Chapter 6 - The Man Who Came Back
Howard Bell looked twenty years older.
He sat inside an interview room surrounded by federal investigators.
When Elena entered with Rafael, Bell stood.
“You’re walking.”
Rafael leaned slightly on a cane.
“Disappointed again?”
Bell lowered his eyes.
“No.”
Elena sat.
“You asked for me.”
Bell nodded.
“Because you’ll believe me.”
“Try me.”
Bell rubbed his hands together.
“The person who ordered the sedation had access to Rafael’s location before he even arrived at Ashgrove.”
Dominic stood behind Rafael.
“Who?”
Bell looked at Rafael.
“Victor Serrano.”
Rafael went still.
Dominic whispered, “Impossible.”
Elena looked between them.
“Who is that?”
Rafael answered.
“My cousin.”
Bell continued.
“He told us Rafael had suffered irreversible neurological damage.”
“That isn’t authorization for sedation,” Elena said.
“No. But then threats started.”
“Against your family?”
“Yes.”
Bell swallowed.
“I kept telling myself Rafael was already gone.”
Rafael’s voice turned cold.
“So you helped finish the job.”
Bell looked down.
“Yes.”
Elena glanced at Rafael.
His anger was controlled, but she saw it in his clenched hand.
Bell continued.
“Victor expected control of the organization after Rafael died. But Rafael wouldn’t die.”
“So you kept increasing the sedation,” Elena said.
Bell nodded.
“Until you started interfering.”
Elena frowned.
“Me?”
“You questioned doses. Changed schedules. Reported irregularities. Stayed in the room longer than anyone else.”
Rafael looked at her.
Bell gave a bitter laugh.
“You kept ruining everything.”
“You mean I kept doing my job.”
“Yes.”
Rafael leaned forward.
“And the fake respiratory technician?”
“Victor’s man.”
Dominic said, “Where is Victor?”
Bell shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Rafael studied him.
“Then why surrender?”
Bell looked at Elena.
“Because after she discovered the logs, Victor called me.”
“What did he say?”
Bell swallowed.
“That loose ends had become expensive.”
Elena understood.
“You thought he was going to kill you.”
Bell nodded.
Rafael stood.
“We’re done.”
One investigator stopped him.
“Mr. DeLuca, we’ll need your cooperation.”
“You have it.”
Dominic looked at him.
Rafael continued.
“Every account. Every message. Everything involving Serrano.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“Rafael.”
“What?”
“That exposes us too.”
“I know.”
The room became silent.
Dominic stared at him.
“You understand what you’re saying?”
“Yes.”
“You built that organization for twenty years.”
“And I woke up after six months.”
Rafael looked at Elena.
“I had time to reconsider priorities.”
Later, outside the federal building, Elena stopped him.
“You’re really giving them everything?”
“Everything connected to Victor.”
“That could cost you.”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Enough.”
“Your business?”
“Some of it.”
“Your freedom?”
Rafael smiled faintly.
“Possibly.”
Elena stared.
“You’re smiling?”
“I woke up three weeks ago. I’m difficult to impress with bad news now.”
She shook her head.
“You are impossible.”
“I’ve heard.”
A black sedan turned onto the street.
Dominic immediately stepped closer.
Rafael’s expression changed.
The sedan stopped.
The rear door opened.
Victor Serrano stepped out.
Elena recognized him.
Not from photographs.
From Ashgrove.
Her stomach dropped.
“You.”
Rafael looked at her.
“You know him?”
“He visited your room.”
Victor smiled.
“Elena Rios.”
Rafael moved in front of her.
Victor raised both hands.
“I’m not here for trouble.”
Federal agents emerged from the building.
Victor looked at them.
Then at Rafael.
“So this is what you became?”
Rafael’s voice was quiet.
“Awake?”
“A traitor to your own blood.”
“You kept me chemically unconscious.”
“You were supposed to die in the original attack.”
Elena stared at him.
Victor realized his mistake.
Federal agents began approaching.
Rafael smiled without humor.
“Thank you.”
Victor’s face changed.
“What?”
“For saying that in front of witnesses.”
Two agents took Victor into custody.
He shouted toward Rafael.
“You think they’ll let you walk away?”
Rafael answered calmly.
“I’m not asking them to.”
Victor disappeared inside the building.
Elena exhaled.
Rafael looked at her.
“It’s over.”
“No.”
He frowned.
“No?”
“You can barely stand.”
“Elena—”
“You have therapy at eight tomorrow.”
Rafael stared at her.
Dominic began laughing.
Rafael looked offended.
“You find this amusing?”
Dominic wiped his eyes.
“Extremely.”
Elena walked toward the waiting SUV.
Rafael followed slowly.
He had survived betrayal.
Six months trapped inside his own body.
A cousin who wanted his empire.
Doctors who were afraid to save him.
But when Elena turned around and pointed toward the car, Rafael DeLuca obeyed immediately.
“Move.”
May you like
“Yes, nurse.”
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