Chapter 4 - The Man in the Back Booth
Arthur did not go home.
That was exactly what Dominic expected.
Instead, Daniel contacted federal investigators through an attorney Arthur trusted outside Chicago.
Pike surrendered the chalice.
Preliminary testing found contamination in the ceremonial wine.
That transformed Chloe's warning from a frightening story into evidence.
But Dominic had disappeared.
So had Richard.
Vivian sat beside Chloe's hospital window, still wearing part of her wedding makeup.
"You hate me," Vivian said.
Chloe looked at her.
"I don't know you well enough."
"That's fair."
"Did you know Arthur loved me?"
Vivian smiled sadly.
"Everyone knew Arthur loved you except apparently you."
Chloe frowned.
"He left."
"He was terrified."
"Arthur Romano doesn't get terrified."
"You do that to him."
Chloe didn't know whether to be offended.
Vivian continued.
"When our engagement was announced, Arthur told me there would never be a real marriage."
Chloe looked at her.
"What?"
"He said we'd fulfill the public agreement and quietly separate later."
"And you accepted that?"
"I wasn't marrying him for love either."
"Why were you marrying him?"
Vivian looked toward the door.
"Because my father told me my younger brother would lose everything if I refused."
Chloe's anger shifted.
"How old is your brother?"
"Twenty-two."
"Does he know?"
"No."
"So both families were using their children."
Vivian gave a humorless smile.
"Rich families call it legacy."
Chloe understood more than she wanted to.
Arthur returned after midnight.
Vivian stood.
"Anything?"
"Police found the chair from the photograph."
"And my father?"
"Gone."
Vivian's shoulders dropped.
Arthur added, "There was blood."
Vivian went white.
"But not enough to establish serious injury."
She nodded.
Arthur looked at Chloe.
"How are you?"
"Still pregnant."
"That's my favorite status."
She almost smiled.
Then Daniel entered carrying a laptop.
"We found Pike's second diner man."
Arthur turned.
"Who?"
"Michael Torres. Former Croft accountant."
"Where is he?"
"Dead."
Chloe's stomach tightened.
"When?"
"Six months ago."
Everyone stared.
Chloe shook her head.
"No. I saw him this morning."
Daniel rotated the laptop.
A photograph showed Michael Torres.
Chloe studied it.
"That's him."
Arthur leaned closer.
"You're certain?"
"Yes."
Pike, standing near the doorway, looked equally confused.
"The man with me called himself Michael."
Daniel said, "Then he stole a dead man's identity."
Arthur looked at Pike.
"You worked beside him."
"Only three times. Dominic compartmentalized everyone."
Chloe remembered the diner.
The man's hands.
His voice.
Then something clicked.
"He had a ring."
Arthur looked at her.
"What kind?"
"Silver. Black stone. There was a bird carved into it."
Vivian's expression changed.
"What?"
"My grandfather had that ring."
"Where is it now?"
"My father inherited it."
Silence.
Chloe stared at her.
"Are you saying the man at the diner was Richard?"
"No. You know what my father looks like."
"Then someone had his ring."
Vivian stood.
"Unless it wasn't my grandfather's."
She opened her phone and found an old family photograph.
Three young men stood together.
Her grandfather.
Dominic Romano.
Victor Romano.
All three wore identical rings.
Arthur stared.
"What was that?"
"A private society they formed in college. They called it the Meridian Club."
Pike swore quietly.
Arthur looked at him.
"You know it?"
"I've heard the name."
"From whom?"
"Dominic."
Daniel searched.
Nothing useful appeared online.
Arthur studied the photograph.
Victor.
His supposedly dead uncle.
Chloe saw his expression.
"No."
Arthur looked at her.
"The message from Victor's number."
"Arthur, he died eleven years ago."
"Did you see his body?"
Vivian asked.
Arthur hesitated.
"No."
"Funeral?"
"Closed casket."
Daniel leaned forward.
"Who identified him?"
Arthur already knew.
"My father."
The room went quiet.
Pike slowly sat down.
"That changes everything."
Arthur called his mother.
She answered on the fourth ring.
"Arthur?"
"Mom, I need you to answer something."
"What happened at the wedding?"
"Victor."
Silence.
Arthur's pulse changed.
"Did you see his body?"
His mother didn't answer.
"Mom."
"Arthur, this isn't a conversation for the phone."
"Was Victor dead?"
A long pause.
Then:
"I don't know."
Arthur closed his eyes.
"Why?"
"Your father wouldn't let me see him."
"Did you question that?"
"Of course I did."
"And?"
"He said Victor's injuries were too severe."
Arthur frowned.
"Injuries? The death certificate says heart attack."
His mother stopped breathing for a moment.
"Arthur..."
"What?"
"Your father told me there had been a car accident."
Everyone heard.
Two different stories.
Arthur looked at Daniel.
"Get the death certificate."
"Already doing it."
Chloe felt the baby move.
Arthur noticed her hand go to her stomach.
He crossed the room.
"You okay?"
"Yes."
"You sure?"
"No. But yes."
Arthur crouched.
"Chloe, when this is over—"
"Don't."
He stopped.
"Don't promise me anything while you're scared."
"I'm not scared."
"You're terrified."
Arthur looked at her.
She touched his cheek.
"For once, just admit it."
His voice dropped.
"I'm terrified."
"Good."
"Good?"
"It means you're human."
He covered her hand.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Leaving."
Chloe's eyes filled.
"You don't get forgiveness because you finally explained."
"I know."
"But you can earn it."
Arthur nodded.
"I will."
Daniel's laptop chimed.
He opened an email.
"Death certificate."
Arthur stood.
Daniel read.
Cause of death: cardiac arrest.
Identified by Dominic Romano.
No independent family identification.
No autopsy.
The body had been cremated.
Arthur stared.
"Victor hated cremation."
His mother, still on speakerphone, whispered:
"Yes."
Arthur looked at Chloe.
"Then whose ashes did we bury?"
Nobody answered.
At 2:13 a.m., Chloe finally slept.
Arthur remained beside her.
At 3:06, someone slid an envelope beneath the hospital-room door.
Arthur heard it.
He stood.
Opened the door.
Empty hallway.
He picked up the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
A man stood outside Henderson's Diner.
Older now.
Gray at the temples.
But Arthur recognized him.
Victor Romano.
Alive.
On the back was an address.
May you like
And four handwritten words:
ASK HIM WHO BETRAYED YOU.
