Almost Dead by Ophelia Night

Author:Ophelia Night [Pierce, Blake]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ophelia Night
Published: 2020-02-05T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

As she prepared to face the onslaught of Ms. Rossi’s anger, Cassie resolved not to lose her nerve. Ms. Rossi could just be trying to bully her into making a confession. If so, all she had to do was stand up to the pressure and keep her secret.

“I was running a few errands,” she said, trying to sound casual and unconcerned.

“Really?” Ms. Rossi smiled, and Cassie’s stomach knotted tighter. The knowing smile was not a nice, or kind, expression.

“That’s not what my friend Mr. Dellucci said when he called me just now,” she continued in the same calm, smug tone.

Cassie’s hand flew to her mouth in horror.

Her gut feeling was right. She had been betrayed, but it had come from a different, and completely unexpected, source. Mr. Dellucci had sold her out. The man who had been entrusted with the children’s well-being had deliberately chosen to inform their mother, instead of acting on the tip-off Cassie had given him. She felt as if her world was collapsing around her. How could this have happened?

“It’s fortunate that I have good relationships with the authorities,” the businesswoman continued.

Her smile widened, giving Cassie a clear indication how this relationship worked. Ms. Rossi was paying people to turn a blind eye. This was corruption, pure and simple, and it shocked her to her core.

“Luckily he took the time to call and explain that you had wasted his time with pointless and unfounded accusations, while rambling on about your own childhood. He called to warn me, because very often, people who have suffered past abuse can become abusers in turn. He asked if he should come round and perform a surprise inspection this afternoon, as you’ve spent a lot of time alone with the children.”

Cassie berated herself for not having realized something was very wrong from the time her visit wasn’t registered in the recording system. She hadn’t received a number, so there would be no official record of her complaint. She wished she’d been more suspicious when the conversation went off track and he started asking her those irrelevant questions. Now the finger of blame was pointing right back at her. Their collusion had stripped her of all her power—in fact, even of her credibility, and she had no doubt that the two of them could very easily manufacture a case against her if they chose to do so.

How could a social worker turn his back on children in need? She felt shocked to the core by the unfairness of his choice, especially after she’d described the horrors in such graphic detail. He’d decided that the extra money, the bounty bestowed on him by this wealthy, influential woman, was more important than the needs of innocent and helpless children and that the bribe justified his ignoring their plight.

After a pause, which Cassie guessed was deliberately timed to make sure her words had sunk in, Ms. Rossi continued.

“I told him that since you were leaving tomorrow, there would be no need for the inspection.

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