“I’ll see you at eight.”
He ended call.
Elena exhaled.
“That was reckless.”
“He knew there was passage.”
“That is not crime.”
“He lied about being there recently if Grace saw him.”
“We don’t have Grace’s statement yet.”
“Then get it.”
Fingerprint verification arrived at 5:52.
Archived prints belonged to Julian Duca.
DNA confirmation came later, but nobody in room needed it after fingerprints.
A Boston detective placed report down.
“Legally, we have a difficult situation.”
Adrian laughed softly.
“Understatement.”
“Your brother is alive.”
“Yes.”
“But death certificate remains valid until corrected.”
“I understand.”
“We will need state, probably federal involvement.”
“Do it.”
Elena interrupted.
“Coordinate disclosure.”
The detective frowned.
“Why?”
“Because if Mr. Duca’s allegations involve financial crimes and interstate confinement, uncontrolled publicity could endanger witnesses.”
The detective nodded.
“Agreed.”
At 6:30, Adrian went to Grace Harper’s room.
She was awake.
Barely.
Denise sat beside her.
Mia slept in a chair, curled around a hospital blanket.
Baby Lily slept in Denise’s arms.
Adrian stopped at the threshold.
Denise looked.
“You.”
“Yes.”
“My sister came to work with pneumonia because some supervisor told her she’d lose your house.”
Adrian nodded.
“Yes.”
“That all you got?”
“No.”
“What else?”
“I’m sorry.”
Denise looked unimpressed.
“Sorry pay rent?”
“No.”
“Good answer.”
Grace opened her eyes.
“Mr. Duca?”
He approached.
She tried to sit.
“Don’t.”
Her eyes widened.
“The study.”
“Forget it.”
“I didn’t finish.”
“Grace.”
Her lips trembled.
“Mia shouldn’t have been upstairs.”
“No.”
“She was trying to help.”
“I know.”
“Miss Kettering said—”
“I need to ask about Natalie Kettering.”
Fear appeared.
Even here.
Even sick.
Adrian hated it.
“You are not losing your job.”
Grace looked at Denise.
Then back.
“Belgrave decides.”
“No longer.”
“What?”
“I suspended their staffing authority in my house.”
“Until an independent labor review is complete.”
Grace stared.
Adrian continued:
“Your medical care will be covered.”
“You will receive paid leave.”
“You will not be required to return until your doctor clears you.”
Tears appeared.
Adrian raised hand.
“This is not charity.”
“You earned protections that should have existed already.”
Denise watched closely.
Grace whispered:
“I don’t want trouble.”
Adrian felt the sentence like accusation.
“You already had trouble.”
“You were simply carrying it alone.”
Grace closed eyes.
He waited.
Then asked:
“Did you ever hear sounds behind my library wall?”
Her eyes opened immediately.
Fear.
Denise noticed.
“What?”
Grace looked toward sleeping Mia.
“Sometimes.”
“How long?”
“Six weeks.”
Adrian’s pulse changed.