Mystery and Crime Fiction posted January 11, 2025 Chapters:  ...5 6 -7- 8... 


Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level
From out of the darkness
A chapter in the book Veil of Secrets

Veil of Secrets - Chap 7

by Begin Again


Althea pushed open the heavy glass door, the small bell overhead jingling faintly. She stepped inside hesitantly, her heart racing as the door swung shut behind her. The air smelled of faint lemon cleaner. Her eyes swept the room, noting the artwork on the walls and the receptionist typing briskly behind the desk.

A woman sitting by the window glanced up from her magazine and smiled briefly — Jenna. Her easy, friendly demeanor made Althea feel slightly less out of place — but not by much.

"Here to see Mr. Henderson?" Jenna asked, setting her magazine down.

Althea nodded, clutching her bag tightly. "Yes."

Jenna tilted her head slightly. "First time?"

Althea nodded. "Something like that."

Jenna's smile widened. "Don't worry. He's great. My name is Jenna, and I run the Event Studio — just down the street. I'm just waiting for my friend, Rebecca — she's in with him now. Phillip Henderson has been our family lawyer for years."

Althea's breath caught. Rebecca. Her eyes darted to the office door. She silently scolded herself — "Slow down. There certainly must be more than one Rebecca in this town." Yet, she couldn't help but wonder if it could be her half-sister, the one she'd never met, and the owner of The Vineyard. She suddenly wanted to leave, but her legs refused to move.

Before Jenna could say anything further, the office door opened. Rebecca stepped out. Her expression was thoughtful. She held a folder in her hand, nodding slightly to the older man who followed her. "Thanks, Mr. Henderson. Let me know if anything changes."

"Of course, Rebecca. I'll be in touch."

Rebecca turned toward Jenna, her face softening into a smile. "Hey, Jenna. I didn't know if you waited or went on without me."

Jenna picked up a folder lying on the table. "I finalized some paperwork for the Maxwell event this weekend." She glanced at Rebecca's folder. "Everything set?" Not waiting for an answer, she added, "I believe Mom and Danni should be here soon."

Rebecca nodded, glancing briefly at Althea. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, but Rebecca's gaze moved on without recognition. "I've got to drop this work order off for the Vineyard, but then I'm ready. I've brought my appetite today."

Althea froze, her breath shallow. The casual mention of the Vineyard made her stomach churn. She wanted to say something—anything—but fear tightened its grip on her throat.

Rebecca smiled at Jenna. "I'll take the work order next door and meet you outside."

Jenna nodded, glancing at Althea with a polite smile. "Good luck in there." She followed Rebecca to the door and then stopped. "Go ahead, Rebecca. I forgot to leave the magazine."
 
She returned to where she had been sitting, mouthing a quick "sorry" to the receptionist.

Althea's heart pounded, and her hands trembled as she clutched her bag. The receptionist's voice broke the silence. "Ms. Cascio? Mr. Henderson will see you now."

As Jenna opened the door to leave, she heard the receptionist and turned as the woman she'd been talking to entered Mr. Henderson's office.

"Cascio? Hmmm — didn't know there were any other Cascio's in Bayside." Jenna mumbled to herself and then quickly forgot about it.

*****

The office was cozy but professional, with shelves of legal books lining the walls. A large desk dominated the room, its surface impeccably neat except for a notepad and a fountain pen. Mr. Henderson, a calm and composed man in his sixties, gestured for Althea to sit. "Ms. Cascio, welcome. Please, have a seat."

Althea perched on the edge of the chair, her bag clutched tightly in her lap. Her voice wavered as she spoke, "Thank you for seeing me."

Henderson offered a small smile. "What can I do for you today?"

Althea opened her bag with trembling hands, pulled out her official birth certificate, and stared at the names of her mother and father. Next, she took the forged will from her purse and placed both of them on the desk — the documents looking oddly insignificant against the polished wood. "Umm — I believe I'm entitled to a portion of the Vineyard. These documents show my connection to it."

Surprised, Henderson picked up the papers, adjusting his glasses as he inspected them. His expression remained neutral, but his sharp eyes flicked to her face.

After scrutinizing them, he spoke, "This birth certificate states that you are Angela Cascio's daughter. And Mason Webb is listed as your father. Is that correct?"

