Chapter 12 - The Dead Patriarch
Dominic stared at Marcus.
“My father is dead.”
“That is what everyone believed.”
“I buried him.”
Victor stood so quickly his chair fell backward.
“No.”
Dominic turned.
Victor’s face had become gray.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“You let me bury an empty coffin?”
“I didn't know.”
Marcus placed a photograph on his phone.
Traffic camera.
Black sedan.
A man stepping out.
Old.
Stooped slightly.
But unmistakable.
Arthur Sterling.
Dominic’s father.
The man whose crimes had started everything.
Alive.
Cassandra whispered, “My mother knew.”
Victor nodded.
“She must have.”
Dominic looked like he might break the phone in his hand.
“Where?”
Marcus said, “We tracked the sedan to Pier 19.”
Dominic reached for his coat.
I stepped in front of him.
“No.”
He looked at me.
“No what?”
“You are not going alone.”
“Elena.”
“You've known me for six hours. Stop using that tone.”
For some reason, Marcus coughed to hide a laugh.
Dominic glared at him.
I continued.
“This is about me too.”
“It is dangerous.”
“So was serving champagne tonight.”
He didn't have an answer.
Cassandra stood.
“I'm coming.”
I turned.
“You?”
“Margaret is my mother.”
“She tried to kill us.”
“She still raised me.”
I understood more than I wanted to.
Dominic finally nodded.
“We go together.”
Pier 19 smelled like salt, diesel, and freezing rain.
Police units stayed two blocks away.
Dominic didn't trust Arthur's old contacts.
Marcus led us into an abandoned shipping warehouse.
A light burned at the far end.
Margaret sat tied to a chair.
Behind her stood Arthur Sterling.
He looked older than his portraits.
Smaller too.
Funny how evil shrinks when you finally see it up close.
Arthur smiled at Dominic.
“My son.”
Dominic stopped.
“You died.”
“Necessary inconvenience.”
“You abandoned everything.”
“I preserved it.”
Arthur looked at me.
Then Cassandra.
“The twins.”
Neither of us spoke.
He laughed.
“All this trouble over two girls.”
Dominic’s face hardened.
“You tried to kill babies.”
“I tried to protect a dynasty.”
“You burned your own house.”
“I burned evidence.”
Margaret shouted, “You promised me!”
Arthur looked at her.
“I promised you money.”
“I protected Sophia.”
“You protected yourself.”
Cassandra flinched.
Arthur noticed.
“Don't look hurt, child. You were useful.”
I saw Cassandra’s hands close into fists.
Arthur pointed at me.
“You are the real problem.”
“I'm getting that impression.”
“You own what I built.”
“I don't want it.”
“That makes you more dangerous.”
“Why?”
“Because people who want power can be bought.”
His eyes narrowed.
“People who don't want it destroy everything.”
I realized he was afraid of me.
Not because I was stronger.
Because I had nothing invested in keeping his world alive.
Arthur reached inside his coat.
Marcus moved.
Too late.
Arthur held a small remote trigger.
“Your mother made the same mistake,” he said to Dominic.
“She thought truth mattered.”
He lifted the remote.
“This building is wired.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“Dad.”
Arthur froze.
It was the first time Dominic had called him that.
“You want the dynasty?” Dominic asked.
Arthur watched him.
“Of course.”
“Then take me.”
“Dominic,” Marcus warned.
Dominic kept walking.
“Let the women go.”
Arthur smiled.
“Still sentimental.”
He pointed the remote toward Dominic.
Then Cassandra moved.
She grabbed a metal pipe from the floor and swung it into Arthur’s wrist.
The remote flew.
I dove.
Margaret screamed.
Marcus tackled Arthur.
The remote landed inches from my hand.
Arthur kicked Marcus away and lunged toward it.
I reached first.
But when I grabbed it, I saw the red light already blinking.
Five.
May you like
Four.
Three.
