Chapter 14 - THE LAST TRUTH
Mara ripped the IV from her arm.
Dominic stepped forward.
“Don’t.”
“Get away from me.”
“You just had surgery.”
“You knew.”
“Mara—”
“You knew Caleb was my father’s son!”
Caleb started crying.
Mara softened instantly.
“Sweetheart, go with Daniel.”
“I want you.”
“I’ll be right here.”
“You promise?”
Mara looked at Dominic.
Then back at Caleb.
“I promise.”
Daniel took him outside.
The door shut.
Mara turned on Dominic.
“Talk.”
Dominic exhaled.
“Elena met your father while he was working against Kane.”
“She had an affair?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Before she married me.”
“And Caleb?”
“Michael’s.”
Mara’s legs weakened.
Dominic caught her.
She pushed him away.
“Don’t touch me.”
He stepped back.
“How long have you known?”
“Since Caleb was two.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know who you were until you came here.”
“Then after?”
“I was trying to protect him.”
“From me?”
“From everyone.”
Mara laughed bitterly.
“You really do believe secrecy is protection.”
“It kept him alive.”
“It destroyed everyone around him.”
Dominic had no answer.
“Did you kill my father?”
“No.”
“Kane says you did.”
“Kane lies.”
“So do you.”
That hurt him.
Good.
Mara wanted it to.
Dominic reached into his jacket and placed a small recorder on the table.
“What is that?”
“Your father’s last message.”
Mara stared.
“You had this?”
“Elena had it.”
“Play it.”
“Mara…”
“Play it!”
Dominic pressed the button.
Static.
Then Michael Vale’s voice.
Weak.
Urgent.
“If anything happens to me, Victor Kane ordered the fire. Dominic Mercer tried to help us. Elena knows the rest.”
Mara covered her mouth.
The recording continued.
“Anna, Daniel… if you ever hear this, I’m sorry.”
Her knees nearly gave out.
“I thought I could beat men like Kane with evidence.”
A breath.
“I was wrong.”
Then:
“Caleb deserves better than this life.”
The recording ended.
Mara cried silently.
Dominic looked away.
He gave her the privacy he could.
After several minutes, she whispered, “Where’s Kane?”
“We don’t know.”
Her phone rang.
Unknown number.
Dominic reached for it.
Mara stopped him.
She answered.
Kane.
“Touching reunion?”
“Where are you?”
“Pier nineteen.”
Same place Daniel had used.
“Come alone.”
“No.”
Kane laughed.
“Then Lily dies.”
Mara’s blood froze.
She opened the hospital room door.
Daniel stood there.
Without Lily.
His face was destroyed.
“He took her.”
Mara gripped the phone.
Kane continued.
“Bring the real ledger.”
Dominic said, “Tell him yes.”
Mara looked at him.
“You have a plan?”
“No.”
“That’s new.”
“Trying honesty.”
Despite everything, she almost smiled.
One hour later, they reached Pier nineteen.
Kane stood inside the warehouse.
Lily was tied to a chair.
A gun pressed against her head.
Daniel moved forward.
“Let her go.”
Kane smiled.
“Ledger first.”
Mara held it up.
“Release her.”
Kane’s men surrounded them.
Dominic whispered, “Federal team is outside.”
Mara whispered back, “How long?”
“Two minutes.”
“We don’t have two minutes.”
Kane smiled.
“Anna.”
“What?”
“Your father died because he believed information made him powerful.”
He looked at the ledger.
“He was wrong.”
Mara slowly opened it.
“No.”
She pulled out a lighter.
Kane’s face changed.
“Don’t.”
“Turns out I’m done letting dead men control my life.”
She lit the corner.
“No!”
Kane raised his gun.
Dominic fired.
Chaos erupted.
Daniel ran for Lily.
Bullets tore through crates.
Mara dropped behind cover.
Dominic shot one man.
Then another.
Daniel cut Lily’s ropes.
“Daddy!”
“I got you!”
Kane appeared behind them.
Gun raised.
Mara saw him first.
“DANIEL!”
Daniel turned.
Too late.
Kane fired.
Dominic stepped into the line of fire.
The bullet hit Dominic in the chest.
He collapsed.
Mara screamed.
Federal agents stormed the warehouse.
Kane ran.
Mara grabbed Dominic’s gun.
She chased him onto the pier.
Kane reached a speedboat.
Mara aimed.
“Stop!”
He turned.
“You won’t shoot.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re not like us.”
Mara’s hands shook.
Kane smiled.
Then lifted his pistol toward Daniel.
Mara fired.
The bullet struck Kane’s shoulder.
He spun backward and fell into the river.
Agents rushed past her.
Mara dropped the gun.
Behind her, Daniel shouted:
May you like
“Mara!”
Dominic wasn’t breathing.
