Chapter 3 - THE INITIALS IN THE MARGIN
Victoria stopped pretending to be amused.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I looked down at the document.
“Then this should be easy to explain.”
Dominic leaned back in the booth.
“Let her continue.”
Victoria turned on him.
“You’re going to trust a waitress over your wife?”
Dominic’s gaze never left the page.
“I’m trusting the document.”
That silenced her.
I examined the stamp again.
Vale, Hart & Bennett had dissolved years ago, but the name was familiar beyond my research.
I had seen it somewhere much more personal.
Then I noticed two handwritten initials in the lower corner.
M.M.
My mouth went dry.
Dominic saw my reaction.
“You recognize them.”
“I’m not sure.”
“Casey.”
I looked up sharply.
He knew my name even though I had never introduced myself.
Of course he did.
My name tag.
Still, hearing him say it made everything feel different.
I pointed at the initials.
“My mother’s name is Mary Miller.”
Victoria gave a short, cold laugh.
“Millions of women have those initials.”
“She worked in New York before I was born.”
I barely remembered the stories.
Mom had always described herself as a legal secretary for an international trade office.
She never talked about the firm.
Never mentioned clients.
Never explained why she suddenly left Manhattan and returned to Ohio while pregnant with me.
I pulled out my phone.
There were three missed calls.
All from Mom.
That was unusual.
Mary hated interrupting me at work.
Then a text arrived.
CASEY, CALL ME NOW.
I stepped away from the table.
Before I could dial, another message appeared.
This one made my hands shake.
I SAW YOUR COLUMBIA ARTICLE ONLINE.
I stared at the screen.
My dissertation research had recently produced a small academic article about inconsistent translations in postwar shipping agreements.
Mom must have finally read it.
Then a third message arrived.
IF YOU EVER SEE A DOCUMENT FROM VALE, HART & BENNETT, DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING.
Dominic was watching me.
“What happened?”
I turned the phone toward him.
Victoria saw the messages too.
All the color left her face.
That reaction told me more than any confession could have.
I looked at Victoria.
“You know who my mother is.”
She said nothing.
May you like
And suddenly I understood something terrifying.
Her insult tonight had never been random.
