Chapter 10 - THIRTY MINUTESI did not want Evan to die.
That bothered me.
He looked like someone who donated to museums.
Silver hair.
Tailored suit.
Calm voice.
He could have been a senator, surgeon, or the polite man sitting beside you in first class.
Maybe that was why men like him survived.
They understood that monsters were easier to hide inside manners.
“Where is Evan?” I asked again.
Soren glanced around the empty restaurant.
“Your friends are listening.”
I said nothing.
He tapped one finger against the table.
“The federal agents. DeLuca.”
My heartbeat jumped.
He smiled.
“Luca was never subtle when he cared about something.”
In my earpiece, Agent Price whispered, “Keep him talking.”
Soren leaned back.
“Tell me, Claire. Did he explain why you matter?”
“My name is Mrs. Mercer to you.”
The smile widened.
“Still keeping the husband’s name?”
“For the paperwork.”
“That sounded almost brave.”
“It wasn’t.”
“No?”
“I’m just tired.”
For some reason, that answer erased his smile.
Good.
He wanted fear.
I could give him exhaustion.
“Where is Evan?”
“Your husband came to me three years ago. He wanted money.”
“I know.”
“No, you know numbers. You don’t know the man.”
“I know enough.”
“He lost his first loan betting on football. His second trying to recover the first. The third disappeared into investments he believed would save him.”
“Why keep lending?”
Soren shrugged.
“Because desperate people become useful.”
My stomach tightened.
“When did you learn who I was?”
“About eight months ago.”
“And you knew about the diner.”
“I knew someone helped Luca escape that night. My brother spent years trying to identify her.”
“Your brother trafficked women.”
His eyes chilled.
“Luca told you that?”
“Yes.”
“My brother had many businesses.”
“He died in prison.”
Soren leaned forward.
“Because Luca stole records and sent them to federal investigators.”
“Sounds like your brother made poor business decisions.”
Agent Price muttered something in my ear that sounded almost like a laugh.
Soren stared at me.
Then smiled again.
“I understand why Luca remembered you.”
“What did you tell Evan?”
“The truth.”
“Which truth?”
“That his wife had once saved a man who cost my family everything.”
“And?”
“That sometimes debts align.”
My throat tightened.
“You offered to erase Evan’s debt if he killed me.”
“No.”
The answer was immediate.
I frowned.
“No?”
“I told him his debt could disappear if a certain insurance arrangement paid.”
“That is the same thing.”
“Legally? Very different.”
“You’re being recorded.”
“So are you.”
Ice moved through me.
In the surveillance room, voices erupted faintly through my earpiece.
Soren lifted his phone.
A live video played.
Evan sat tied to a chair somewhere dark.
Blood marked his shirt.
I stood involuntarily.
“Sit down.”
“Where is he?”
“Sit.”
Agent Price whispered, “Do not comply if you feel threatened.”
I sat anyway.
“Is he alive?”
“For now.”
“Why?”
“He disappointed me.”
The video continued.
Evan lifted his head weakly.
“Claire?”
My heart stopped.
The feed had audio.
He could see me too.
“Evan.”
“Don’t listen to him.”
Soren turned the phone so his own face appeared in the video.
“Tell your wife what you did.”
Evan closed his eyes.
“Go to hell.”
Soren’s expression remained pleasant.
“I already own property there.”
He looked at me.
“Your husband wants to pretend he became a victim.”
“He is a victim if you kidnapped him.”
“True.”
I hated that he could admit it so casually.
“But before that,” Soren continued, “he planned your accident with great enthusiasm.”
Evan shook his head.
“He’s lying.”
“Tell her about the boat.”
“Claire—”
“Tell her about the life jacket.”
“I wasn’t going to do it.”
Something inside me stopped moving.
Soren smiled.
There it was.
Not denial.
“I wasn’t going to do it.”
I stared at the screen.
“You bought the medication.”
Evan’s face crumpled.
“I was scared.”
“You booked the cabin.”
“He said he’d kill me.”
“You damaged the life jacket.”
“I never wanted this!”
For six years, I had watched Evan become whatever version of himself protected him from consequences.
Loving husband.
Stressed husband.
Drunk husband.
Sorry husband.
Misunderstood husband.
Now kidnapped husband.
The role changed.
The center never did.
Him.
Always him.
“Did you plan to kill me?”
Silence.
“Evan.”
“Claire, I love you.”
“Did you plan to kill me?”
His face twisted.
“I needed time.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“I owed money!”
“Did you plan to kill me?”
Finally, barely audible:
“Yes.”
The word entered me quietly.
No dramatic music.
No scream.
Just truth.
“Yes.”
My eyes filled, but I didn’t cry.
Soren watched with fascination.
“That must hurt.”
I looked at him.
“You’re next.”
His smile faltered.
“For what?”
“For thinking you’re smarter than everyone in this room.”
I heard Price sharply say, “Claire—”
But Soren was already looking around.
“What did you say?”
“You came here yourself.”
“You think I’m afraid of federal agents?”
“No.”
I leaned forward.
“I think you’re afraid of Luca.”
Soren’s eyes darkened.
Good.
I had found it.
Nine years of resentment.
A dead brother.
A criminal empire humiliated by evidence.
“You built this entire revenge plan because Luca beat your family.”
Soren stood.
“This meeting is over.”
Agent Price shouted through my earpiece.
“Teams move!”
The restaurant exploded into motion.
Doors opened.
Agents rushed from the kitchen and side corridors.
Soren grabbed my injured arm.
Pain blinded me.
Then someone hit him from behind.
Not Luca.
An FBI agent.
Soren crashed against the table.
Agents swarmed him.
“Federal agents! Hands!”
I fell backward.
Luca entered seconds later despite clearly having been ordered not to.
“Claire!”
“I’m fine.”
He looked at my arm.
I corrected myself.
“I’m conscious.”
“Better.”
Soren was handcuffed on the floor.
He twisted his head toward Luca.
“Still hiding behind police?”
Luca crouched several feet away.
“No.”
His voice was almost gentle.
“I’m learning to let them do their jobs.”
Agent Price looked astonished.
“I may frame that sentence.”
Then Soren smiled.
“You think this ends because you have me?”
Luca’s expression changed.
“What?”
Soren looked at me.
“You should ask where the live video came from.”
Everyone froze.
Agent Price grabbed Soren’s phone.
The screen had gone black.
“Trace it!”
Agents started moving.
I stared at the empty display.
Evan was somewhere.
Kidnapped.
Bleeding.
And Soren had just been arrested.
“What happens to him now?”
Price was already shouting orders.
“We locate the source.”
Soren laughed from the floor.
“You have maybe thirty minutes.”
I turned.
“Until what?”
May you like
His smile was terrible.
“Until the men holding your husband realize I’m not answering.”
