Chapter 3: The Woman Who Sent the Message
The older woman dropped to her knees and gathered the fallen cups with shaking hands.
Ruby crouched beside her, but the woman caught her wrist.
“Not here,” she whispered.
Santiago blocked the doorway.
“Mrs.
Mercer, look at me.
Who brought me into this room?”
Mrs.
Mercer’s eyes moved toward the hall.
“Answer him,” Ruby said.
A woman in a cream suit appeared behind Santiago.
Elena Voss rested one hand on his shoulder and smiled at Sophia.
“There you are.
I sent you three messages.”
Santiago turned.
“You told me to come upstairs?”
“I heard laughter.
I thought Sophia might be distressed.”
Ruby stood slowly.
“That was not distress.”
Elena’s smile disappeared.
“And you are?”
“Ruby Brennan.”
Mrs.
Mercer closed her eyes.
Elena stepped into the room.
“Brennan?”
“My mother was Mara Brennan.
She worked here seven years ago.”
“That woman was dismissed for theft.”
“My mother never st0le anything.”
Santiago raised a hand.
“Why did the agency send Mara Brennan’s daughter into my house?”
“They didn’t know,” Ruby said.
“I requested this position after I saw Sophia’s name.”
Elena moved between Ruby and the bed.
“So you entered under false pretenses.”
“I entered as a maid.
I am a maid.”
“You came to upset a vulnerable young woman.”
Sophia struck the carpet with her palm.
Her fingers flew.
“What is she saying?” Santiago asked.
Ruby kept her eyes on Elena.
“She says I came because she asked for me.”
“That’s impossible,” Elena said.
“Sophia has no way to contact anyone.”
Sophia reached beneath her pillow and pulled out a folded magazine page.
A small employment advertisement had been circled in blue.
Beneath it, in unsteady handwriting, were two words: RUBY BRENNAN.
Santiago took the page.
“How did she know where you worked?”
“My mother taught Sophia the alphabet in sign,” Ruby said.
“I practiced with her whenever I visited.
Sophia remembered.”
“You were here before?” Santiago asked.
“I was eighteen.
You were working overseas.”
Elena pointed toward the door.
“This conversation is over.
Ruby leaves now.”
“You don’t give orders in my house,” Santiago said.
“I have managed Sophia’s care for five years.”
“And yet you didn’t know she could communicate.”
Elena’s jaw tightened.
“Because she cannot.
That girl is interpreting whatever suits her.”
Ruby stepped closer.
“Then ask Sophia something only she could know.”
“Fine,” Elena said.
“Ask her what happened the night her father fell.”
Sophia’s face emptied of color.
She pulled her knees against her chest.
Mrs.
Mercer rose.
“That was cruel.”
“No,” Elena replied.
“It was necessary.”
Ruby knelt in front of Sophia.
“You don’t have to answer.”
Sophia touched Ruby’s cheek, then signed slowly.
Ruby’s breath caught.
“What did she say?” Santiago asked.
“She said your father was going to change his will.”
Elena laughed once.
“Everyone knew that.”
Sophia signed again.
This time, she pointed at Elena’s handbag.
Ruby translated.
“She says Elena took his study key.”
Elena seized the bag against her side.
“Enough.”
Mrs.
Mercer stared at it.
“That key disappeared seven years ago.”
Elena backed into the hallway.
“Santiago, call security.”
Sophia sprang up and pointed at Elena’s hand.
A thin gold chain had slipped from beneath Elena’s sleeve.
One old brass key hung from it.
Mrs.
Mercer covered her mouth.
May you like
“That,” she whispered, “is Mr.
Alvarez’s study key.”
