Chapter 5 - The Letter Vincent Wasn't Ready to Read
Vincent threw Madison behind the SUV and shouted, "Get the baby down!"
A bullet struck the bouquet box still lying on the rear seat.
A small tracking device cracked open beneath the cardboard.
One green light continued blinking.
Vincent realized the enemy had never been following Madison.
They had been following him.
"Move!"
His men returned fire toward the rooftop.
Daniel dragged Nico behind cover.
Madison crouched against the wheel, protecting Leo with her entire body.
Vincent dropped beside her.
"Are you hit?"
"Don't touch me."
"Madison."
"I'm fine."
He looked at Leo.
The baby was screaming.
Vincent reached toward him.
Madison turned away.
"No."
The refusal was instinctive.
Vincent's hand stopped.
For fifteen days, he had imagined seeing his son.
He had not imagined being forbidden to touch him.
Another shot struck metal.
Daniel shouted, "We need another exit!"
Vincent grabbed his radio.
"South vehicle. Now."
Seconds later, another SUV crashed through the service gate.
Vincent opened the rear door.
"Madison."
She didn't move.
"Get in."
"With you?"
"Yes."
"No."
A bullet answered for him.
Daniel pushed her toward the vehicle.
"Go."
Madison climbed inside.
Vincent followed.
Daniel and Nico entered another SUV.
The convoy exploded into traffic.
Madison sat as far from Vincent as possible.
Leo cried between them.
Vincent stared at his son.
Tiny face.
Dark hair.
Red cheeks.
His chest tightened.
"He's smaller than I thought."
Madison looked out the window.
"Because you weren't there."
Vincent absorbed it.
"Can I hold him?"
"No."
"Madison."
"You asked."
He looked away.
Several blocks passed.
Then Vincent spoke.
"I read your letter."
"Good."
"I didn't know."
She turned.
"Which part?"
"The hemorrhage."
"You knew I gave birth."
"Yes."
"You knew I was in the hospital."
"Yes."
"You knew your son had been born."
"Yes."
"Then you knew enough."
Vincent had no answer.
Madison looked down at Leo.
"You always think the missing information is what makes you innocent."
"I don't think I'm innocent."
"That's new."
His jaw tightened.
"I came as soon as—"
"Don't."
He stopped.
"Don't tell me you came as soon as you could. You came fifteen days later."
"I was trying to stop a war."
"I was trying not to die."
Silence filled the SUV.
Vincent looked at the chain around his neck.
Madison noticed.
"My ring."
He touched it.
"I couldn't leave it."
"You were supposed to."
"No."
"It's mine."
"Then take it."
He pulled the chain over his head.
The ring rested in his palm.
Madison stared at it.
She didn't reach for it.
Vincent closed his fingers.
"Why Daniel?"
"He's my brother."
"He's a dead man."
"Apparently not."
"You knew?"
"Not until four days ago."
Vincent looked toward the vehicle ahead.
"He betrayed me."
Madison laughed bitterly.
"Interesting word coming from you."
Vincent turned back.
"What did he tell you?"
"Enough."
"No. He didn't."
"Then tell me."
Vincent hesitated.
Madison smiled without humor.
"There it is again."
"What?"
"The pause before you decide what your wife deserves to know."
Vincent looked away.
The SUV slowed.
His phone rang.
He answered.
"Talk."
Nico's voice came weakly through the speaker.
"Tracker wasn't on Madison."
"I know."
"We traced the signal."
"Where?"
Pause.
"Your house."
Vincent's eyes hardened.
"Who had access?"
"Almost everyone senior."
"Give me names."
"I'm sending them."
Vincent's phone lit.
Six names.
He read them.
Then froze.
Madison watched him.
"What?"
Vincent enlarged the list.
One name appeared at the bottom.
SOFIA BELLINI.
Under it was another.
ANTHONY CARTER.
Vincent's uncle.
The man who had raised him after his father died.
The man who had taught him how to run the Carter organization.
The man Vincent trusted more than anyone alive.
Madison saw his expression.
"Who is it?"
Vincent didn't answer.
Then another message arrived.
A photograph.
Anthony Carter entering Madison's hospital room two hours after she had been taken into emergency surgery.
Vincent stared at the timestamp.
2:51 p.m.
Anthony had told him that day that Madison was stable.
He had lied.
Vincent called him.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Vincent leaned forward.
"Driver."
"Yes, boss?"
"Change destination."
Madison stiffened.
"Where are we going?"
"My house."
"No."
"It's secure."
"I left your house."
"You'll leave again when this is finished."
"I don't need your permission."
"I know."
That answer surprised her.
Vincent looked at Leo.
"I just need you alive long enough to hate me."
Madison stared at him.
For the first time, the arrogance was gone.
Not completely.
Vincent Carter probably didn't know how to exist without control.
But something had changed.
The SUV entered the gates of the Carter estate.
Security surrounded them.
Vincent got out first.
Madison followed.
She had lived there for three years.
Now it felt unfamiliar.
Vincent reached for Leo's carrier.
Madison hesitated.
Then allowed him to take it.
His expression changed as the weight settled into his hand.
His son.
Vincent carried Leo inside.
The foyer was silent.
Too silent.
"Where is everyone?" Vincent asked.
A guard frowned.
"They should be here."
Vincent handed the carrier back to Madison.
"Stay behind me."
He drew his gun.
They moved toward his office.
The door stood open.
Inside, drawers had been emptied.
Documents were gone.
The wall safe was open.
Vincent crossed the room.
"What did they take?" Madison asked.
He stared inside.
"Everything."
Then he noticed something on his desk.
An envelope.
Pink.
Madison's name written across it.
She approached.
"That's my handwriting."
Vincent looked at her.
"What?"
"I wrote that."
"When?"
"Eight months ago."
Madison picked it up.
"I gave it to Anthony."
Vincent's face changed.
"Why?"
"I told him to give it to you if something happened to me during childbirth."
Her hands began trembling.
"I thought he destroyed it."
She opened the envelope.
The letter was still inside.
But another piece of paper had been added.
Madison unfolded it.
A hospital document.
Leo's newborn blood screening.
At the bottom, someone had circled one line in red.
PATERNAL DNA INCONSISTENCY.
Vincent stared at it.
Madison went white.
"What is that?"
Before either could speak, the office door slowly closed behind them.
The lock clicked.
May you like
And Anthony Carter's voice came through the intercom.
"Now, Vincent, let's talk about whose baby your wife really brought home..."
