Chapter 13 - THE GRAVEYARD TRUTH
Brooke had not escaped.
She had been temporarily released into federal cooperation under guard.
The call was authorized.
Dominic still hated every part of it.
At 1:20 a.m., he arrived at Saint Matthew’s Cemetery with Marcus and two federal agents.
Brooke stood beside Catherine Mercer’s grave.
Handcuffed.
Coat wrapped tightly around her.
“You wanted drama?” Dominic asked.
She looked at the headstone.
“I wanted privacy.”
“You lost the right to ask for that.”
Brooke nodded.
“Fair.”
Dominic stopped six feet away.
“What about Peter?”
Natalie’s husband.
Dead at thirty-eight after his car went off an icy road.
Brooke looked at him.
“Martin knew him.”
Dominic’s face hardened.
“How?”
“They had business together.”
“What business?”
“Loans.”
“Peter borrowed from Martin?”
“From Daniel.”
Dominic’s stomach dropped.
Brooke continued.
“Peter found out Daniel was moving money through shell companies.”
Marcus swore under his breath.
“He confronted him?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Two weeks before he died.”
Dominic stared at her.
“Are you telling me Daniel killed my brother-in-law?”
“No.”
Brooke shook her head quickly.
“I don’t know that.”
“Then why bring me here?”
“Because Catherine knew.”
Dominic froze.
Brooke nodded toward the grave.
“Your mother hired the investigator because Peter called her.”
“Why didn’t he call me?”
Brooke’s eyes softened.
“Because he was scared of you.”
The words cut deep.
“Scared of me?”
“He thought you’d solve it your way.”
Dominic looked at Marcus.
Marcus looked away.
That answer made too much sense.
Brooke continued.
“Catherine told him to collect evidence.”
“Did he?”
“Yes.”
“Where is it?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
“Then why did Martin care about the trust?”
“Because Catherine’s investigator found Martin while following Daniel.”
Dominic finally understood.
Brooke had not just targeted Dominic for money.
Her family had entered his life because they knew Catherine was investigating them.
“Did you meet me because Martin told you to?”
Brooke closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
The truth no longer shocked him.
It just made him tired.
“Did you ever love me?”
Brooke looked at him.
For the first time, she didn’t perform.
“I think I did.”
He said nothing.
“But by then,” she whispered, “I had already lied too much.”
One federal agent approached.
“We need to go.”
Brooke nodded.
Then she looked at Dominic.
“Check Peter’s watch.”
“What?”
“The one Natalie keeps in the drawer.”
“Why?”
“Peter told Martin once that the safest hiding place was something nobody would throw away.”
Dominic turned to Marcus.
“Call Natalie.”
Marcus dialed.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Dominic felt cold.
“Try the house.”
Marcus called security.
Someone answered.
Then his expression changed.
“What?”
Marcus lowered the phone.
“The power at the estate just went out.”
Dominic’s pulse jumped.
“Backup generators?”
“Disabled.”
“And Natalie?”
Marcus listened.
May you like
Then looked at him.
“She and Noah are missing.”
