Chapter 14 - EIGHT A.M.
At 7:58 a.m., Dominic Vale stood in front of O’Donnell Bakery.
Exactly on time.
The fire department had cleared the front half of the building.
The kitchen was damaged.
The floor was wet.
The walls smelled like smoke.
Maeve stood behind the counter.
Her dress had been replaced with jeans and one of Rocco’s old shirts.
Her hair still carried traces of flour.
Dominic entered.
He looked around.
“No mother?”
Maeve said, “She’s safe.”
“Rocco?”
“Nearby.”
Dominic smiled.
“Of course he is.”
Maeve placed the eviction notice on the counter.
“You wanted the bakery.”
“I still do.”
“I’ll sign.”
Dominic’s smile disappeared.
“What?”
“I’ll convince my mother to sign everything.”
He studied her.
“What changed?”
“I heard the tape.”
For the first time, Dominic looked afraid.
Maeve saw it.
Not shock.
Not confusion.
Fear.
“What tape?”
“My father’s 911 call.”
Dominic said nothing.
Maeve continued.
“I heard you.”
His face hardened.
“You don’t know what you heard.”
“I heard Hale shoot my father.”
Dominic looked toward the door.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“Neither should you.”
“I’m leaving.”
Maeve stepped in front of him.
“Help us.”
Dominic laughed.
“No.”
“Hale is coming for you too.”
“He’s been coming for me for years.”
“Then stop running.”
Dominic’s eyes flashed.
“You think this is some movie? You think bad people suddenly grow consciences because a teenager gives a speech?”
“No.”
Maeve stepped closer.
“I think cowards get brave when they realize they’re next.”
Dominic stared at her.
The insult landed.
Good.
Maeve continued.
“You helped chase my father.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“I wanted the records.”
“You helped scare him.”
“Yes.”
“You stood there while Hale killed him.”
Dominic looked away.
“Yes.”
“And then you spent eight years buying half this town.”
Dominic’s voice dropped.
“You think I wanted that night?”
“I don’t care what you wanted.”
Maeve’s eyes burned.
“My father died. My mother spent eight years thinking it was an accident. Yesterday you dumped flour over me because you thought we were nothing.”
Dominic looked at her.
Maeve pointed toward the floor.
“You made me kneel right there.”
He followed her finger.
Her voice became quieter.
“You told Rocco I was only the baker’s daughter.”
Dominic said nothing.
Maeve smiled without warmth.
“You were right.”
He frowned.
“I am the baker’s daughter.”
She leaned forward.
“And that’s exactly why I’m not walking away.”
A car stopped outside.
Then another.
Chief Hale entered with four officers.
Dominic’s face changed.
“You set me up.”
Maeve whispered, “I invited you.”
Hale smiled.
“Well. This is convenient.”
He looked at Maeve.
“Where’s the tape?”
Maeve said, “Safe.”
Hale turned toward Dominic.
“You should’ve cleaned this up years ago.”
Dominic’s voice shook.
“I told you never to touch the girl.”
Hale laughed.
“Now you grow a heart?”
Dominic looked at Maeve.
Then back at Hale.
“You killed Patrick.”
“You stood there.”
“I told you to call an ambulance.”
“And then you helped bury it.”
Dominic’s mouth tightened.
Maeve noticed the small blinking light beneath the bakery counter.
Rocco’s recorder was running.
Hale kept talking.
“You were useful because you understood business.”
Dominic said, “And you understood murder.”
One of the officers shifted nervously.
Hale glanced at him.
“Relax.”
Maeve asked, “How many?”
Hale looked at her.
“How many what?”
“People.”
Silence.
“How many people did you hurt for him?”
Dominic snapped, “Don’t answer her.”
Hale smiled.
“That almost sounds like concern.”
Maeve held his eyes.
“My dad. Evan Hart. The fires. Who else?”
Hale walked closer.
“You really are Patrick’s daughter.”
Maeve’s heart hammered.
“Answer me.”
Hale took out his gun.
Dominic went pale.
“That’s enough, Ray.”
Hale pointed the weapon at Maeve.
“No.”
Then Rocco’s voice came from the back doorway.
“Yes.”
Hale turned.
Rocco stood there.
So did Mrs. Alvarez.
And behind them—
State police.
Hale’s eyes widened.
Maeve smiled.
“You talk too much.”
Hale grabbed her.
His arm locked around her neck.
The gun pressed against her temple.
Every weapon in the room came up.
Rocco froze.
“Maeve.”
Hale backed toward the door.
“Everybody lower your guns.”
Dominic stared at the girl he had humiliated twenty-four hours earlier.
May you like
Then he did something nobody expected.
He charged Hale.
