Chapter 3 - The House on Willow Street
“You've been to my grandmother’s house.”
It wasn’t a question.
Dominic stood beside Evelyn’s bed.
“Many years ago.”
“How many?”
“Twenty-eight.”
“She took you there?”
“Yes.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“You said she called an ambulance.”
“She did.”
“And you refused.”
“Yes.”
“So she brought an injured teenager home?”
“She had strong opinions about letting people die.”
“That definitely sounds like Grandma.”
Dominic looked away.
“She gave me soup.”
Evelyn blinked.
“What?”
“After stitching my shoulder.”
“You remember the soup?”
“It was terrible.”
Evelyn laughed before she could stop herself.
Dominic’s mouth twitched.
“Don’t laugh. Your ribs.”
“Grandma was a horrible cook.”
“I know.”
For the first time, Dominic Valtieri seemed less like a legend and more like a man remembering someone who had mattered.
Then Evelyn became serious.
“The backup is there.”
“Where?”
“Inside an old nursing textbook.”
“Which one?”
“I’m not telling you.”
Dominic sighed.
“You’re difficult.”
“I’m alive because I’m difficult.”
“Fair.”
Evelyn pushed the blanket aside.
Dominic immediately frowned.
“What are you doing?”
“Going with you.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You can barely stand.”
“Then help me.”
“No.”
“Dominic.”
It was the first time she used his first name.
He noticed.
“So that's how this works?”
“What?”
“You use my first name when you’re about to make a terrible decision?”
“Apparently.”
---
Forty minutes later, Evelyn sat inside Dominic’s armored SUV wearing borrowed sweatpants, a sweatshirt and her wrist brace.
Dominic sat opposite her.
His security chief, Luca Marino, drove.
“You should be in bed,” Dominic said.
“You've mentioned that.”
“You should listen.”
“You're allegedly a crime boss. I’m not taking lifestyle advice from you.”
Luca coughed.
Dominic looked toward the front.
“Something funny?”
“No, boss.”
Evelyn smiled.
They reached Willow Street at 1:13 a.m.
Dominic’s expression changed immediately.
“Keep driving.”
Evelyn looked through the window.
“My house is right there.”
“I know.”
“So why—”
“Front door.”
It was open.
Evelyn’s stomach dropped.
“No.”
Dominic touched his earpiece.
“Luca. Two around back. Nobody enters until we clear it.”
“Dominic, the evidence—”
“Stays evidence if you stay alive.”
His men entered first.
Three minutes later, Luca returned.
“Clear.”
Inside, Evelyn found drawers overturned, photographs scattered and cabinets emptied.
Her grandmother’s living room had been destroyed.
“They knew,” Evelyn whispered.
Dominic watched her.
“Where?”
“Bedroom.”
They hurried upstairs.
Evelyn went to an old bookcase.
Her hands moved across familiar spines.
Critical Care Nursing.
Cardiac Medicine.
Emergency Procedures.
She pulled out a thick blue textbook.
Opened it.
Nothing.
Her face drained.
“No.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“Evelyn?”
“It was here.”
She flipped through pages.
“It was here.”
Then a voice came from downstairs.
“Boss!”
Dominic immediately moved in front of Evelyn.
Luca appeared holding something.
“A man was hiding in the garage.”
Evelyn froze.
“Who?”
Luca stepped aside.
A terrified middle-aged man entered.
Evelyn recognized him.
“Dr. Palmer?”
Dr. Henry Palmer worked in Greyhaven Memorial’s pharmacy department.
He raised both hands.
“Evelyn, listen.”
“You set me up.”
“No.”
“The warehouse message came from your account.”
“They forced me.”
Dominic’s voice became cold.
“Who?”
Palmer looked at him.
Fear registered instantly.
“Grant Holloway.”
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Where’s my evidence?”
“I moved it.”
“You what?”
“I knew they were coming.”
“Where?”
Palmer reached slowly into his jacket.
Three of Dominic’s men reacted.
“Easy,” Palmer said.
He removed a small key.
“Greyhaven Memorial.”
Evelyn stared.
“Where inside?”
“Room 614.”
“That room is empty.”
“Exactly.”
He handed her the key.
“The evidence is inside the wall behind the oxygen panel.”
Dominic looked at him.
“Why help her?”
Palmer’s face crumpled.
“Because my wife was one of the patients.”
Evelyn went silent.
“She died eighteen months ago,” Palmer continued. “The hospital charged insurance for a medication she never received.”
His eyes filled.
“I helped Grant hide it because he threatened my daughter.”
Evelyn whispered, “How many patients?”
Palmer looked at Dominic.
Then back at her.
“Forty-three.”
Silence.
Dominic’s face changed.
“Forty-three?”
Palmer nodded.
“And tomorrow morning,” he said, “Grant is destroying the remaining records.”
Evelyn looked at the clock.
2:06 a.m.
“When?”
“Six.”
She turned toward Dominic.
“We have four hours.”
Dominic shook his head.
“No.”
“What?”
“We have less.”
May you like
He pulled out his phone.
“Because if Grant searched this house, he already knows you survived.”
