Three Can Keep A Secret Or All of Them are Dead

Ashley paused on the steps of the mansion, her fist raised to knock on the large door. One knock, and her brother would open the door. Her brother whom she hadn’t seen in three years, since the day he chose to live with his father instead of their mother, since the day he had been disowned. One knock and they would be together again.

This wasn’t allowed. She knew it wasn’t allowed. She wasn’t allowed to contact anyone outside of her immediate family, and he wasn’t family. Not anymore. But he had been the one who had found her, noticed her sitting in among the trash of New York City, and insisted that they let her come home. And their mother had agreed. Ashley still wasn’t sure why, but if she couldn’t trust her brother, who could she trust?

No one.

She could trust no one.

Not even her own mind was safe.

She rapped on the ornate wood of the door three times. It opened to reveal an old butler in an expensive looking suit, looking down at her as though wondering what a girl like her wanted at a mansion like that one.

Ashley swallowed. “Hello, sir. Is Dani here?”

“Dani?” The butler said in a thick London accent, raising a manicured eyebrow. “I’m not entirely sure who you mean. Are you referring, perchance, to young Master Daniel?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And might I ask who is inquiring the whereabouts of my charge?”

“Ashley Rosselli. It’s important. Is he here?”

“Let her in,” a voice said behind the butler, “Come inside, Ash.”

The butler ushered her into a parlor. 

And there he was, in all his fifteen-year-old swagger, lounged across a plush couch. Daniel Rosselli-Astor, heir to his father’s vast fortune and Ashley’s ex-brother. For some reason, Ashley had expected to find the scrawny twelve-year-old she knew, but of course he had grown up in their time apart.

“Thought I’d never see you again,” Dani said as Ashley sat, “So what did Mother do now?”

“How do you know she did something?” Ashley challenged.

Dani raised an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t come to me unless you were desperate.”

Ashley rolled her eyes. “You sound like a cheesy Disney villain. But you’re right. I am desperate. Mother’s completely flipped her lid. She kicked out Grandfather, even. She says that it’s her time to take over the family business. And Grandfather raised her. If he can’t win a place in her books, what chance do I have? At least you’re her biological child. I’m going to end up on the streets again and I know they won’t let me go with the information I have on them. I mean, I could blackmail them into letting me stay, but they’d still just shoot me and make it look like suicide. You know how it is. It’s the mafia. You have to help me.”

“What do you need?”

“I’m… not sure,” she admitted, “I guess… go to the police when you hear that I’m gone. Or go to the FBI. Or something.”

Daniel put his hand on Ashley’s leg. “We’ll figure out a way. But you have to tell me what’s going on first. Mother has gone on these types of sprees before, kicking out or killing everyone who has any sort of power. You’ll survive. I did.”

“You only survived because you had your father. I don’t have anyone to run to.”

“But what did she do that got you so worried?”

Ashley sighed. “It’s hard to explain.”

“Try.”

“Well, a few weeks ago, the Castigliones came to Mother with the news that the Harings were turned into the FBI. It wouldn’t have been too much of a problem—kill the dissenter and evade the feds—but something happened and the main members got caught. The whole gang fell apart. A lot of the higher ups in gangs across the country are getting nervous and lower members are hearing about it and feeling rebellious and… they’re all panicking. Mother and the Castigliones and everyone. That’s what brought on this most recent purge. Mother doesn’t trust anyone. You know she doesn’t. And I’m the next obvious choice on her hit list.”

“So what can we do to calm her down?” Dani asked.

Ashley shivered. “If she finds out I came to you, she’ll flip. She’ll say I’m rebellious and dangerous. I can’t-”

A tall man in a suit entered the room. Ashley fell silent mid-sentence.

Dani sat straighter in his chair. “Ash, this is my father, Mr. Stuart Astor. Father, this is Ashley Rosselli, my sister.”

Mr. Astor looked a lot like his son—or, rather, his son looked a lot like him, but Ashley had met Daniel first—with hazel eyes, honey-colored skin, and a strong jawline. But Daniel had gotten his smile from his mother; it always looked sinister and murderous, while his father’s smile was charming and well-used. Daniel’s smile made him look like a mobster while Mr. Astor’s smile made him look as though he cared about what you were saying. In Ashley’s opinion, people like that were the most dangerous. They could lure you into a false sense of security, even when their knife was already deep in your back.

“How do you do?” Mr. Astor asked, “Is there anything we could get you?”

“No, thank you,” Ash smiled, casting a worried look at Daniel. Had Mr. Astor heard them talking? Could he be trusted with that information? Of course not. No one could be. But would he turn them in? Would he tell the feds—or worse, their mother?

Dani smiled, though Ashley noticed that it didn’t reach his eyes. “Father knows all about the family business.”

“Oh, we’re talking about the mafia, are we?” Mr. Astor said airily, “Well, I had quite enough of them when I met your mother, and again when I got custody of Daniel, but if you need a place to stay, our doors are open. There’s plenty of room.”

Ash smiled politely. “I’m afraid space isn’t what I’m worried about, sir.”

“Of course. My apologies. What can we do to help?”

Ashley looked from father to son. Daniel nodded encouragingly. Ashley took a deep breath and decided to explain the real reason she had come. After all, Dani trusted him, and if she couldn’t trust Dani, who could she trust?

“Mr. Astor, can you keep a secret?”