Chapter 3 - The Housekeeper's Eye
Dawn broke over the Connecticut coastline, casting long, gray shadows across the sprawling stone terraces of the Vale estate. Down in the massive industrial kitchen, the espresso machine hissed softly as Sophia poured a cup of black coffee for Adrian.
She hadn't slept. Neither had he.
Adrian sat at the end of the long oak preparation table, the unfolded waxed packets laid out before him on a clean linen cloth like pieces of a broken puzzle.
"You didn't scream when you saw the packets last night," Adrian noted, looking up from the table to study Sophia. Her dark hair was tied back in a neat bun, and dark circles shadowed her eyes, but her gaze remained steady.
"Panic doesn't clean a room, Mr. Vale," Sophia replied quietly, leaning against the counter. "And it doesn't protect a child. If someone is putting that... whatever it is... under Noah's pillow, they have access to the inner corridors. Access that only a handful of people possess."
"Margaret has run this staff for twenty years," Adrian said, though there was no conviction in his voice.
"Margaret runs the schedules," Sophia corrected gently, stepping closer. "She manages the laundry, the pantry, the silver polishing. But she doesn't check the bedsheets every hour of the night. Do you know who does?"
Adrian narrowed his eyes. "You."
"Me, and the night nurse, Thomas," Sophia said. "Thomas has been here four years. He administers the midnight saline flush. He has a keycard to this wing."
Adrian stood up, his tall frame casting a shadow over the kitchen table. The aura of the mafia boss—cold, calculating, and merciless—returned to his eyes. For three years, grief had clouded his judgment. Now, anger had sharpened it to a razor's edge.
"Thomas took personal leave starting last night," Adrian muttered. "He said his mother was sick in Providence."
Sophia's eyes flashed with sharp intuition. "A convenient excuse. Did anyone verify it?"
"Not until now." Adrian reached into his coat and pulled out a heavy titanium-encased smartphone. He dialed a direct number. "Vance. Get me every traffic camera, toll booth record, and cell tower ping for Thomas Gable over the last forty-eight hours. And bring him to the estate. If he's out of state, drag him back."
He ended the call and turned back to Sophia. "You have a sharp mind, Mrs. Bennett. Sharper than most of the security consultants I pay six figures to."
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"I told you," Sophia said, her voice carrying a quiet pride. "A good housekeeper doesn't just clean. She sees what others choose to ignore."
"Keep watching," Adrian instructed, stepping toward the door. "From this moment on, you and Ellie are my eyes on the inside. If anyone so much as steps foot near Noah's room while I'm away, you call me immediately."
