Chapter 4 - The Man Beside the Throne
Dominic gripped the phone.
“Why Audrey?”
Victor laughed softly.
“Ask Sophia.”
“She is dead because of you.”
“No, Dominic. She's dead because she discovered what your daughter had seen.”
The call ended.
I looked at Dominic.
“What had Audrey seen?”
He didn't answer.
“Dominic.”
“I don't know.”
For the first time, I used his first name.
He noticed.
So did I.
Marco returned.
“Shooter escaped.”
Dominic looked toward the shattered window.
“We go to Union Station.”
“It could be a trap.”
“It is a trap.”
“Then why go?”
“Because Victor wants whatever Thomas hid.”
He looked at me.
“And I'm finished letting him control what happens next.”
We didn't take Audrey.
Dominic left her at the mansion with Daniel and six guards.
Before leaving, he knelt in front of her.
His hands moved awkwardly.
I realized what he was trying to do.
I will come back.
Audrey stared.
Then smiled.
She corrected the position of his fingers.
Dominic tried again.
This time she understood.
At Union Station, locker 214 contained no money.
No weapons.
Just a black notebook and another drive.
Inside the notebook were account numbers.
Dates.
Politicians.
Police officers.
Judges.
And Victor Kane.
Hundreds of millions of dollars had moved through companies Victor secretly controlled.
Dominic turned pages.
Then stopped.
“What?”
He showed me one entry.
AURELIA HOLDINGS — MERCER.
“My restaurant?”
“Apparently.”
We returned to Aurelia after midnight.
Peter was still there.
He nearly dropped his keys when he saw us.
“Claire?”
“Who owns this restaurant?”
“A holding company.”
“Which one?”
He hesitated.
“Why?”
Dominic stepped forward.
“Answer her.”
Peter swallowed.
“Victor Kane.”
My blood ran cold.
I had spent five years hiding.
And somehow I had been working inside Victor's business.
“That isn't coincidence,” I whispered.
“No,” Dominic said.
“He knew who I was.”
“Maybe not at first.”
Peter looked between us.
“What is happening?”
A voice came from behind him.
“I can explain.”
Victor stepped out of the dark kitchen.
He held a gun.
Peter froze.
“Mr. Kane?”
Victor shot him.
The bullet hit Peter's shoulder.
He collapsed.
I screamed.
Dominic reached for his weapon.
“Don't.”
Victor aimed at me.
“Drop it.”
Dominic slowly placed his gun on the floor.
Victor smiled.
“You always were predictable where family was concerned.”
“You tried to kill my daughter.”
“I tried to protect everything we'd built.”
“She was three years old.”
“She saw me arguing with Sophia. She saw the burn.”
Dominic stared.
“So you bombed my family.”
“I ordered the car destroyed. Sophia changed vehicles.”
His smile disappeared.
“Bad luck.”
Dominic lunged.
Victor fired.
The bullet grazed Dominic's arm.
He crashed into a table.
“Dominic!”
Victor grabbed me.
“Where's Thomas's drive?”
“I don't have it.”
“Claire.”
He pressed the gun against my ribs.
“Your father died refusing to answer that question.”
Rage replaced fear.
“You poisoned him.”
Victor smiled.
“Slowly.”
Dominic tried to stand.
Victor pointed the gun at him.
“Stay down.”
I looked at Dominic.
Then at the fire alarm behind Victor.
I drove my elbow backward.
Victor cursed.
I slammed my palm into the alarm.
Sirens erupted.
Sprinklers exploded overhead.
Dominic tackled Victor.
The gun skidded across the floor.
Victor punched him.
Dominic hit back.
Hard.
Victor reached for a knife.
I kicked it away.
Marco and two guards burst through the entrance.
“DROP!”
Victor stopped.
Dominic stood over him.
Blood ran down his sleeve.
He could have killed Victor.
Everyone knew it.
Victor smiled.
“Do it.”
Dominic's fists tightened.
Then I said, “No.”
He looked at me.
“Your daughter needs a father.”
For several seconds, Dominic didn't move.
Then he stepped back.
“Call the police.”
Victor's smile vanished.
“You think prison scares me?”
Dominic looked down at him.
“No.”
May you like
He held up my father's drive.
“But this will.”
