Chapter 13 - THE WOMAN IN THE CHAIR
Dominic forgot how to breathe.
“Elena.”
The woman raised her head.
Same eyes.
Same mouth.
Same scar near her eyebrow.
But older.
Thinner.
Terrified.
“Dominic.”
His knees nearly gave out.
Vincent smiled.
“Surprise.”
Dominic reached for his gun.
Vincent raised his own.
“Don't.”
Dominic stopped.
His eyes never left Elena.
“I buried you.”
Tears ran down her face.
“I know.”
“How?”
“The body wasn't me.”
Dominic stared at Vincent.
Vincent laughed.
“The SUV burned.”
“Dental records were switched.”
“Mercer handled the medical identification.”
Dominic felt sick.
“Where has she been?”
“Various places.”
Elena whispered.
“Dominic, don't listen to him.”
Vincent struck the back of her chair.
“Quiet.”
Dominic took one step forward.
Vincent aimed at Elena.
“Another step and this time she actually dies.”
Dominic stopped.
His voice trembled with rage.
“Why keep her alive?”
Vincent smiled.
“Because Elena knew where your father hid something.”
“What?”
“The original Vale ledgers.”
Dominic frowned.
“Evidence.”
“Names.”
“Judges.”
“Politicians.”
“Police.”
“People who would pay billions to keep those pages buried.”
Dominic looked at Elena.
“You knew?”
She nodded.
“Your father told me.”
Vincent continued.
“She refused to tell me where.”
“So I kept asking.”
Dominic stared at the bruises on Elena's wrists.
Eleven years of criminal violence had never made him feel rage like this.
But Elena's letter echoed in his mind.
Anger makes you predictable.
He forced himself to breathe.
“Let her go.”
Vincent laughed.
“The drive.”
Dominic held it up.
“First Elena.”
“No.”
“Then you get nothing.”
Vincent stared.
Dominic dropped the drive.
Then crushed it beneath his shoe.
Vincent screamed.
“NO!”
He fired.
Dominic moved.
The bullet struck his shoulder.
He fell.
Vincent rushed toward the broken drive.
Elena kicked her chair sideways.
It struck Vincent's knees.
He fell.
Dominic grabbed his gun.
Marcus's team stormed the terminal.
“DROP IT!”
Vincent grabbed Elena.
A knife pressed against her throat.
Everyone froze.
Vincent backed toward a side door.
“Stay back!”
Dominic stood despite the blood running down his arm.
“It's over.”
Vincent laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
“What?”
“I didn't keep Elena alive.”
Dominic frowned.
Vincent smiled.
“Someone else did.”
A shot came from the darkness.
It struck Vincent in the chest.
He released Elena.
Everyone turned.
A man stepped from the shadows.
Older.
Walking with a cane.
Dominic stared.
Impossible.
His father had died six years earlier.
Yet Alexander Vale walked into the light.
Alive.
He looked at Dominic.
Then at Elena.
May you like
And smiled.
“Hello, son.”
