Chapter 11 - THE THING INSIDE THE RABBIT
The video ended before we saw what came out.
Luca went white.
“She has it.”
I grabbed him.
“Where are they?”
“I don’t know.”
“Think.”
Harlan laughed from the floor.
“You’re all wonderfully emotional.”
I turned and hit him once.
Not dramatic.
Not satisfying.
Just enough.
He spat blood.
“Feel better?”
“No.”
Vivien grabbed my arm.
“Dominic, the video background.”
“What?”
“Play it again.”
I did.
Behind Elena was a green-painted wall.
Rust.
A brass bell.
Vivien froze the frame.
“The greenhouse.”
We moved.
Tony left two men guarding Harlan in the chapel vault.
That turned out to be a mistake.
By the time we reached the greenhouse, Claire was gone.
Elena sat tied to a chair.
Emma was beneath the table, clutching the rabbit.
Alive.
I cut Elena free.
She grabbed me.
“She took it.”
“The drive?”
“Yes.”
Luca stepped through the doorway.
Elena saw him.
For six seconds, neither moved.
Then she slapped him.
Hard.
Luca accepted it.
She slapped him again.
“You were alive?”
“Elena—”
Seven years of pain came out at once.
“You were alive!”
Emma stared at them.
“Daddy?”
Luca’s face broke.
He dropped to one knee.
“Hi, bug.”
Emma studied him.
Then walked forward and touched the scar on his cheek.
“You look different.”
A sound escaped Elena.
Half laugh.
Half sob.
Luca hugged his daughter.
I turned away.
Some moments belong to the people inside them.
Vivien touched my hand.
I didn’t pull away.
That scared me.
Tony’s radio crackled.
Then silence.
I looked at him.
“Call the vault.”
No answer.
We ran back.
The guards were unconscious.
Harlan was gone.
On the vault floor lay one of the guards’ phones.
A message had been sent thirty seconds earlier.
SATURDAY. WEDDING CONTINUES.
Luca stared at it.
“He has the drive.”
“Claire took it.”
“Claire works for him.”
Vivien shook her head.
“No.”
We looked at her.
“She hates him.”
“Then why give him evidence?”
“She won’t.”
My phone rang.
Claire.
I answered.
“You want the drive?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Then marry my sister.”
I stared at Vivien.
“What?”
Claire laughed.
“Harlan believes the wedding is still part of the plan. Let him believe it.”
Vivien understood first.
“A trap.”
Claire continued.
“Every person connected to Harlan will attend. Judges. Donors. Police chiefs. They think Dominic is signing control over before the ceremony.”
“And the drive?”
“I have it.”
“Why trust you?”
“You shouldn’t.”
At least she was consistent.
“What do you want?”
“My father.”
“Marco?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
Claire went silent.
Then she said, “Ask Luca.”
The call ended.
I turned toward my brother.
He looked at the floor.
“Luca.”
He sighed.
“Marco’s alive.”
“Where?”
“In my car.”
I stared at him.
“You have Marco in your car?”
“Technically in the trunk.”
Vivien closed her eyes.
“This family is insane.”
Luca shrugged.
“You were marrying into it.”
For the first time all day, Elena laughed.
It lasted two seconds.
Then we heard a car engine outside.
Tony ran to the door.
Luca’s car was moving.
The trunk popped open.
Marco rolled out onto the gravel, hands tied.
Behind the wheel—
was three-year-old Emma.
May you like
The car rolled downhill.
Straight toward the cliff.
