Chapter 1 - The Girl Who Wasn't Supposed to Exist
"They killed my mom once. Please don't let them do it again."
The little girl's voice cut through the ballroom music like a knife.
Julian Keene turned away from the mayor, who was still talking about the new children's hospital, and found an eight-year-old standing in front of him. She wore a pale blue dress with a crooked ribbon at the waist. Her cheeks were wet. In her extended palm lay a plain gold ring.
"I'm sorry," Julian said. "What did you say?"
"My mom told me to give you this if she didn't come home." The girl tried to straighten her trembling fingers. "She said you would know."
Julian picked up the ring. One edge was dented, as if somebody had struck it with a hammer. Inside the band, two tiny letters were separated by a crooked star: J * N.
He knew that dent. He had made it himself on the day he'd dropped the ring onto a stone pier, nine years earlier. He'd offered to buy another. Nora had laughed and called the damage proof that it was theirs.
Now his hand would not close.
"Where did you get this?" he whispered.
"From my mom. Nora Mercer." The girl swallowed. "My name's Sadie."
Behind Julian, a champagne glass hit the floor.
Camille Duvall, the woman he was supposed to marry in six weeks, stood beside the charity's donor wall in a deep green evening gown. She stared at the ring as if it were a snake. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.
"Nora died," Julian said, barely hearing his own words. "Nine years ago."
Sadie shook her head so hard that her ribbon slipped loose.
"No, she didn't. She makes my lunch. She knows I hate the crusts." Her voice cracked. "She was home yesterday, and now she isn't."
A broad-shouldered security guard moved toward them. Camille recovered first.
"Julian," she said, far too loudly, "that child is confused. Let the staff handle it."
Sadie flinched when she saw the guard. "That's him. He came to our door."
Julian stepped between them. "Don't touch her."
The guard stopped. From somewhere behind the chandeliers came the bright opening notes of an orchestra starting another song, as if nothing in the world had changed.
Sadie caught Julian's sleeve. "Mom said you would ask one question."
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"What question?"
She rose onto her toes and whispered, "Why did you sign the paper that said we had to disappear?"
