Chapter 12 - THE DEAL
Lily spent the night at the hospital.
Doctors confirmed she would recover.
Beatrice needed stitches on her cheek and two fingers splinted.
She complained more about the hospital gown than her injuries.
“It opens in the back.”
Leo looked at her.
“Yes.”
“That seems like poor engineering.”
“You nearly had your hand broken.”
“I can have two problems.”
Lily giggled from the next bed.
That sound made both adults stop.
Then smile.
Leo stayed beside his daughter until she fell asleep.
Beatrice sat near the window.
For a long time, neither spoke.
Then Leo said quietly, “I failed her.”
Beatrice looked at him.
“No.”
“I brought Victoria into our home.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I ignored signs.”
“You trusted someone.”
“In my world, that is the same as stupidity.”
Beatrice shook her head.
“That’s a terrible world.”
Leo almost laughed.
“It is.”
He looked at Lily.
“I thought I could protect her by controlling everything around her.”
“And?”
“I never noticed the danger was already inside.”
Beatrice studied him.
“You noticed me.”
Leo looked at her.
“What?”
“You noticed what Lily needed.”
“You let me stay.”
“You listened eventually.”
“Eventually?”
“You’re stubborn.”
He smiled faintly.
“So are you.”
Silence settled again.
Then Leo’s expression grew serious.
“I owe you more than I can repay.”
“No.”
“You saved her life.”
“I helped.”
“You stood between her and Victoria while you were bleeding.”
Beatrice looked away.
“I love her.”
Leo’s voice changed.
“I know.”
Beatrice’s throat tightened.
Neither said anything else.
At dawn, Mateo arrived.
“Victoria wants a deal.”
Leo’s face hardened.
“She does not have one.”
“She says she can give us Arthur.”
Beatrice looked at him.
“What does that mean?”
“Documents.”
“Accounts.”
“Names.”
“She claims her father ordered Sofia’s death.”
Leo stood.
Mateo continued.
“And she claims the bombing failed.”
Leo stopped.
“What?”
Mateo lowered his voice.
“She says Sofia survived the initial blast.”
Beatrice felt the room shift.
Leo stared.
“That’s impossible.”
“According to Victoria, Sofia was alive for at least forty minutes.”
Leo’s face turned white.
“Where?”
“Private ambulance.”
“Whose?”
“Kensington.”
Leo grabbed Mateo’s jacket.
“Where did they take her?”
“I don’t know.”
“Victoria does.”
Leo released him and walked out.
Beatrice followed despite Mateo telling her not to.
Victoria was being held in a secured room on another hospital floor.
Two guards stood outside.
Leo entered.
Beatrice remained near the door.
Victoria sat in a chair.
No makeup.
No perfect hair.
No wineglass.
For the first time, she looked human.
“You came.”
Leo’s eyes were empty.
“Tell me where Sofia was taken.”
Victoria looked at Beatrice.
“She stays?”
“Yes.”
Something bitter passed over Victoria’s face.
“Of course.”
Leo slammed his hand onto the table.
“Where?”
Victoria flinched.
“A clinic outside Evanston.”
“What happened there?”
“My father sent Voss.”
“To do what?”
Victoria swallowed.
“To make sure Sofia never spoke.”
Leo’s voice became quiet.
“Did he kill her?”
Victoria’s eyes filled.
“I don’t know.”
Leo stared.
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“Did he kill my wife?”
“I left.”
“You left?”
“I was twenty-seven.”
“You were not a child.”
“I was terrified of him!”
“And Sofia wasn’t?”
Victoria’s tears fell.
“I tried to help her first.”
“I gave her the files.”
“Then my father found out.”
“He said if I didn’t get them back, he would destroy my mother.”
Beatrice watched her.
There was real fear there.
Real guilt too.
It changed nothing.
But it was real.
Victoria continued.
“I asked Sofia to return everything.”
“She refused.”
“So your father murdered her.”
Victoria looked away.
“I called him from the restaurant.”
Leo went still.
“I told him where she was.”
The room seemed to lose all oxygen.
Victoria whispered.
“I didn’t know he would use a bomb.”
Leo stepped back.
For the first time, he looked physically sick.
Victoria covered her face.
“I’m sorry.”
Leo’s answer was flat.
“No, you’re not.”
He turned to leave.
Victoria called after him.
“Leo.”
He stopped.
“There’s a storage facility.”
Mateo looked up.
“What facility?”
“My father keeps leverage.”
“On everyone.”
“Where?”
Victoria gave them the address.
Then she looked at Leo.
“There is one file marked Sofia.”
Leo stared at her.
“And one marked Lily.”
Beatrice’s stomach dropped.
May you like
Victoria whispered.
“You need to find them before my father does.”
