No matter what Klaus said, an idea was taking hold in my brain. Perhaps my father did care about Caroline; it didn’t matter—his affection was like poison. He was using her death to his advantage, and that suggested her death hadn’t been accidental at all.

CHAPTER 35 DEIRDRE

CHAPTER 35

DEIRDRE

It was time to head into the lion’s den. In the days since Caro’s death, I’d seen Teddy exactly twice, including at the funeral. When I rang the doorbell, my heart was divided between a determination to do right by my sister and the crippling weight of guilt. It didn’t help that a pair of horned gargoyles snarled at me from the second story. I felt like they were onto my ulterior motives.

The nanny, Gloria Rivera, answered the door, smiling as she recognized me. “Deirdre! It’s good to see you.” She sounded genuinely delighted to find me on the doorstep. “Teddy will be so happy to see his auntie.”

“How’s the little guy doing?”

“Okay.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “He’s lonely, poor thing. His father’s away, and he doesn’t really understand that his mama isn’t coming back.”

“I have trouble believing she isn’t coming back, and I’m supposed to be a grown-up.”

“Deeeeee!” shouted Teddy from the top of the staircase. He ran down, stopping at the fourth step from the bottom and jumping, flinging himself onto the landing on all fours.

“Teddy! No crazy stunts!” Gloria scolded him.

“I’m a frog,” Teddy said. “Frogs jump.”

I hugged him. “Be careful, froggy.”

“I can jump from the fifth step,” he said. “Want to see?”

“He’s always pulling crazy stunts,” Gloria said.

Teddy let go of me and dashed up the stairs. “Come play, Deeeeee!”

“I’m going to make some lunch,” Gloria said. “It’s grilled cheese, because that’s all he’s eating right now. I can make something else for you.”

“Grilled cheese is great, thanks.” All the better for my purposes if she was busy in the kitchen. “Where are you, Teddy?” I called out as I climbed the stairs. The house was filled with beautiful archways and moldings, and I’d always wanted to explore it, but Caro usually insisted on meeting at her office or a restaurant. I’d hardly ever been in the house.

“Daddy’s room,” he answered. I followed his voice, then pushed a heavy wooden door open and found Teddy jumping on a king-sized four-poster bed. “Pirate Island!” Teddy announced.