Chapter 3 - The Mercer Secret
“You're lying.”
Dominic didn't react.
“My father died in a hospital.”
“Yes.”
“I was there.”
“I know.”
“Then don't stand there and tell me he was murdered.”
Dominic opened a locked drawer.
He removed an old photograph.
Three people stood outside a warehouse.
A younger Dominic.
His wife, Sophia.
And my father.
Thomas Mercer.
I stared at it.
“What was he doing with you?”
“Trying to save my family.”
Dominic placed the photograph on the desk.
“Your father was an accountant.”
“I know.”
“No. You knew the version he gave you.”
Dominic pointed at the memory card.
“Thomas investigated money laundering networks. Quietly. He found someone stealing from my organization and financing attacks against me.”
“Victor?”
“We never proved it.”
Audrey watched us.
Dominic continued.
“Sophia trusted your father. When Thomas became sick, he suspected he'd been poisoned slowly enough to resemble natural organ failure.”
My knees weakened.
“He knew?”
“He suspected.”
“And you did nothing?”
Dominic's eyes flashed.
“I tried.”
“Not hard enough.”
Marco moved forward.
Dominic stopped him.
“No. She gets to say that.”
I stared at him.
“My father died terrified.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Because I was there the night he asked me to protect you.”
That silenced me.
Dominic continued.
“He refused.”
“What?”
“He said if my people followed you, Victor might find you. Your father wanted you invisible.”
I looked toward Audrey.
“And Sophia?”
“She continued investigating.”
“Until the bombing.”
“Yes.”
A knock came.
Daniel Cho entered carrying a laptop.
Dominic handed him the memory card.
“Air-gapped system.”
Daniel nodded.
Minutes later, one video appeared.
Sophia Vale filled the screen.
Audrey instantly recognized her mother.
She touched the monitor.
Dominic couldn't move.
Sophia looked frightened.
“If you're watching this, something happened to me.”
Dominic lowered his eyes.
“Victor Kane has been moving money through shell companies. Thomas Mercer discovered it first.”
I felt sick.
Sophia continued.
“Victor knows Thomas copied the financial records. But Thomas refused to tell anyone where he hid them.”
The video glitched.
Then Sophia said:
“Claire is the key.”
I stared at the screen.
“What?”
Dominic turned toward me.
Sophia continued.
“Thomas said Claire already has everything. She just doesn't know it.”
The recording ended.
Daniel looked at me.
Dominic asked, “What did your father leave you?”
“Nothing.”
“Think.”
“A box. Personal things.”
“Where?”
“My apartment.”
Dominic immediately reached for his jacket.
“We're going.”
“No.”
“Claire—”
“I've spent five years protecting that apartment.”
“And Victor now knows you're alive.”
I looked toward Audrey.
She signed.
Go with Daddy.
I almost laughed despite everything.
“You're taking his side?”
She nodded seriously.
Dominic's mouth nearly formed a smile.
Nearly.
Twenty minutes later, we reached my apartment building.
The front door was open.
My stomach dropped.
“I locked that.”
Dominic pulled me behind him.
Marco entered first.
“Clear.”
My apartment had been destroyed.
Drawers emptied.
Mattress sliced open.
Photographs scattered.
The wooden box from my father lay smashed.
“Victor.”
Dominic crouched.
“He was looking for something.”
I picked up my father's old pocket watch.
The glass had cracked.
Something rattled inside.
I froze.
Dominic noticed.
“What?”
“My father hated watches.”
I opened the back casing.
A tiny brass key fell into my palm.
Attached was a strip of paper.
Three words.
Union Station. 214.
Dominic stared at it.
“A locker.”
Suddenly, a red laser dot appeared on the wall.
Dominic's face changed.
“DOWN!”
He slammed me to the floor.
The window exploded.
A bullet tore into the wall.
Marco fired toward the neighboring rooftop.
Dominic covered me with his body.
“Are you hit?”
“No.”
“Marco!”
“Shooter moving!”
Dominic dragged me behind the kitchen counter.
My hands shook.
He grabbed my face.
“Look at me.”
I did.
“You're alive.”
Another shot shattered a lamp.
Dominic drew his pistol.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Victor's voice filled the room.
“You should have stayed invisible, Claire.”
Dominic's expression became murderous.
“Victor.”
“Hello, old friend.”
“Come near my daughter and I'll—”
“Your daughter?”
Victor laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
Dominic's face went pale.
“What?”
“The bomb wasn't meant to kill Sophia.”
Silence.
May you like
Victor continued.
“It was meant to kill Audrey.”
