Chapter 8 - THE BLUE HOUSE
The road to Montana was long, cold, and silent.
Dominic sat in the front of the armored SUV while Evelyn sat in the back with the twins.
Neither of them had slept.
Not after Marcus had said the words.
A man claiming to be Victor Vale.
Impossible.
Victor Vale had been dead for four years.
Dominic had personally attended the funeral.
He had watched the coffin disappear beneath the earth.
He had stood beside the grave while rain soaked through his black suit.
His father was dead.
Unless the man in Montana was someone else.
Or unless the world Dominic knew had been built on another lie.
“Are you sure?” Dominic asked.
Marcus was driving.
“About what?”
“That the man gave the name Victor Vale.”
“He didn't just give the name.”
Marcus glanced at him through the mirror.
“He knew your father's private security codes.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“What codes?”
“The old ones.”
Dominic said nothing.
His father had used codes that only three people had known.
Victor.
Dominic.
And his father's private attorney, Henry Caldwell.
Caldwell had died six months after Victor.
A heart attack.
At least, that was what the official report said.
Dominic stared through the window.
Another dead man.
Another convenient death.
Behind him, Eli was singing softly.
Noah was asleep against Evelyn's shoulder.
The sound of Eli's voice was small and innocent.
It did not belong in the middle of the nightmare surrounding them.
Dominic closed his eyes.
He thought about the photograph.
Lucas.
His missing son.
Three years old.
Alive.
Somewhere inside a blue house in Montana.
And possibly being held by a man who claimed to be his grandfather.
The SUV reached the property after midnight.
Snow covered the ground.
A blue house stood at the end of a long private road.
It was not large.
Not impressive.
But lights glowed in the windows.
Dominic stared at it.
“Everyone stays behind me.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“You're in a wheelchair.”
He turned.
“I know.”
She almost smiled despite everything.
“I meant the children.”
Dominic nodded.
Marcus and two guards moved ahead.
The front door opened.
A man stood in the doorway.
He was tall.
Older.
Gray hair.
A black coat.
Dominic could not see his face clearly.
Then the man stepped into the light.
Dominic stopped breathing.
The face was older than his father's.
Thinner.
But the eyes—
The eyes were Victor Vale's.
“Dominic.”
Dominic's hands tightened.
“Who are you?”
The man smiled.
“Your father.”
Evelyn pulled the boys behind her.
Dominic stared at the man.
“My father is dead.”
The stranger laughed softly.
“That is what I wanted everyone to believe.”
Dominic raised his weapon.
The man's expression did not change.
“Shoot me if you want.”
Dominic stared.
“You think I won't?”
“I think you want answers more than you want revenge.”
The words sounded exactly like Victor.
The same cold confidence.
The same certainty.
Dominic felt something inside him twist.
“Where is Lucas?”
The man's eyes moved toward the house.
“Safe.”
“Bring him out.”
“No.”
Dominic's jaw tightened.
“You have five seconds.”
The man smiled.
“You still think threats make you powerful.”
Dominic looked at him.
“They used to.”
“Not anymore.”
The man stepped aside.
“Come inside.”
Marcus immediately shook his head.
“No.”
The stranger looked at him.
“Marcus Reed.”
Marcus froze.
The man continued.
“You were twenty-six when you started working for my son.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“How do you know that?”
The man smiled.
“Because I hired you.”
Marcus raised his weapon.
Dominic lifted one hand.
“Wait.”
The man looked at Dominic.
“You want your son.”
“Yes.”
“Then come inside.”
Dominic looked toward Evelyn.
She was holding both boys.
Her eyes were filled with fear.
He hated leaving her.
But he needed answers.
“Bring the children.”
The man shook his head.
“Only you.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“Then we all stay outside.”
For the first time, the stranger's smile disappeared.
“You have changed.”
“No.”
Dominic moved forward.
“I have learned.”
The man stared at him.
Then he stepped away from the door.
“Fine.”
They entered the house.
The interior was warm.
Too warm.
A fire burned in the fireplace.
There were toys on the floor.
A small red truck.
A wooden train.
A stuffed bear.
Evelyn stopped.
Dominic looked at her.
She was staring at the toys.
“This is where he lived.”
The man nodded.
“For two years.”
“Where is he?”
“Sleeping.”
Dominic's voice became sharp.
“Show me.”
The man looked at him.
“You want to see your son?”
Dominic's expression changed.
“Yes.”
“Then first you need to understand something.”
“I don't need anything from you.”
“You do.”
The man stepped closer.
“Because the truth will destroy everything you believe about your family.”
Dominic stared.
“Try me.”
The man smiled.
Then he said:
“My name is Victor Vale.”
Dominic looked at him.
The room seemed to disappear.
“No.”
Victor looked toward the boys.
“You brought them.”
Dominic moved forward.
“Where is Lucas?”
Victor's eyes hardened.
“Your son is dying.”
Evelyn gasped.
Dominic felt the world stop.
“What?”
“His heart is failing.”
“Where is he?”
Victor pointed toward the staircase.
“Upstairs.”
Dominic moved.
Victor did not stop him.
Evelyn followed.
They reached a small bedroom.
A boy slept beneath a blue blanket.
Dominic saw the silver-gray eyes before the boy even opened them.
The birthmark beneath his left eye.
The dark hair.
The small hands.
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Dominic could not move.
He had imagined this moment for three years.
He had imagined holding his son.
He had imagined hearing him call him Daddy.
But he had never imagined seeing him so fragile.
A monitor beside the bed beeped softly.
Lucas opened his eyes.
He looked at Dominic.
Then at Evelyn.
Then at Eli and Noah.
His eyes widened.
He sat up.
“Little moon?”
Eli stepped forward.
“Lucas?”
The boys stared at each other.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Lucas smiled.
The same smile as Eli.
Dominic felt his chest tighten.
Three boys.
Three brothers.
Finally together.
Then the monitor began screaming.
Lucas collapsed.
Evelyn cried out.
Doctors rushed into the room.
Dominic moved forward.
“What's happening?”
Victor stood in the doorway.
“His heart.”
Dominic stared at him.
“Save him.”
Victor's face was cold.
“We've been trying for three years.”
Dominic turned.
“What do you mean?”
Victor looked at him.
“Your son was never meant to survive.”
Dominic's blood turned cold.
“Then why is he alive?”
Victor answered:
“Because someone sacrificed everything to keep him alive.”
Dominic looked toward the bed.
May you like
The monitor continued to scream.
And for the first time, he understood that finding his missing son was only the beginning.
