Chapter 12 - THE LEDGER UNDER MY BED
I thought I was alone.
Then a gunshot echoed from the hallway.
Vale smiled.
“Arthur.”
He walked toward the sound.
That gave me three seconds.
I ran.
I slammed open the archive door.
The corridor was empty.
I found a maintenance ladder.
Up.
One floor.
Two.
Then another.
I emerged in the staff basement.
My room looked exactly as I had left it.
The bed.
The boiler.
The cheap lamp.
The fireplace poker.
I dropped to my knees.
I lifted the mattress.
Nothing.
I pulled away the frame.
Still nothing.
Then I remembered.
My father used to hide things in walls.
But my mother had said the floors.
I looked down.
The floorboards.
One was slightly raised.
I pried it up.
A metal case was buried beneath it.
I opened it.
Inside was a black leather ledger.
And a letter.
Norah,
If you're reading this, the Costellos are already inside your life.
I nearly laughed.
Of course they were.
I read on.
The ledger doesn't contain money.
It contains ownership.
Names of people who believe they bought protection.
Names of people who sold it.
Names of people who think they control Chicago.
But the most dangerous page is the last one.
Do not read it unless Arthur is beside you.
I stared at the page.
The last one.
I turned.
Nothing.
The final page had been torn out.
Someone had already taken it.
Then the door opened.
Arthur stood there.
Blood covered one side of his shirt.
I rushed toward him.
“What happened?”
“Evan.”
My heart dropped.
“What?”
“He stayed behind.”
“Is he alive?”
Arthur nodded.
“For now.”
I held up the ledger.
“I found it.”
Arthur looked at the letter.
“Your father knew.”
“He wanted you here when I read the last page.”
Arthur stared at the missing page.
“You shouldn't have it.”
“Why?”
“Because the last page names the person who ordered your father's death.”
“Who?”
Arthur swallowed.
“I don't know.”
A voice came from the door.
“I do.”
Vale stood there.
Beside him was Evan.
Hands tied.
Gun at his head.
My heart stopped.
Vale held out his hand.
“The ledger.”
I looked at Arthur.
He nodded.
I gave it to Vale.
Vale opened it.
Then laughed.
“It's incomplete.”
“I know.”
He looked at me.
“You're smarter than your father.”
He tore out a page.
“Did you know Thomas had another ledger?”
Arthur stepped forward.
“Where?”
Vale smiled.
“Inside the hospital.”
My blood went cold.
“Room 17.”
“Yes.”
“The room where he died.”
“Not where he died.”
Vale smiled.
“Where he was kept alive.”
Arthur's face changed.
Vale continued.
“Thomas spent three days there after the shooting.”
I whispered,
“Who visited him?”
Vale looked at Arthur.
“You.”
I turned.
Arthur closed his eyes.
“You visited my father?”
“Yes.”
“What did he tell you?”
Arthur whispered,
“He told me to kill Gabriel.”
I stared.
“What?”
“He knew Gabriel was planning a coup. He wanted me to end it.”
“And did you?”
Arthur looked at me.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Gabriel wasn't the real problem.”
He looked toward Vale.
“Vale was.”
Vale's smile disappeared.
Arthur continued.
“Gabriel was just the face.”
The room went silent.
Then Evan suddenly kicked the gun from Vale's hand.
Arthur fired.
Vale disappeared through the door.
Evan collapsed.
I ran to him.
He looked at me.
“There's another page.”
“What?”
He whispered,
“Your father hid it in me.”
I stared.
“What does that mean?”
Evan pointed to his chest.
May you like
“He tattooed it.”
Arthur's face went white.
