Chapter 4 - The Wolf at the Door
“No.”
Dominic’s answer came before Marcus finished explaining.
Emily stepped closer.
“What does Reed want?”
“You heard him.”
“I want details.”
Dominic looked at Marcus.
“Leave us.”
Marcus hesitated.
“Dominic—”
“Now.”
The door closed.
Emily folded her arms.
“Talk.”
“Reed claims he has information about who ordered the kidnapping.”
“And he wants me?”
“He believes Lily told you something.”
“She told me his name.”
“Apparently she knows more.”
Emily thought back.
The alley.
The diner.
The warm milk.
The photograph.
Then she remembered something.
“Mr. Reed told him where we were going.”
Dominic’s gaze sharpened.
“What?”
“That’s what Lily said.”
“Exactly?”
“Yes.”
Dominic immediately moved toward the door.
“Lily.”
Emily grabbed his arm.
“Wait.”
He looked down at her hand.
She released him.
“Don’t interrogate her.”
“She’s my daughter.”
“Exactly.”
Dominic stared at her.
Emily continued.
“She’s seven. She spent more than a day outside thinking someone was hunting her. If you walk in there looking like that, she’ll think she did something wrong.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“How should I look?”
“Like her father.”
Several minutes later, Lily sat beside Dominic on the library sofa.
Emily stayed nearby.
Dominic spoke softly.
“Lily, remember what you told Emily?”
The girl nodded.
“You said Mr. Reed told someone where you were going.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“The man on the phone.”
“What man?”
Lily concentrated.
“I don’t know.”
“What did Reed say?”
She looked frightened.
Emily interrupted.
“You’re doing great.”
Lily looked at her, then continued.
“He said, ‘Vale will pay anything once we have both girls.’”
Dominic’s face became stone.
“And then?”
“He said something about the lake.”
“What about it?”
“I don’t remember.”
Dominic reached for her hand.
“That’s okay.”
Lily frowned.
“Wait.”
Everyone became silent.
“He said Daddy would trade the lake contracts.”
Dominic slowly looked toward Marcus, who had returned.
Marcus whispered, “The port redevelopment.”
Dominic stood.
Emily asked, “What does that mean?”
Marcus answered.
“Vale Atlantic has a major redevelopment agreement pending for lakefront shipping terminals.”
Dominic’s eyes darkened.
“Reed wasn’t trying to ransom them for money.”
“He wanted control.”
“And someone bigger is behind him,” Marcus said.
Emily looked between them.
“So why does he want me?”
Dominic answered.
“Because he thinks the girls told you enough to identify what he was after.”
Emily shook her head.
“They didn’t.”
“He doesn’t know that.”
Her phone buzzed.
Everyone turned.
Emily took it from the table.
Unknown number.
A message appeared.
ASK DOMINIC WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WHO STAND TOO CLOSE TO HIM.
A second message appeared.
A photograph.
Emily outside Miller’s Corner.
Taken weeks earlier.
Before the girls disappeared.
Her blood went cold.
“He knew me before that night.”
Dominic took the phone.
His expression changed.
Marcus swore under his breath.
Emily whispered, “Why?”
Dominic looked at Marcus.
“When did Calvin buy the diner?”
Emily frowned.
“What?”
Marcus understood immediately.
“I’ll check.”
Emily stepped between them.
“Someone explain.”
Dominic handed her phone back.
“Your diner may not have been random.”
“What does that mean?”
“The alley where my daughters were found is less than half a mile from one of Reed’s former safe properties.”
Emily stared.
“You think they were being held near me?”
“Yes.”
“And the van crash?”
“May have happened when someone tried moving them.”
Emily’s stomach tightened.
“So they escaped.”
“Probably.”
“Then found my diner.”
Dominic nodded.
Emily stared at the photograph of herself.
“What if Reed knew exactly where they would run?”
Silence.
Marcus’s phone buzzed.
He checked it.
Then looked up.
“Calvin bought Miller’s Corner eighteen months ago.”
Emily asked, “So?”
Marcus looked at Dominic.
“Seller was a holding company.”
Dominic’s voice became cold.
“Owned by?”
“Reed.”
Emily felt the floor shift beneath her.
“My boss works for him?”
“We don’t know that,” Marcus said.
Dominic already had his coat.
“Where is Calvin?”
“At his apartment.”
Emily grabbed Dominic’s sleeve.
“You are not going there without me.”
“No.”
“He employed me for three years.”
“Which is exactly why you’re staying here.”
“What if he talks to me?”
“What if he shoots you?”
Emily’s expression changed.
Dominic immediately softened his voice.
“You already did more than anyone had a right to ask.”
“And those girls trusted me.”
“Yes.”
“That matters.”
Dominic stared at her.
“So does your life.”
For several seconds neither spoke.
Then Grace appeared in the doorway.
She held the stuffed bear.
“Emily?”
Emily turned.
Grace’s lower lip trembled.
“There’s a man outside.”
Dominic reacted instantly.
“What man?”
Grace pointed toward the garden.
“He waved at me.”
Marcus ran to the window.
Dominic pulled both girls behind him.
Emily looked outside.
A figure stood beyond the security fence.
Far enough away that his face was difficult to see.
But he lifted one hand.
And held up a phone.
Emily’s phone rang.
Dominic answered it.
A man’s voice came through the speaker.
“Hello, Dominic.”
Dominic’s expression became deadly calm.
“Reed.”
The voice laughed softly.
“I see you found your daughters.”
Dominic said nothing.
“You also found Emily.”
Emily’s throat tightened.
Reed continued.
May you like
“You should ask yourself why I knew her name before she knew yours.”
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