Chapter 15 - THE WOMAN THEY TRIED TO ERASEDominic read Maria's message twice.
He immediately contacted the police investigator and requested an urgent search of the address.
The location was an abandoned warehouse near the Brooklyn waterfront.
Elena insisted on going.
Dominic initially refused.
"You've already been threatened. I won't put you in another dangerous situation."
"Maria risked everything to protect the truth."
"That doesn't mean you need to risk your life."
Elena met his eyes.
"She was my friend."
Dominic recognized the determination in her expression.
He agreed to take her, provided she remained with the officers.
When they reached the warehouse, the main doors were open.
Inside, they found an empty office, a broken chair, and a bottle of water.
Then Elena heard something.
A faint tapping.
It came from behind a metal storage cabinet.
She moved toward it.
"Maria?"
A weak voice answered.
"Elena?"
The officers carefully moved the cabinet.
A narrow door appeared behind it.
Maria was inside.
She was exhausted, frightened, and visibly thinner than when Elena had last seen her. But she was alive.
Elena rushed forward.
"Maria!"
The two women embraced.
Dominic ordered medical assistance.
Once Maria had been examined, she explained what had happened.
Victor had discovered that she possessed copies of the financial records. Anthony then arranged for her to be held at several locations while they searched for the missing documents.
"They wanted the original hospital register," Maria said.
"Why?" Dominic asked.
"Because it proves that your father's death certificate was falsified."
Dominic leaned forward.
"What does it actually show?"
Maria looked at him.
"Your father didn't die at the hospital."
Silence filled the room.
She continued.
"He was brought there after being attacked. The doctor recorded that he was still alive when he arrived. But before the official report was completed, Anthony and Raymond removed him."
Dominic felt his stomach tighten.
"Where did they take him?"
"I don't know. But I found the transportation records."
She handed Michael's replacement investigator a folded document.
It showed an ambulance transfer to a private medical facility.
The destination was an estate outside the city.
Maria also had a list of payments made to the people involved.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Adrian Cole.
Elena looked shocked.
"He's helping Anthony."
Maria nodded.
"He was the one who delivered the threats to my family. He told Victor where to find me."
Dominic closed his eyes.
His uncle had used his own son to continue the betrayal.
"Why didn't you give the evidence to the police?"
"I tried. But someone inside the department was warning Anthony."
The investigator immediately contacted his supervisor and requested that the evidence be transferred through an independent state unit.
Then Maria remembered something.
"There was another woman at the estate. She helped me escape."
"Who?"
"Caroline Bennett."
Dominic looked toward the document.
The woman Adrian had mentioned.
Maria explained that Caroline had worked as a nurse at the private facility. She had secretly kept copies of the original medical records.
"She knows what happened to your father," Maria said.
"Where is she?"
Maria gave them an address.
Dominic looked at Elena.
"Your friend is safe now."
Maria began crying.
"I thought nobody would ever believe me."
Elena held her hand.
"I believed you."
Dominic arranged for Maria to receive protection and medical care.
Then he examined the address.
The private facility was located on a large property that had belonged to Anthony's family.
He had been hiding the truth almost within sight of the mansion.
But before Dominic could leave, Maria caught his wrist.
"There's one more thing."
He turned.
"Tell me."
She looked terrified.
"Anthony knows you're searching for your father."
Dominic frowned.
"My father is dead."
Maria shook her head.
"Not according to the records I saw."
She swallowed.
"The last medical report was signed only three years ago."
Dominic stared at her.
For twelve years, he had believed his father was buried in a family cemetery.
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Now Maria was telling him that the man might have survived the night of the attack.
And somewhere outside New York, someone might still know where he was.
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