Chapter 1 - THE FIRST THING EVELYN SIGNED ABOUT RONAN
Sadie understood immediately that accepting Ronan Cain’s offer had been a mistake.
Not because of the triple salary.
Not because two armed men now knew the route to Poppy’s elementary school.
Not even because Raven Hill felt less like a mansion than a fortress pretending to have curtains.
The mistake was staying long enough for Evelyn Cain to ask her the next question.
Ronan left the East Wing just before noon after ordering that Sadie be given a new uniform and a private meal break.
The kitchen staff stopped laughing when she entered.
June Callaway did not.
She looked Sadie up and down.
“Well.”
One word.
Enough contempt to decorate a room.
“So the little mouse impressed Mr. Cain.”
Sadie took the tray Evelyn needed and ignored her.
Wesley, the young employee who had filmed her earlier, smirked.
“Guess knowing hand tricks pays.”
Sadie stopped.
“Delete the video.”
His smile widened.
“What video?”
“The one you took outside Mrs. Cain’s room.”
June laughed softly.
“You’re temporary help. Don’t start giving orders.”
Sadie looked directly at Wesley.
“Delete it.”
Something in her voice changed his expression.
Not fear.
Uncertainty.
He reached for his phone.
June slapped his hand away.
“Keep it.”
Sadie felt cold.
Why would a housekeeper care about a stupid humiliation video?
She carried the tray upstairs.
Evelyn was awake.
The old woman’s hands began moving the moment Sadie closed the door.
Not standard sign language.
The private code.
Sadie’s chest tightened.
You answered him.
Sadie hesitated.
Then signed:
Who?
Evelyn’s eyes sharpened.
My youngest son.
Declan.
Sadie felt four years collapse inside her.
She could still see Declan bleeding beneath warehouse lights.
Still hear him forcing words through broken breaths.
Still remember him teaching her the final sequence because his hands had been too weak to write.
I am not lost.
Evelyn signed again.
Where is he?
Sadie’s throat closed.
She answered:
I don’t know.
Evelyn stared.
Then:
You were with him.
Sadie nearly stood.
How do you know?
The old woman touched the falcon tattoo beneath Sadie’s wristband.
Then she signed:
He only gave that mark to three people.
Sadie stopped breathing.
Three?
Declan had told her only two people knew the private code.
Him.
His mother.
But the tattoo was different.
Three people had worn the falcon.
Sadie signed:
Who was the third?
Evelyn’s hand trembled.
She pointed toward the door.
Then formed a name.
MARSH.
Sadie’s stomach dropped.
Mr. Marsh.
The man the maids said had ordered them to ignore Evelyn’s “episodes.”
The same man who supervised her medication.
Then Evelyn signed one final sentence.
Do not let Ronan know Marsh still has the other falcon.
May you like
And for the first time, Sadie realized the danger inside Raven Hill might not be hiding from Ronan.
It might be standing beside him.
