Chapter 4 - DOMINIC’S DEAL
Mara reached for the door.
Dominic’s voice stopped her.
“If I wanted you dead, you wouldn’t have made it into this room.”
She turned.
“You looked into me.”
“I look into everyone who lives under my roof.”
“Then why hire me?”
“Because your fake references were excellent.”
“That’s not funny.”
“I’m not laughing.”
His calm made her angrier.
“Who told you my name?”
“No one.”
“Then how did you find it?”
Dominic tapped the police file.
“Your photograph.”
Mara stared at him.
“You ran facial recognition?”
“I have people.”
“Of course you do.”
She folded her arms.
“Now what?”
“Now you explain why Anna Vale became Mara Ellis.”
“Or?”
“Or you leave.”
Mara frowned.
“That’s it?”
“What did you expect? Chains?”
“I expected a man like you to use information.”
“Against you?”
“Yes.”
Dominic leaned forward.
“Then you’ve known the wrong kind of men.”
Mara almost laughed.
“You run a criminal organization.”
“You’re avoiding the question.”
“So are you.”
For the first time, irritation flashed across his face.
Then Caleb burst into the office.
“Mara!”
A guard appeared behind him.
“Sorry, sir.”
Caleb ran to Mara.
“I want pancakes.”
“You have a chef.”
“His pancakes are boring.”
Dominic rubbed his forehead.
Mara looked at Caleb.
“Go wait outside.”
Caleb’s smile disappeared.
“Are you leaving?”
The fear in his face hit her immediately.
Dominic noticed too.
“No,” Mara said.
Caleb looked at his father.
“Promise?”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
He hated promises.
Mara could see it.
Then he said quietly, “She isn’t leaving today.”
Caleb accepted that.
After he disappeared, Mara looked at Dominic.
“You shouldn’t have said that.”
“Why?”
“Because now you’re responsible for it.”
Dominic stood.
“So are you.”
He walked around the desk.
“My son hasn’t attached himself to anyone since his mother died.”
“That’s not my problem.”
“No.”
His eyes settled on her.
“But I think you care anyway.”
Mara hated that he was right.
“What do you want?”
“The truth.”
She was silent.
Dominic waited.
Finally, Mara spoke.
“My father worked for a man named Victor Kane.”
Dominic’s face changed immediately.
“You know the name.”
“Everyone in my business knows Kane.”
“My father kept records. Payments. Murders. Cops. Judges. Politicians.”
“And he stole them.”
“Yes.”
“Where are they?”
“I don’t know.”
Dominic stared at her.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you still hiding?”
“Because Kane never believed me.”
Dominic moved closer.
“He thinks you know where the records are.”
“He thinks my brother told me.”
“Did he?”
Mara looked away.
Dominic caught it.
“Anna.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“What did your brother tell you?”
Before she could answer, gunfire erupted outside.
Dominic moved instantly.
He pulled Mara behind the desk.
“Stay down.”
“What happened?”
A guard shouted through the intercom.
“West gate attack! Three vehicles!”
Dominic grabbed a pistol from under the desk.
Then another voice came through.
“Sir, they left something at the gate.”
“What?”
Silence.
Then:
“A body.”
Ten minutes later, Dominic and Mara stood behind the security line.
A dead man lay on the gravel.
His chest had been carved with a single letter.
V.
Mara covered her mouth.
Dominic looked at her.
“You know him?”
She nodded.
It was the driver who had helped her escape Boston eight years ago.
Pinned to his jacket was a note.
Dominic read it.
Then his eyes hardened.
May you like
He handed it to Mara.
WELCOME HOME, ANNA.