Althea nodded, her throat dry. "Yes."

Henderson tapped the will thoughtfully. "This document claims that Angela Cascio is a beneficiary of Trevor Cascio's estate. May I ask why this is only coming to light now?"

"My mother — she didn't want to claim it. There was — bad blood between her and Mason. She didn't think it was worth pursuing."

Henderson studied her carefully. "And what has changed now?"

Althea hesitated, the weight of her son's absence pressing heavily on her chest. "Circumstances. I have a son, and I need to provide for him. I thought this — might be the way to do that. My mother has passed, and it's just me and my boy."

Henderson leaned back in his chair, folding his hands. "Ms. Cascio, I'll be honest with you. Cases like this can be complicated, especially when other stakeholders are involved. Are you prepared for a potential legal battle?"

The thought of public scrutiny made Althea's pulse quicken. She swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper, "I — I'll do whatever it takes."

Henderson nodded. "Very well. I'll need to verify the authenticity of these documents. If everything checks out, we can proceed. But I must warn you, this will not be easy."

Althea nodded numbly. "Thank you."

*****

As Althea stepped back into the waiting room, her legs felt shaky. She glanced toward the door, glimpsing Rebecca and Jenna chatting just outside. Her chest tightened, but she forced herself to look away. Stalling for time, she moved toward the receptionist. "Could I have one of Mr. Henderson's business cards, please?"

"Certainly." The receptionist smiled and handed Althea a card. "Have a nice afternoon."

*****

Althea opened the door and, with her head down, hurried down the street away from Rebecca and Jenna, bumping into Danni and Eleanor as they approached. She mumbled a barely audible, "I'm sorry." Then she continued her hasty retreat, ducking into a small shop a few doors away.

Danni watched Althea's retreating figure, always the detective, before replying, "Someone new in town, I guess."

Eleanor, her gaze thoughtful, tilted her head. "There's something about her — something familiar."

Rebecca shrugged. "She was in the waiting room when I left Henderson's office. Jenna, did you talk to her?"

Jenna nodded. "Just briefly. She said her name was Althea. She seemed nervous but nice enough."

Eleanor's expression darkened. "She's connected to the Vineyard. I felt it."

Rebecca frowned. "Connected how?"

"I'm not sure. Did you get her full name, Jenna?"

Jenna rolled her eyes. "I know I heard it, even sounded familiar, but this mommy brain of mine can't remember anything lately for longer than a minute." She laughed. "Maybe eating will revive my brain cells. Let's go."

Rebecca laughed. "I'll second that notion. I'm starved."

Danni chimed in, "When aren't you hungry?"

"You girls, go ahead. I'll be just a moment." Eleanor turned and walked toward Henderson's office.
 
*****

Eleanor stepped into Phillip Henderson's office with an air of concern. She had encountered Althea earlier and couldn't shake her unease. After convincing her companions to grab a table without her, she approached Phillip as he prepared to leave for lunch.

"Phillip," she began, her tone both friendly and probing, "do you have a moment to talk?"

Phillip hesitated, caught off guard, but nodded. "Of course, Eleanor, but it will have to be quick. I was just heading out." He smiled, "I can't be late for a lunch date with the boss."

Eleanor's eyes narrowed as she searched Phillip's face for a clue. "But you're the boss, Phillip."

"Tell that to my brother. He might be retired, but he still thinks being the oldest gives him the edge."

Eleanor laughed. "Now I understand. I have just one question, so it'll only take a minute. The girls are waiting for me at the restaurant, too."

They stepped back into the inner office. Eleanor took a seat, her eyes scanning his expression. "I just ran into someone — Althea, I believe her name was. Something about her didn't feel right. Can you tell me anything about why she was here?"

Phillip shifted in his chair, a flicker of nervousness crossing his face. "Eleanor, you know I can't disclose information about my clients, no matter how long we've been friends."

Eleanor leaned forward, her gaze piercing. "I understand, but she seemed — troubled. I can't explain it, but I know there's more to this than you say. Is she in danger?"

Phillip's hand fidgets with the edge of his desk. "Danger? She didn't indicate anything like that to me, though she does seem like the nervous type. Maybe that's what you sensed. Do you ever take a rest from being a detective?"

