Chapter 7 - Dominic had spent fifteen years believing Adrian Vale was dead.Now his handwriting was on a threat directed at a four-year-old girl.
Vincent recovered quickly enough to stand.
“Sir.”
“Find her.”
“Every vehicle is being checked.”
“Not vehicles.”
Dominic turned.
“What?”
“He took her through the tunnel.”
Vincent stared.
“What tunnel?”
Dominic pointed toward the basement.
“Old estate plans.”
They found it behind a wine rack.
A forgotten service tunnel built when the estate had been constructed.
It connected the mansion to an abandoned garden house several hundred yards away.
Dominic entered despite his leg.
Every step hurt.
But he refused to stop.
The tunnel ended at a locked steel door.
Dominic heard Ellie crying on the other side.
“Mr. Dominic!”
He hit the door.
“Ellie!”
“I'm here!”
A man's voice followed.
“You should have listened.”
Dominic froze.
“Adrian.”
Silence.
Then:
“You still remember my voice.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
“I remember everything.”
“You remember the version you were allowed to remember.”
The lock clicked.
The door opened.
Adrian stood inside.
Older.
Thinner.
Scar running from his left temple to his jaw.
He held no weapon.
Ellie sat behind him.
Her hands were not tied.
That somehow made the scene more disturbing.
Clare rushed toward her.
Adrian stepped aside.
Ellie ran into her mother's arms.
Dominic stared at his brother.
“You kidnapped a child.”
“I protected one.”
“You threatened her.”
“I needed you to understand the stakes.”
Dominic's jaw tightened.
“Why?”
Adrian smiled bitterly.
“Because you were about to sign your own death warrant.”
He tossed a folder onto the table.
Dominic opened it.
Inside were bank transactions.
Medical orders.
Council communications.
Security schedules.
Everything.
“Arthur?”
“Yes.”
“Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“Elliot Crane?”
“Yes.”
“Who else?”
Adrian pointed at the first page.
“Your father.”
Dominic stared.
“My father died twelve years ago.”
“I know.”
“Then how?”
Adrian leaned back.
“Before he died, he created a succession trust.”
Dominic slowly looked up.
“The Vale organization was never supposed to belong entirely to you.”
Adrian tapped the folder.
“Half was yours.”
“Half was mine?”
“Half was mine.”
Dominic laughed.
“You disappeared.”
“I was forced out.”
“By whom?”
Adrian's expression darkened.
“By our father.”
Dominic stared.
“Why?”
“Because I discovered the truth about the organization.”
“What truth?”
Adrian looked at Ellie.
Then Clare.
Then Dominic.
“Most of the men around you aren't loyal to you.”
Dominic waited.
“They're loyal to the person who controls your inheritance.”
“The council?”
“No.”
Adrian slid a document across the table.
A trust agreement.
Dominic recognized his father's signature.
There was a hidden clause.
If Dominic became permanently incapacitated, control would transfer to a neutral trustee.
That trustee was not Arthur.
It was Adrian.
Dominic's breathing slowed.
“Arthur knows about this?”
“He helped create it.”
“Then why does he want control?”
“Because the trust contains something else.”
“What?”
Adrian stood.
“The original ledger.”
Dominic stared at him.
“What ledger?”
“The one your father hid before he died.”
Adrian's voice dropped.
“The ledger that proves which members of your organization were bought.”
Dominic felt a chill.
“Names?”
“Every name.”
“And Arthur?”
“He's in it.”
Dominic looked at the folder.
“Then why haven't you released it?”
Adrian smiled.
“Because the moment that ledger appears, three governments will come after everyone in this building.”
Vincent stepped forward.
“Then why are we still standing here?”
Adrian's eyes shifted toward him.
“Because someone else already has a copy.”
Dominic frowned.
“Who?”
Adrian looked at Clare.
Clare froze.
“No.”
Dominic turned.
“Clare?”
Adrian said nothing.
Clare shook her head.
“I don't have anything.”
Adrian walked toward her.
“You do.”
She backed away.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Daniel left it with you.”
Clare began crying.
“I never opened it.”
Dominic stared at her.
“What did Daniel leave you?”
She said nothing.
Adrian whispered:
“The envelope inside the wedding dress.”
Dominic looked at Clare.
She became completely still.
Then Ellie spoke softly.
“Mommy has Daddy's secret dress.”
Clare closed her eyes.
Adrian looked at Dominic.
“And now you understand.”
“What?”
“Daniel didn't die.”
“He was preparing Clare.”
“For what?”
May you like
Adrian's answer came quietly.
“For the day you discovered who really wanted you dead.”
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