Chapter 3 - The Dead Man in the Corridor
Dominic did not move.
Neither did the man.
Twelve years separated memory from reality, but Dominic knew the face.
Alexander Vale.
His father.
Or the man Dominic had believed was his father.
The same man Dominic had watched disappear beneath a closed coffin.
“You're dead,” Dominic said.
Alexander smiled faintly.
“So I've been told.”
Marcus drew his weapon.
Victor stepped backward.
Alexander looked at his brother.
“Hello, Victor.”
Victor whispered, “You bastard.”
Dominic's eyes never left Alexander.
“Where is Elena?”
“Safe.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“It’s the only one you're getting until we talk.”
Dominic walked toward him.
Marcus caught his arm.
“Boss.”
Alexander smiled.
“Marcus was always sensible.”
“Where is she?”
“You've become repetitive.”
Dominic struck him.
Alexander stumbled against the wall.
He laughed.
“You've gotten stronger.”
Dominic grabbed his jacket.
“Elena.”
Alexander's smile vanished.
“If you kill me, you never find her.”
Dominic released him.
Alexander adjusted his collar.
“That’s better.”
Victor moved forward.
“You forged the photographs.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Alexander looked at Dominic.
“Because Elena was dangerous.”
“She was twenty-four.”
“She knew too much.”
“About what?”
“The Vale organization.”
Dominic laughed bitterly.
“Elena was a pediatric nurse.”
“She was also curious.”
Alexander looked toward the boxes.
“She discovered that our charitable medical foundation was laundering money.”
Dominic stared.
“I shut those operations down.”
“Eventually.”
“You used my foundation.”
“Our foundation.”
“Not anymore.”
Alexander shrugged.
“Elena found invoices. She threatened to expose them.”
“So you took her.”
“I separated a problem from my son.”
“She was pregnant.”
“I didn't know.”
“Would it have mattered?”
Alexander didn't answer.
That answer was enough.
Dominic moved toward him again.
Victor intervened.
“Where is Elena?”
Alexander looked annoyed.
“Nathan has her.”
Dominic stopped.
“Cole?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Nathan stopped taking instructions from me three years ago.”
Marcus frowned.
“Then why are you here?”
Alexander glanced at the documents.
“Because Nathan wants these.”
Dominic looked at the payment trail.
“Why?”
“They prove he stole from me.”
Dominic laughed.
“This is about money?”
“It always is.”
“No.”
Dominic picked up the forged photograph.
“This was about control.”
Alexander's face hardened.
“You were young.”
“I was twenty-eight.”
“You would have thrown away everything for her.”
“Yes.”
The certainty surprised even Victor.
Dominic looked at the photograph.
“I would have.”
Alexander studied him.
“And now?”
“Now I’m going to find her.”
Alexander smiled.
“And the girl?”
Dominic's expression changed.
“Don't talk about Grace.”
“She is yours.”
Dominic felt the words.
Not because he doubted Elena.
Because hearing it from Alexander made it undeniable.
“How do you know?”
“I had the DNA test performed after she was born.”
Victor stared.
“You told me you didn't know.”
“I lied.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“You knew for eight years.”
“Yes.”
“You knew I had a daughter.”
“Yes.”
“And you kept her from me.”
Alexander held his gaze.
“Yes.”
Dominic punched him again.
This time Marcus didn't stop him.
Alexander hit the floor.
Dominic crouched over him.
“Give me one reason not to kill you.”
Alexander wiped blood from his mouth.
“Elena.”
Dominic stood.
His phone rang.
Marcus checked the number.
“Estate.”
Dominic answered.
“Vale.”
Dr. Bennett's voice came quickly.
“Dominic, Grace is fine, but there's a problem.”
“What?”
“Someone entered the grounds.”
Dominic looked at Marcus.
“Who?”
“We don't know. Cameras went dark for eleven seconds.”
“Where is Grace?”
“With me.”
“Lock the study.”
“Already done.”
A noise sounded through the phone.
Glass breaking.
Then Grace screamed.
Dominic's blood went cold.
“Bennett?”
No answer.
“Bennett!”
A man's voice replaced him.
“Nathan Cole.”
Dominic froze.
“Where's Grace?”
“Safe for now.”
“You touch her—”
“You'll do what? Find me?”
Dominic said nothing.
Cole laughed.
“You're standing in unit 317, aren't you?”
Dominic looked around.
A camera.
There.
Tiny.
Mounted above the door.
Cole had been watching.
“You want the documents.”
“I want Alexander.”
Dominic looked at the man on the floor.
Alexander's expression changed.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
“What did he do to you?”
Cole's voice became cold.
“He stole something from me.”
“What?”
“My life.”
The call disconnected.
Marcus immediately called the estate.
No response.
Dominic grabbed Alexander.
“You're coming.”
Alexander resisted.
“Dominic—”
“You wanted to stay dead? You should have stayed buried.”
They drove back at dangerous speed.
When they reached the estate, the gates were open.
Two guards were unconscious.
Alive.
Inside, the study was empty.
Dr. Bennett lay beside the desk.
Marcus checked him.
“Pulse.”
Dominic looked around.
“Grace!”
Nothing.
Then a small voice answered.
“Here.”
Dominic turned.
Grace crawled from beneath the desk.
He crossed the room in three steps.
She ran into him.
Dominic froze for half a second before wrapping his arms around her.
It was the first time he had held his daughter.
Grace shook against him.
“He tried to take me.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“No.”
“What happened?”
“Dr. Bennett pushed me under the desk.”
Dominic looked toward the unconscious doctor.
He would remember that.
Grace pulled away.
“The man said something.”
“What?”
“He said Mom wasn't at the hospital anymore.”
Dominic's heart sank.
“Anything else?”
“He said you would know where she was.”
“How?”
Grace pointed toward the framed photograph on Dominic's desk.
The photograph showed Dominic at twenty-one standing beside a lake house.
Elena was next to him.
Dominic picked it up.
The lake house.
He had not visited it in nine years.
Only four people knew what that place meant.
Dominic.
Elena.
Victor.
Alexander.
Dominic turned.
Alexander was gone.
The front door stood open.
Marcus cursed.
“He slipped out.”
Dominic stared toward the driveway.
A black sedan was disappearing beyond the gate.
Victor walked beside him.
“That's Alexander's car.”
Dominic's phone buzzed.
A video arrived.
Elena appeared on screen.
She was tied to a chair.
Behind her was a stone fireplace Dominic recognized instantly.
The lake house.
Then Nathan Cole stepped into frame.
He placed one hand on Elena's shoulder.
“Bring me Alexander,” he said.
Elena suddenly looked toward the camera.
“Dominic, don't!”
Cole ended the recording.
Grace was watching.
Dominic turned off the screen.
Too late.
She had seen her mother.
“She's alive,” Grace whispered.
“Yes.”
“You're going to get her?”
“Yes.”
Grace looked at him.
“Dad?”
Dominic stopped breathing.
Grace seemed startled by her own word.
Neither spoke.
Then Marcus's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed immediately.
“What?”
He listened.
Then looked at Dominic.
“We found Alexander's car.”
“Where?”
Marcus swallowed.
“At the lake house.”
Dominic grabbed his coat.
Marcus caught his arm.
“There’s more.”
“What?”
“The driver's dead.”
Dominic stared.
“And Alexander?”
Marcus looked toward the open gate.
“Missing.”
Then the estate lights went out.
May you like
A single gunshot echoed from upstairs.
And Grace screamed Dominic's name.
