Chapter 9 - Elise’s Last SecretThe safe-deposit box was not in Chicago.
Dominic hired additional private security anyway.
Mara hated every second of it.
“You can’t surround a pediatric ward with men who look like they invade countries.”
Dominic glanced toward two discreetly dressed officers.
“They’re wearing sweaters.”
“They look like armed sweaters.”
Eli laughed weakly from his bed.
“I like her.”
Dominic looked at Mara.
“So do I.”
Mara pretended she had not heard that.
The last thing she needed was complicated feelings about a man whose home had nearly burned down twelve hours earlier.
Noah sat at Eli’s bedside drawing.
For someone who had spoken only fragments days earlier, he seemed fascinated with Eli.
Children accepted one another’s scars more easily than adults did.
Eli pointed at the paper.
“What’s that?”
“Dragon.”
“Looks like a potato.”
Noah frowned.
“Dragon.”
“Terrifying potato dragon.”
Noah smiled.
Dominic saw it.
His entire face softened.
Mara noticed.
Then she noticed Dominic noticing her noticing.
She looked away.
The moment ended when a nurse entered.
“Miss Bennett? Patient Financial Services needs one signature downstairs.”
Dominic immediately stood.
“I’ll go with you.”
“Dominic, there are federal agents outside the door.”
“And someone photographed you leaving this hospital.”
Mara sighed.
“Fine.”
They took the elevator.
Second floor.
Third.
Then it stopped.
The lights flickered.
Dominic’s hand moved inside his jacket.
“Stay behind me.”
“I hate when rich men say that.”
“Be annoyed quietly.”
The emergency light turned red.
A voice came through the speaker.
“Dominic.”
Julian.
Mara’s blood froze.
Dominic stared at the ceiling.
“Where are you?”
“Close.”
“You’re finished.”
“Maybe.”
The elevator began descending.
Not toward the lobby.
Toward the service basement.
Dominic pressed the emergency stop.
Nothing.
Julian continued.
“Elise ruined everything.”
“No. You murdered her because she caught you stealing from sick children.”
“Don’t pretend you cared about the foundation.”
“I care now.”
“You care because a maid made you feel guilty.”
Mara’s eyes narrowed.
“Wow. Family dinners must have been exhausting.”
Silence.
Then Julian laughed.
“I understand why Noah likes you.”
The elevator doors opened.
An empty service corridor.
Dr. Pike stood ten feet away holding a pistol.
Dominic moved in front of Mara.
Pike smiled.
“Hand me your weapon.”
Dominic did.
Pike kicked it away.
“Walk.”
They entered an abandoned loading area.
Mrs. Harrow waited beside a van.
Mara stared at her.
“Why?”
Harrow looked exhausted.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me.”
“My husband worked for the Vales thirty years. He died with nothing.”
“So you kidnapped a nanny?”
“I did what I was paid to do.”
Clara’s suffering reduced to salary.
Mara felt disgust.
Julian stepped from behind the van.
Black ring on his hand.
The raven.
“Where is the drive?”
“Federal custody,” Dominic said.
“I know.”
“Then this is pointless.”
“No.”
Julian looked at Mara.
“She cost me my brother.”
Dominic laughed once.
“You did that yourself.”
“You always had everything.”
“Here we go.”
“Father chose you. Elise chose you. The company chose you.”
“You’re explaining murder with jealousy?”
“I’m explaining thirty-five years of being second.”
Mara shook her head.
“You stole millions from children because your brother got more attention?”
Julian’s face tightened.
“Be careful.”
“No.”
Dominic glanced at her.
“Mara.”
She ignored him.
“You terrorized a four-year-old. You imprisoned Clara. You threatened my brother. And you still think you’re the victim.”
Julian raised his gun.
Dominic stepped forward.
“Point it at me.”
Julian smiled.
“I always wanted to.”
A hospital alarm suddenly sounded.
Pike flinched.
Mara saw Dominic’s eyes flick toward the fire door.
Three.
Two.
One.
Dominic lunged.
The gun fired.
Mara screamed.
Dominic struck Julian.
Pike raised his weapon.
The fire door exploded open.
Federal agents poured in.
“DROP IT!”
Pike froze.
Harrow ran.
An agent tackled her.
Julian lay beneath Dominic.
Blood spread across Dominic’s shirt.
Mara’s heart stopped.
“You’re hit.”
Dominic looked down.
The bullet had grazed his ribs.
“Looks worse than it is.”
“You’re insane.”
“Frequently.”
Agents cuffed Julian.
For the first time, the man looked small.
Mara turned toward the agents.
“How did you know?”
Dominic grimaced.
“They were tracking my emergency beacon.”
“You had a beacon?”
“In my watch.”
“And you waited until the basement to trigger it?”
“I triggered it the second the elevator stopped.”
Mara stared.
“You could have told me.”
“You were busy insulting my brother.”
“He deserved it.”
“Yes.”
Julian laughed from the floor.
Everyone turned.
“You think this is over?”
Dominic’s eyes hardened.
“It is.”
“No.”
Julian looked toward Mara.
“You never asked why Pike needed eighteen nannies.”
Pike went pale.
Julian smiled.
“Elise’s drive wasn’t the only thing we were looking for.”
Dominic grabbed his collar.
“What else?”
Julian whispered:
“Your wife made two copies.”
Mara’s stomach dropped.
“Where is the second?”
Julian looked toward the ceiling.
Toward Eli’s floor.
“Noah gave it away months ago.”
Mara ran.
She reached Eli’s room.
Noah was safe.
Eli was safe.
But Noah’s stuffed fox lay ripped open on the floor.
And the silver hospital bracelet he had given Eli as a “friendship treasure” was gone.
Inside the bracelet, Eli remembered, Noah had hidden a tiny metal key.
A key Clara recognized instantly when shown a photograph.
Elise Vale’s private safe-deposit key.
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The evidence on the drive could expose Julian.
Whatever Elise had placed in that box could destroy people far more powerful than him.
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