Chapter 5 - THE DINNER PARTY OF SHADOWSBy seven o'clock that evening, the dining room of the Romano estate looked like a stage set for a tragedy.
Three massive crystal chandeliers cast a cold, brilliant light over a long mahogany table laid with heavy silver service, crystal goblets, and white linen that had been pressed until it looked like sheet metal. At the head of the table sat Gabriel, wearing a dark tailored suit that fit him like armor. To his right sat Vanessa Sterling, her bare shoulders gleaming beneath a diamond necklace that looked like frozen drops of river water.
Further down the table sat Victor Sloane, flanked by two men in identical charcoal suits who hadn't spoken a single word since they arrived from Chicago an hour earlier.
Evelyn stood near the service door in her black maid’s uniform, holding a heavy silver tray laden with roasted pheasant and truffled potatoes.
"Gabriel, darling," Vanessa purred, swirling a glass of expensive Bordeaux while looking across the table at her host. "Your new domestic acquisition has a rather... common way of speaking. When she served the wine, she actually looked me in the eye. In Chicago, our girls keep their gaze on the carpet where they belong."
Gabriel didn't look up from his plate. "Evelyn is efficient. And unlike the last three girls you recommended from your mother’s charity league, she doesn't steal the spoons."
Vanessa’s smile tightened into a thin, white line. "It’s simply unhygienic having a stray dog sleeping in the main hall. The beast tracked mud across the Persian rugs near the east gallery this afternoon."
"Titan stays where he wants," Gabriel said flatly.
Before Vanessa could retort, the heavy oak doors of the dining room swung open without a knock.
Calvin Pike stood on the threshold, his face pale and slick with sweat, his right hand jammed deep into the pocket of his heavy canvas jacket. Behind him, two local sheriff’s deputies in winter patrol jackets stood awkwardly in the hallway, their hands resting nervously on the holsters of their sidearms.
"Mr. Romano," Calvin said, his voice cracking slightly. "We have a problem down at the east gate."
Gabriel didn't rush. He laid his silver fork beside his plate with a soft clink, wiped his mouth with a linen napkin, and looked up. "Define problem, Calvin."
"The state environmental inspector," Calvin swallowed hard. "The one who’s been sniffing around the old copper drainage pipes near the lakehouse since November. His truck is parked by the pump house. And... well, the dog found him."
The entire dining room went dead silent. Even the grandfather clock in the corner seemed to hold its breath.
Vanessa dropped her fork; it hit the silver platter with a sharp, metallic clatter. "Good god, Gabriel. Did the animal attack someone again?"
Gabriel rose slowly from his chair. He didn't look at Vanessa. He looked straight down the length of the long table toward the service door where Evelyn stood frozen with her tray.
"Victor," Gabriel said, buttoning his suit jacket. "Bring the keys to the pump house."
"And the dog?" Victor asked, glancing toward the hall.
May you like
Gabriel paused at the door, his dark eyes fixing on Evelyn’s white knuckles gripping the silver tray.
"Bring him too," Gabriel said. "He’s the only one here who knows how to find what’s buried in the mud."
