Chapter 13 - A Bullet Meant for Meline
Pain burned through Meline’s shoulder.
She hit the floor.
Dominic caught her.
“Meline!”
“I’m okay.”
“You’ve been shot.”
“I noticed.”
Greg fired through the window.
The sniper disappeared.
Police stormed Building Zero.
Evelyn’s people surrendered.
Evelyn did not.
She grabbed Meline.
A gun pressed against her throat.
Dominic froze.
“Let her go.”
Evelyn dragged Meline backward.
“You love her.”
Dominic’s face revealed nothing.
But Meline knew.
“Yes,” he said.
The word silenced even Evelyn.
Meline stared at him.
He had never said it.
Not until a gun was against her throat.
Evelyn smiled.
“That makes you weak.”
“No,” Meline whispered.
Evelyn tightened her grip.
“What?”
“It makes him different from you.”
Meline drove her heel backward.
Evelyn stumbled.
Dominic moved.
Greg fired first.
The bullet struck Evelyn’s gun hand.
Her weapon fell.
Federal agents surrounded her.
This time they placed her in restraints under the eyes of twenty witnesses.
No secret extraction.
No compromised transport.
No escape.
Meline collapsed.
Dominic caught her again.
The last thing she remembered was his voice.
“Stay with me.”
She woke in a hospital.
Dominic sat beside her.
His tie was gone.
His hair was a mess.
He looked terrible.
She smiled.
“You look worse than I do.”
He stood immediately.
“You’re awake.”
“So observant.”
He kissed her forehead.
Then her mouth.
Carefully.
“You said something before I passed out.”
His expression became suspicious.
“I said many things.”
“One particular thing.”
“Morphine can cause hallucinations.”
“I hadn’t been given morphine yet.”
He sighed.
“I love you.”
Meline smiled.
“Better.”
“You’re enjoying this.”
“Immensely.”
“I love you.”
She touched his face.
“I love you too.”
His eyes closed.
For a moment they were simply two people in a hospital room.
Then Greg appeared at the door.
Dominic reached toward his jacket.
Greg raised both hands.
“Touching.”
Meline smiled faintly.
“What do you want?”
“To say goodbye.”
He had made a deal with federal prosecutors.
His testimony would help dismantle Crown.
He would still face charges.
But he had chosen to cooperate.
Dominic studied him.
“You expect forgiveness?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Greg nodded.
Then he looked at Meline.
“For what it’s worth, I really do like historical documentaries.”
She laughed despite herself.
“Goodbye, Greg.”
He turned.
Then stopped.
“One thing.”
Dominic tensed.
Greg handed Meline an envelope.
“Thomas gave this to Evelyn years ago. She kept it.”
After he left, Meline opened it.
Inside was a photograph of Thomas.
On the back:
THE LAST NAME IS NOT CROWN.
She frowned.
Another sheet was folded beneath it.
A list of people.
Most names were crossed out.
Evelyn.
Greg.
Arthur.
Several officials.
One remained.
Meline read it.
Her blood went cold.
Dominic saw her face.
“What?”
She handed him the paper.
The final uncrossed name belonged to someone who had been beside them from almost the beginning.
Someone they believed was dead.
VICTOR SALVATORE.
Then the hospital-room television switched on by itself.
Victor appeared live on screen.
May you like
Alive.
And he said, “We need to talk about what your father really asked me to do...”
