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confess family squabbles to a stranger. And unwise. Being the
daughter of a politician had taught her to be wary about what she said and to
whom, and to always wear a smile.
    Hadn’t her father always warned her to show a happy face to
the public no matter what?
    “That’s when I found out the mayor wrote a second will and
I’d been cut out.” She looked up and smiled but it took a great deal of effort.
Preston Night didn’t even flicker an eyelid. What was up with him?
    She gave him a minute to read.
    When he looked up, his mouth was set in a thin line. His
gaze was gentle, reassuring.
    He gave her confidence that Victoria wouldn’t get away with
this.
    “My stepmother claims I’m to be left with nothing, which is
news to me,” she continued, wanting him to know how badly she’d been
blindsided. “Father didn’t have much money of his own. At least I don’t think
so.” Cadence shook her head. “I’m finding out, Mr. Night, that there are a
great many things I don’t know about my father’s finances.”
    “I understand.”
    Cadence was happy he was on her side and she had him to
confide in.
    “Mother’s family was a success in the rag trade and he
inherited a fortune when she died. Victoria, my stepmom, had been the mayor’s
press secretary and a very good one as far as anybody could tell. Naturally, it
caused a stir when they married so soon after my mother died.”
    At this, Preston nodded and Cadence realized that was when
his mother had left as an employee. Or had she been dismissed?
    Preston’s expression remained blank. Did he know this part
of the story? Would he tell her why his mother no longer worked for the Burke
trust?
    She pressed on. “I was sent off to boarding school when
Victoria and the evil twins moved in.” Cadence checked his reaction. He
remained attentive but neutral. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called them that.”
    “You were being honest.”
    “I was. Just, I should’ve kept quiet.”
    “I’m your lawyer. You should tell me everything. I’m bound
by law to keep anything you tell me confidential.”
    “I know but that’ll take some doing. I don’t like talking
about my private life.”
    “How can I help you if I don’t know what you’re up against?”
    Even though confiding went contrary to what she’d been
taught, it did feel good to talk. Mother had entrusted Night and Night,
International with her welfare. Cadence would too.
    “Well, as soon as the graduation party was over—I won’t get
into how oddly Victoria and my stepsiblings Sybil and Cyrus acted or pretend
that we’re a close, loving family—Victoria handed me that envelope. As I
mentioned, it contains legal documents that I had never seen before.” She
paused to take a deep breath and another sip of her water.
    His eyes focused on her, causing Cadence’s breath to catch
in her throat. She didn’t look away. She couldn’t.
    “I’ll look these documents over more closely,” he said.
    “Thank you. If you find so much as a ‘T’ hasn’t been
crossed, I want whatever powers you attorneys have to have the new will
voided.”
    Preston narrowed his eyes. “I’ll do what I can. I’ll need a
copy of the first will.”
    “Of course. I have it in my safety deposit box at school.
You’ll see I’m named a beneficiary along with Victoria and her kids.”
    “This new will excludes you completely.”
    “It can’t be legitimate. My father wouldn’t have taken me
out of his will. Kind of convenient for Victoria, wouldn’t you say, to inherit
everything?”
    Preston smiled for the first time. Her heart did a little
tap dance.
    “Your mother was a very smart woman, Miss…Cadence.” He
opened the folder he’d taken out of his briefcase. “She must have known this
was going to happen. She asked my mother to handle her affairs. I didn’t have
the privilege of talking with her myself because, at the time, I was away at
school.”
    “Do you think I have a case?”
    “Don’t worry, we