through what Wenger left. The envelope from your brother. You haven't opened it yet."

He turned and walked toward the study. Two steps in, he stopped. He didn't look back.

"Come find me when you're done."

Avery went back to her room. Dorothea was already asleep.

She pulled the envelope from the inside pocket of her jacket and tore it open.

Inside was a photograph.

Taken years ago, at the entrance of her parents' lab.

Avery stood on the steps, holding a book, her eyes curved into crescents from smiling.

Beside her parents stood a figure. The face was blacked out.

She stared at the blacked out face, trying to make out the silhouette. Then her phone buzzed.

A message from Drake. Sent to Dominic, and copied to her.

"Leah's body has been found. Outside the west wall of the villa, hidden in the grass. A ligature mark on her neck. A note clutched in her palm."

The photo of the note was attached. One line of text.

"Next. Your daughter."

Avery stared at the words. Her feet moved before she realized it.

She pushed open Dorothea's door and crouched by the bed. The little girl was asleep. Her breathing was light.

Avery touched her daughter's face. Her nose stung.

Footsteps came from behind her. Dominic stood in the doorway, phone in hand, screen still lit.

"You saw it," he said.

"Yes."

"You sleep here tonight. I'll stay outside."

She didn't say yes. She didn't say no. She picked up Dorothea, blanket and all. He pushed the door open. She walked in and laid the child down.

Dorothea turned over, face in the pillow. She didn't wake.

Avery stood by the bed, looking at her daughter.

"You're not sleeping?" Dominic's voice came from the doorway.

"I can't."

He was quiet for a moment. "Neither can I."

He walked in, pulled a chair over, and sat down facing the door. His back against the wall. She pulled another chair and sat next to him.

They sat side by side in silence. The lights were off. Moonlight came through the window.

After a long time, she spoke.

"What are you afraid of?"

"That you'll die." His voice was very soft.

She turned her head to look at him. He wasn't looking at her. His eyes were on the door.

"You?" he asked.

"That she'll die."

He was quiet for a moment. "Then let's not die."

She didn't answer. She put her hand on the armrest. Her fingertips touched his elbow. He didn't pull away. She didn't move her hand.

They sat like that, in the dark. Neither of them spoke again.