Eleanor stood and turned to leave but stopped and looked at Phillip Henderson with disappointment etched on her face. "Something tells me there's a connection between the young lady, The Vineyard, and Rebecca, though I know you can't tell me anything."

Henderson's eyes narrowed. "What makes you say that if you don't know the woman?"

Eleanor chuckled and waved her hand as if brushing the thought away. "It's nothing. Just these feelings I get sometimes. I'm sure you'd tell someone if trouble loomed."

Phillip moved from behind his desk closer — to Eleanor and touched her arm. His eyes met hers, and unspoken words hung in the air.

"Be careful, Eleanor," he said cryptically, his voice low and deliberate. "Not everything is as it seems, and some shadows are darker than you know."

Eleanor paused, her mind racing with the implications. "Phillip, if you know something that could help —"

Knowing he'd already said too much, he shook his head, cutting her off. "I've said all I can." His tone was firm and final. "Take care of yourself, Eleanor."

She stepped out of the office, her unease growing as she headed toward the restaurant. Phillip's words lingered in her mind, an ominous prelude to whatever lay ahead.

As she entered the restaurant, her mind swirled with questions and concern for those she loved. She'd learned to trust her instincts, and Phillip's cryptic words cemented her fears — more trouble was looming on the horizon.

Write A Review


Recognized


Flash Summary and Characters -
Prologue -- Bayside's darkest criminals escape during a staged bus accident
Chapter 1 - Eleanor senses trouble at the Vineyard and discovers Miriam is missing
Chapter 2 - Rebecca meets her new neighbor, Grayson Webb , and the New York Mob realizes they have been double-crossed by the Chinese, Zhang Wei
Chapter 3 - Garth and Donatelli piece together forensic findings, and Eleanor finds a child's shoe at the Vineyard that belongs to a missing boy.
Chapter 4 - Eleanor searches for clues as to where Miriam may be, and Cornelius Webb holds Miriam captive within the mystery mirror
Chapter 5 - Miriam's lost soul begs Antonio to help her, and at the Vineyard, he is confronted by Cornelius Webb. Grayson Webb takes advantage of Rebecca's fears and makes his first move to win her heart and steal the Vineyard.
Chapter 6 - Cornelius's spirit clashes with his nephew -- both determined to claim the riches hidden beneath the grounds of the Vineyard , and Althea Cascio is alone in a motel -- fearful that the NY Mob will murder her son, Travis, if she doesn't do what they want concerning the Vineyard



Main Characters -
Spirits from the past -
Eleanor Bennett - ghost detective
Danni - jr. ghost detective working with Matthew Donatelli
Cornelius Webb - Miriam's nemesis and murderer
Miriam Cascio - Trevor's murdered bride, Rebecca's grandmother and protector of the Vineyard
Antonio Maggio - Rebecca's grandfather and Miriam's first love

Bayside's Community --
Jenna Bennett - Event planner, Eleanor's daughter, Maggie's mother, Donatelli's love
Matthew Donatelli - Bayside's lead detective and Maggie's father
Rebecca Cascio Stillwell - recently inherited the Vineyard after discovering her adoption
Garth Woodman - FBI Agent and widower (Allie) and potentially interested in Rebecca
Joseph DeLuca - Bayside detective
John Doyle - Ex-judge, nemesis to all, and escaped prisoner from Joliet State Prison.
Vince Rossi - mobster and Doyle's cellmate and escaped prisoner
Grayson Webb - grand nephew and recently inherited the Webb Estate
Althea Webb Cascio - mother to Travis and half-sister to Rebecca
Travis - missing boy

Criminals -
Zhang Wei - once involved in human trafficking with Doyle, seeks revenge for his career losses after Doyle's downfall from the Judge's bench.
Frank DiVito - retired gangster and childhood friend of Garth
Sam - Frankie's right-hand man and friend
Jack Lexington - Chicago kingpin
Tony "The Hawk" - Salvatore "Sal" and Vito Greco -- the New York mob


Pays one point and 2 member cents.


Save to Bookcase Promote This Share or Bookmark
Print It Print It View Reviews

You need to login or register to write reviews. It's quick! We only ask four questions to new members.


© Copyright 2025. Begin Again All rights reserved.
Begin Again has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.