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I pause because the next part is hard to get through. I can still picture it in my mind.
“I got there three days later, and I found her in the bathroom with a box of pills stuffed down her throat. It was ruled a suicide on the police reports because there was no evidence of foul play. But I knew better. I knew that it was something more than that based on the phone call we had. I don’t know how he found out, but Alek must have realized that she was carrying another man’s child.”
Helena blinks back tears and shakes her head. “But maybe… maybe he—”
I cut a cold look in her direction. “Don’t you think I haven’t considered that? Do you think I would accuse someone without cause?” I shake my head. “I had her autopsy and toxicology reports run. I flew in the best medical examiners in the world, and they found a trace amount of mercury in her ear. But by then the police had officially closed the case.”
Not that it would stop me. I’m used to navigating under police radars anyway… but it did eliminate any chance of lawful justice being served.
Beside me, Helena takes a deep breath. “I’m truly sorry to hear about your sister…”
I can tell she has more questions. I suppose it's natural for her to want more information, but I can't discuss it any longer. She may not know where her brother is or what he's been up to, but I can't justgiveher that information.
I nod at her in thanks. We both know that sympathy doesn't make anything better.
“It’s not like I haven’ttriedlooking for Alek,” Helena admits. “Over the years I’ve tried to pick up a trail. I used to leave little notes for him at our father’s gravesite thinking maybe one day he might find one and reach out to me… it’s not like we were ever really close as children or anything, but I thought, ‘hey, he’s family, he’ll want to talk to me someday’.” She trails off and shakes her head.
“I guess he just wanted to leave me in the past like the rest of us. I have to assume that he knows our father is dead, and maybe he even knows who killed him or that he was murdered. But if he does know, he’s never made any effort to reconnect with me. I wouldn’t even know where to start looking. I’m really sorry about your sister, and I understand your need for revenge, Daniel, really, I do. But Alek doesn’t care if I’m alive or dead. He never has.”
I can’t accept that.
I refuse to believe that a brother could just up and abandon his family like that. Then again, he left his pregnant fiancée to die alone on a dirty bathroom floor.
I’m going to find him either way.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
Daniel
“Uncle Daniel!” A small voice carries on the wind in our direction, and it makes me snap my head around. Henry bolts across the garden, heading straight for us. He holds a pencil in one hand, and the other hand out for balance as he sprints. “Ms. Sofia!” he shouts with no signs of slowing.
He practically skips and flies across the grounds. He's so excited to see her.
Fuck.
I did not need him out here right now. Having Henry see Helena like this is only going to raise questions that I don’t want to answer. I don’t need him wondering where she’s been because I don’t want to have to lie. As far as Henry knows, she’s been called away from work on urgent family business.
Helena hastily wipes the tears from her face. She shifts so that her ankles are crossed demurely beside her, but she looks really uncomfortable. She pulls down the hem of the oversized sweater as Henry comes closer.
Clearly, she doesn’t want Henry to see this any more than I do, but it’s too late now.
Behind him is his tutor, and she’s shouting Henry’s name. She’s tucked his books under her arm, but she still can’t keep up with him. Her round, mature face is painted with a look of horror. She’s a kind woman, but Henry is slippery, and she’s never quite learned how to reel him in. I feel like the job is aging her prematurely.
She hadn’t wanted to come with us at first. Not to somewhere so remote. But I’m paying her more than enough to make it worth her while.
When Henry is close enough, he launches himself toward me. I catch him and give him a big hug, but I’m almost knocked backward from the impact. He cuts it short and turns his focus to Helena.
“Ms. Sofia! Are you okay? Everybody at school is talking about you so much!” He quickly gives her an affectionate hug as well.
Helena glances at me. She doesn’t know what I’ve said to cover up her sudden disappearance, and she doesn’t want to put a foot wrong.
“One of the kids said that you died… and another one said that you decided that you hated us, so you moved back where you came from.” Henry has no malice when he speaks. He obviously doesn’t buy the rumors. He just wants to know why she’s been absent. “I said that was wrong, that you didn’t hate us. I was so, so,soworried you might be sick or something!”
“We don’t gossip, Henry,” I say simply, and he stops talking.
“Sorry,” he mumbles and blinks at Sofia expectantly.
I answer for her. “She’s not staying here long. She is still having to deal with her family emergency, but she had to come back for a little to pick up some things from home. Isn’t that right,Sofia?”
