Chapter 8 - THE WIDOW’S CONFESSION|
They returned to the safe house before dawn.
Dominic made three calls, each shorter and colder than the last. The first ordered an audit of every trust created by his father. The second instructed his security chief to locate Elias Shaw. The third was to a private investigator who had once helped Dominic uncover a corporate embezzlement scheme.
When the calls ended, Lena placed the recorder on the table.
“You need to tell me what your father was like.”
Dominic stared at the machine.
“Charming in public. Unforgiving in private. He believed loyalty was a debt that could never be repaid.”
“Did he hurt people?”
“Yes.”
The answer came without hesitation.
“Did he kill people?”
Dominic looked at the floor.
“I know he ordered punishments. I know men disappeared after betraying him. I don’t know whether he ordered your family’s deaths.”
“But you suspect it.”
“I suspect he was capable of it.”
Lena studied him.
“Why haven’t you taken control of the family completely?”
“I did. After he died, I changed the shipping structure, removed several people, and tried to make the legitimate businesses independent of the old organization.”
“Yet you kept the same people.”
“Some of them were the only people who knew where the bodies were buried. I thought I could manage them.”
“You thought you could manage the truth.”
His expression tightened.
“Yes.”
Before she could respond, the door opened.
Vivienne entered accompanied by two guards. She had changed into a black dress, and her hair was pulled back so tightly that her face seemed sharper than before.
“I want to speak to Lena alone.”
“No,” Dominic said.
“Then stay and listen.”
Vivienne looked at Lena.
“I knew your father. He was a kind man, and he was frightened. He came to me three days before he died.”
“Why?”
“He had found evidence that Edward was using the foundation to move money and influence officials. He believed he could expose it without involving Dominic.”
“And you helped him?”
“I tried.”
Lena’s eyes narrowed.
“Your phone says otherwise.”
Vivienne flinched.
“I sent money to Solin because he promised to help me leave the family. I knew he was dangerous. I didn’t know he was involved in the murders.”
“You sent him money for twenty-two months.”
“He threatened me.”
“With what?”
Vivienne looked at Dominic, then back at Lena.
“Evidence that I had signed false documents. If I refused, he would make me the scapegoat for everything Edward had done.”
“Did you know about the girl?”
Vivienne’s face lost color.
“Yes.”
Lena stepped forward.
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know her current location.”
“Who took her?”
“Elias arranged the transfer. He told me the child would be placed somewhere safe.”
“You believed him?”
“I wanted to believe him.”
The same excuse, Lena thought, could ruin a life as thoroughly as a lie.
Dominic’s voice was quiet.
“What else did you hide?”
Vivienne’s hands twisted together.
“Edward kept a second trust. It was not listed among the family assets. He used it to pay people who could not appear in company records.”
“Where is it?”
“In a bank vault. The key is in the apartment.”
“Which apartment?”
Vivienne swallowed.
“The one we shared on Fifth Avenue.”
Dominic stared at her.
“You let me sleep beside you while you kept evidence that could destroy my family.”
“I was trying to survive.”
“So was Lena.”
Vivienne looked down.
For the first time, she seemed to understand that fear did not make every choice forgivable.
“I can take you to the vault,” she said. “But you need to understand something. The money isn’t the worst part.”
“What is?” Lena asked.
Vivienne lifted her eyes.
“Edward didn’t order the accident because your father stole from him. He ordered it because your father discovered that Adrian was alive after the boating accident.”
Dominic stopped breathing for a moment.
“That’s impossible.”
“Adrian survived the accident,” Vivienne whispered. “He was moved to a private clinic. Edward told everyone he was dead because he needed his son to disappear.”
Lena felt the room grow distant.
“Then why did my brother die?”
Vivienne shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
Dominic reached for the table to steady himself.
“Where is Adrian now?”
Vivienne’s answer was barely audible.
“I believe Marcus Solin has been keeping him alive.”
May you like
She looked at Lena.
“And I believe he’s the man who has been calling you.”
