Chapter 7 - THE FATHER WHO NEVER CAME HOME
Evelyn stared at the photograph until her eyes hurt.
“That’s fake.”
Celeste smiled.
“It was taken eleven days ago.”
“No.”
“Your father has been alive for eight years.”
“Stop.”
“Would you like to hear his voice?”
Celeste played a recording.
“Evelyn…”
One word.
That was enough.
Her father.
Older.
Weak.
But him.
Evelyn’s throat closed.
“Where is he?”
“The ledger first.”
“I don’t have it.”
“But you have the key.”
Evelyn said nothing.
Celeste smiled wider.
“Good. We’re making progress.”
“How did you know?”
“Gilbert.”
Evelyn wanted to rip the smile off her face.
Celeste leaned back.
“Daniel Carter was clever. Not disciplined, but clever. He built the accounting system for Black Spade, then copied everything.”
“Why?”
“Insurance.”
“Against your family?”
“Against everyone.”
“Why didn’t he come home?”
Celeste’s smile faded.
“Because your father was a coward.”
Evelyn lunged against the restraints.
“Say that again.”
“He chose hiding over you.”
“You don’t know him.”
“I know exactly what he did.”
The door opened.
A guard entered.
“Problem downstairs.”
Celeste stood.
“What problem?”
“Moretti.”
Evelyn smiled despite herself.
Celeste glared at her.
“He came for you.”
Gunfire echoed somewhere below.
Celeste grabbed Evelyn’s face.
“Don’t mistake obsession for love.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t mistake anything you say for truth.”
Celeste slapped her.
Hard.
Then left.
Evelyn worked her wrists.
The rope had loosened slightly when she lunged.
Gunfire grew louder.
A guard rushed past.
Evelyn rocked the chair toward the table.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The chair crashed.
Her shoulder screamed.
But a broken piece of metal from the table leg lay near her fingers.
She grabbed it.
Sawed through the rope.
The door opened.
A guard entered.
“What the—”
Evelyn threw the broken chair leg.
He ducked.
She drove her shoulder into his stomach.
They hit the floor.
He grabbed her hair.
She slammed her elbow backward.
Once.
Twice.
Then reached for his dropped gun.
He froze.
Evelyn pointed it at him.
Her hands shook.
“Don’t.”
He slowly raised his hands.
“Lady—”
“Where’s my father?”
“I don’t know.”
She pressed the barrel toward him.
“I have had a really bad night.”
“River warehouse!”
“Where?”
“Thirty-Fifth and Morgan!”
Evelyn backed toward the door.
Then Lorenzo appeared.
Blood on his shirt.
Gun in hand.
He looked at Evelyn.
She looked at him.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Good enough.”
They ran.
Outside, Dante waited with a car.
As they drove away, Evelyn gave Lorenzo the address.
“We’re going.”
He shook his head.
“Not yet.”
She raised the gun.
“Yes. We are.”
Lorenzo stared at the weapon.
Then at her.
“Remind me never to make you mad.”
“I’m already mad.”
They drove south.
Forty minutes later, they entered an abandoned warehouse by the river.
Evelyn heard chains move in the dark.
“Dad?”
Silence.
Then a voice.
“Evie?”
Her knees almost failed.
A thin man stepped into the light.
Gray hair.
Sunken face.
Same eyes.
Evelyn stopped breathing.
Daniel Carter looked at his daughter for the first time in eight years.
And his first words were:
“You brought Lorenzo Moretti here?”
May you like
He looked terrified.
“Jesus Christ, Evelyn. He’s the reason I never came home.”
