Chapter 3 - The Fire That Never Killed Her
By dawn, Dominic had canceled the engagement, dismissed the wedding staff, and moved Sophie to a secure residence with a pediatric nurse.
He had also ordered a complete review of the house fire.
The original records arrived just after sunrise.
Marco laid them across Dominic's desk.
"The first fire captain reported that the child's bedroom was inaccessible because the staircase had collapsed," he explained. "But the second report says investigators recovered remains from the room."
"Whose remains?"
"Unidentified. The lab never confirmed they belonged to Sophie."
Dominic stared at the page.
"Why was I told they did?"
"Your family attorney received a report stating the remains were consistent with a child of Sophie's age. But the actual laboratory file says there was insufficient evidence to make that determination."
"Who changed the report?"
Marco placed a second document on the desk.
A revised report had been submitted two days after the fire.
The signature belonged to Dr. Samuel Whitaker, a forensic consultant who had worked for the Moretti family for years.
Dominic knew him well.
Whitaker had attended the funeral and told Dominic that his daughter had suffered no pain.
Dominic gripped the paper.
"Find him."
Marco nodded.
"And there's something else," he added. "The security cameras at the country house were disabled thirty minutes before the fire. The override code belonged to Vincent Moretti."
Dominic's uncle.
The man who had helped him bury his daughter.
"Where is Vincent now?"
"His estate. He says he's willing to meet."
Dominic rose.
"Then we'll meet."
Before leaving, he visited Sophie.
She was sitting at a small table, eating toast with strawberry jam. Hannah sat beside her, helping her cut the crusts.
When Sophie saw him, she smiled cautiously.
"Are you going away?"
"Only for a little while."
Her smile vanished.
Dominic knelt beside her.
"I need to find out who hurt you. But I'm coming back."
She touched his jacket.
"Can I have a birthday party when you come back?"
He felt his throat tighten.
"Yes. The biggest birthday party you've ever had."
"With chocolate cake?"
"With chocolate cake."
"And pink flowers?"
"Every flower will be pink."
She smiled again.
Dominic kissed her forehead and left.
Vincent Moretti received him in a grand library overlooking the gardens.
The older man wore a charcoal suit and the same silver pocket watch Sophie had described.
"Dominic," he said warmly. "I heard about the terrible scene at your engagement party."
Dominic didn't sit.
"Where was Sophie?"
Vincent's smile faded.
"Who?"
"My daughter."
Vincent poured himself a drink.
"That child is an impostor."
"She has my mother's eyes. She knows the nickname I gave her. She carries the bracelet I bought her before the fire."
"Children can be coached."
"Then explain why the original forensic report was altered."
Vincent stopped pouring.
Dominic watched the change in his face.
"You know about that report?"
Vincent set the bottle down.
"Your grief made you vulnerable. I did what I thought was necessary to protect you."
"Protect me from what?"
"From the truth."
Dominic stepped closer.
"Tell me."
Vincent's expression hardened.
"Your daughter survived the fire. She was removed from the house before it spread. The people who took her believed they were protecting her."
"Who ordered it?"
Vincent didn't answer.
Dominic slammed his hand onto the desk.
"Who?"
Vincent flinched.
Then he whispered, "Your fiancée."
Dominic stared at him.
"Vanessa?"
"She arranged for Sophie to be taken. She believed the child was an obstacle to your marriage and to her father's plans for your company."
Dominic felt a cold emptiness spread through his chest.
"Why did you help her?"
Vincent looked away.
"Because your father left the company in your hands, and I believed Vanessa's family could help us survive the financial crisis. She promised that once you married her, the Sterling family would invest enough money to protect the business."
"You helped them steal my child for money?"
"I never wanted Sophie harmed."
"Then why did you hide her?"
Vincent's face tightened.
"Because by the time I understood what Vanessa intended, the fire had already happened. I was afraid of what would come out if I spoke."
Dominic stared at his uncle.
"Where was she kept?"
Vincent swallowed.
"At a private property owned by Richard Sterling."
Vanessa's father.
A man who had supposedly died in a car accident two years earlier.
Dominic turned toward the door.
"You're coming with me."
Vincent rose slowly.
"Dominic, listen—"
"No. You've had three years to speak."
Dominic's phone vibrated.
A message from Hannah appeared.
Sophie is awake. She says she remembers who started the fire.
Dominic stopped walking.
He called immediately.
"Hannah, put her on the phone."
A small voice answered.
"Daddy?"
"I'm here, sweetheart."
Sophie whispered, "The lady told the man to light the curtains."
Dominic closed his eyes.
"Which lady?"
A pause.
May you like
Then she said the name.
"Vanessa."
