Chapter 3 - THE NAME LUCIA WOULD ONLY SIGN UNDER THE TABLE
Cassidy did not tell Dominic immediately.
That decision nearly ended her temporary job before it began.
She told Dr. Levin.
Privately.
In the hallway.
“Lucia signed Gavin and Marco.”
Dr. Levin did not react dramatically.
Good therapists rarely do.
“Together?”
“Yes.”
“Did she indicate how?”
“No.”
“Did you ask?”
“I started to.”
“And?”
“She told me not to tell.”
Dr. Levin nodded.
“You did the right thing bringing it to me.”
“I’m withholding something from her father.”
“You are protecting a therapeutic disclosure until we determine how to handle it safely.”
“Dominic isn’t going to love that sentence.”
“No.”
They told him together twenty minutes later.
He did not love it.
“You waited.”
Cassidy folded her arms.
“Seven minutes.”
“You should have told me immediately.”
“Lucia asked me not to.”
“She’s seven.”
“She’s traumatized.”
“She is my daughter.”
“And that doesn’t make every fear irrational.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
Dr. Levin stepped in.
“She is correct.”
He turned.
“Naomi.”
“If Lucia believes disclosure makes her unsafe, overriding her instantly could shut down communication again.”
“My adviser may be involved in my wife’s death.”
“May.”
Cassidy emphasized it.
Dominic looked at her.
She continued.
“Don’t turn a child’s sign into a conviction because you’re angry.”
His expression went cold.
For one second Cassidy understood the stories about him.
Then he looked toward the sunroom.
Lucia was coloring.
His shoulders lowered.
“What do you recommend?”
Dr. Levin answered.
“No confrontation with Marco.”
“Fine.”
“Lucia decides pace.”
“Fine.”
“Security can investigate independently without telling her.”
Dominic nodded.
Then looked at Cassidy.
“And you?”
“What about me?”
“If she signs anything else, you tell Naomi.”
“Yes.”
“Immediately.”
“If it’s safety-related.”
His mouth hardened.
She smiled.
“Look at us negotiating.”
He almost smiled back.
Almost.
The security review began that afternoon.
Cassidy knew only what affected Lucia.
She preferred it that way.
Marco Bellini had been part of Dominic’s inner circle for thirteen years.
His father and Dominic’s father had grown up together.
Marco handled legal coordination, business negotiations, charity events, and what Dominic called “family complications.”
Cassidy did not ask what that meant.
She already knew she did not want the operational definition.
At six, Elias drove her home.
“You pissed him off.”
“Your boss?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Elias looked at her.
“Most people avoid that.”
“Most people get paid enough.”
“He’s paying you more than the restaurant.”
“Then I can afford courage.”
That made Elias laugh.
Cassidy’s phone rang.
Mom.
She answered.
“Hi.”
“You skipped dinner again.”
“I’m coming now.”
“Clinic called.”
Cassidy closed her eyes.
“How much?”
“Cass.”
“How much?”
Her mother gave the number.
Cassidy stared out the window.
“Okay.”
“Don’t do anything stupid.”
“That narrows my options.”
“I mean debt.”
“I know.”
“You sound tired.”
“I have a second job.”
“What?”
“Temporary.”
“Doing what?”
Cassidy looked at Elias.
He was pretending not to listen.
“Child care.”
“For who?”
“Rich people.”
Her mother sighed.
“You always find complicated rich people.”
“I work fine dining.”
“Same thing.”
Cassidy smiled.
Then her mother coughed.
A deep, dry cough.
“Mom?”
“I’m okay.”
Cassidy hated that phrase.
Everyone who wasn’t okay used it.
At home, she paid part of the clinic bill with the advance Dominic’s office had deposited for her first week.
Not charity.
Work.
She stared at the confirmation screen longer than necessary.
The next morning, Lucia met her at the front door.
No sign.
Just grabbed her hand.
Dominic saw.
Something in his face tightened.
Cassidy pretended not to notice.
They spent the morning doing what Dr. Levin called “low-demand communication.”
Coloring.
A card game.
A walk through the courtyard.
No questions about the fire.
Then Lucia saw Marco’s car pull into the alley.
She froze.
Cassidy felt it before she saw him.
Lucia’s grip tightened.
Cassidy crouched.
YOU WANT GO INSIDE?
Lucia nodded.
They moved toward the sunroom.
Marco entered through the side door.
“Running from me?”
Light tone.
Lucia stopped.
Cassidy looked at him.
“She’s tired.”
“Lucia’s always tired around strangers.”
Cassidy’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m not sure she considers me one.”
Marco smiled.
“Fast promotion.”
Dominic entered behind him.
“Marco.”
“Just teasing.”
Lucia sat.
Her hands disappeared beneath the table again.
Cassidy watched.
Marco discussed business with Dominic near the windows.
Something about a foundation board vote.
A trucking subsidiary.
Nothing Cassidy understood.
Then Marco said:
“Moretti chatter is getting louder. We should move Lucia out of the city.”
Lucia went rigid.
Dominic answered:
“No.”
“Dom.”
“No more moving her because adults can’t control themselves.”
Cassidy looked at him.
That sounded learned.
Marco lowered his voice.
“She’s exposed.”
“So fix exposure.”
“Easier if the child isn’t here.”
Lucia’s fingers moved.
Cassidy looked down.
MAMA SAID SAME.
Cassidy’s heart jumped.
WHO SAID?
Lucia pointed subtly.
Marco.
Cassidy signed:
WHAT SAME?
Lucia struggled.
Then:
MOVE.
MAMA.
MARCO ANGRY.
Cassidy’s throat tightened.
She did not push.
Later, with Dr. Levin, Lucia drew a suitcase.
A woman.
A child.
A house.
Marco standing at the door.
Dr. Levin asked:
“Was Mama going somewhere?”
Lucia nodded.
“Did Marco know?”
Nod.
“Was Dad going?”
Lucia shook her head.
Dominic stood behind the glass door watching.
Cassidy saw confusion spread across his face.
After the session, he said:
“Elena was leaving me.”
Cassidy did not answer.
He laughed once.
Bitterly.
“I spent eighteen months wondering why she was at that property.”
“Maybe she wasn’t leaving you.”
“She packed Lucia’s overnight bag.”
“That proves she was leaving a building.”
His eyes snapped toward her.
Cassidy continued.
“You don’t know destination.”
Dominic stared.
Then looked away.
“No.”
Good.
One less false certainty.
That evening Elias brought the first security result.
Marco had never officially hired Gavin.
But one of Marco’s foundation vendors had.
A hospitality staffing company called Bellini Event Services used Gavin repeatedly at Valente charity events.
Including one event ten days before Elena’s death.
Dominic looked at the list.
“Gavin was at my house.”
Elias nodded.
“Service entrance. Catering crew.”
Lucia had been right.
Dominic sat very still.
Cassidy asked:
“Does that prove Marco sent him?”
“No.”
Elias answered.
“It proves access.”
Then he placed another document on the table.
“What?”
“Gavin’s restaurant employee emergency contact.”
Dominic read the name.
Cassidy watched his face.
“Who?”
Elias said:
May you like
“Anthony Bellini.”
Marco’s younger brother.
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