Chapter 4 - The Man Behind the Badge
"You're arresting the wrong man."
Nora stepped between Damien and the federal agent.
Damien gently moved her aside.
"Nora."
"But Luca kidnapped Claire."
"And they'll charge him."
"Then why are they taking you?"
The agent answered.
"Damien Romano is under investigation for money laundering, racketeering, bribery, and conspiracy."
Luca laughed again.
"Checkmate."
Damien looked at him.
"You've always talked too much."
The agent handcuffed Damien.
Nora turned toward Claire.
Her sister was staring at someone across the room.
Federal prosecutor Daniel Voss.
The same man in the photograph.
Claire whispered, "Nora."
"What?"
"That's him."
"Who?"
"The man who came to the lake house."
Nora froze.
Voss noticed them watching.
Claire grabbed Nora's arm.
"He told Luca they had to kill me after they found the picture."
Nora immediately looked for Marcus.
He was speaking with agents near the doorway.
"Marcus!"
Voss turned.
Nora shouted.
"Don't let him leave!"
Everything happened at once.
Voss ran.
Marcus pursued him into the corridor.
Two agents followed.
Damien remained handcuffed.
Nora approached him.
"You knew Voss was involved."
"I suspected."
"Then why let yourself get arrested?"
"Because Luca expected me to resist."
"And?"
"If your enemy expects you to turn left, occasionally turning right is useful."
"That's your plan?"
"It was more sophisticated in my head."
Despite everything, Nora laughed.
Damien looked at her.
"There it is."
"What?"
"You haven't laughed once tonight."
"My sister was kidnapped."
"Reasonable excuse."
Minutes later, Marcus returned.
"Voss got away."
Damien's expression darkened.
"How?"
"Service elevator. Vehicle waiting downstairs."
Claire suddenly spoke.
"He'll go to the marina."
Everyone turned.
She swallowed.
"I heard him talking to Luca. He said if anything went wrong, the boat would leave before sunrise."
Marcus asked, "Which marina?"
"Burnham Harbor."
The federal agent beside Damien immediately used his radio.
Damien looked at Nora.
"Go with Claire."
"What about you?"
"I'll manage."
"You could spend the rest of your life in prison."
"I've had worse evenings."
"Name one."
Damien considered it.
"My wedding rehearsal."
Nora stared.
He almost smiled.
Then Claire stepped toward him.
"Mr. Romano?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
Damien's expression softened.
"Your sister did the difficult part."
Nora shook her head.
"No. We both know that's not true."
Damien was escorted toward the elevator.
Before the doors closed, he looked back at the piano teacher who had walked into his private lounge and changed the direction of his entire empire.
"Nora."
"Yes?"
"Don't stop playing."
The doors closed.
Three hours later, Voss was arrested at Burnham Harbor.
By sunrise, federal investigators had enough evidence to establish that Luca and Voss had created a network of shell corporations using Damien's late wife's identity.
But Damien wasn't released.
His legitimate businesses had been used.
His signatures appeared on documents.
His money had moved through the accounts.
Someone had spent years making sure that if the conspiracy collapsed, Damien Romano would collapse with it.
Nora refused to accept that.
Claire sat beside her in a police interview room.
"You need sleep."
"So do you."
"I was kidnapped. I get priority."
Nora finally smiled.
Then Claire became serious.
"There's something I didn't tell them."
"What?"
"The night Luca took me, he kept asking about a photograph."
"I know."
"No. Not my photograph."
Nora frowned.
Claire reached into the lining of her jacket.
Her fingers found a tiny tear.
From inside, she removed a folded piece of paper.
"What is that?"
"I stole it from Luca's desk at the lake house."
Nora unfolded it.
A bank-transfer authorization.
At the bottom was Damien's signature.
Above it was another signature.
Victor Hale.
Claire pointed to a handwritten note in the margin.
D.R. signature template approved. Continue replication.
Nora stared at it.
"They forged Damien's signature."
Claire nodded.
"And I heard Luca say there were originals."
"Where?"
May you like
Claire looked at her.
"Inside Damien's hotel."
