Chapter 7 - The Name on the Bomb Report
“Elena?”
Adrian could barely say it.
The woman stepped into the light.
For half a second, his heart believed.
Then reason returned.
She resembled Elena.
But she was older.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Rebecca Price.”
Samuel's sister.
She had helped Elena gather evidence against Charles.
The photograph from Union Station was Rebecca wearing Elena's coat.
A deliberate deception.
“Why?”
“To convince Charles Elena survived.”
The plan had bought them forty-eight hours.
Not enough.
Daniel died before Rebecca could reach him.
Rebecca had spent three years hiding.
“Why come back?”
“Because Charles found Emma.”
Adrian's eyes hardened.
Rebecca explained that Charles believed Daniel had hidden one final piece of evidence.
A recording identifying everyone involved.
The evidence was not in storage unit 47.
Daniel had given it to someone.
Mrs. Bellini.
Sofia's elderly neighbor.
Adrian raced upstairs.
Her apartment was empty.
The terrier remained behind, whining beside the door.
On the table sat half the bread Emma had given her.
Untouched.
Sofia arrived minutes later.
“Where is she?”
Nobody answered.
Emma saw the dog.
“Where's Nana Bellini?”
Sofia pulled her close.
Adrian found a note beneath the bread.
BRING ELENA'S LEDGER TO THE RIVER. COME ALONE.
Marcus read it.
“Trap.”
“Yes.”
“You're not going alone.”
“Yes, I am.”
Sofia grabbed Adrian's arm.
“You can't.”
He looked down at her hand.
“You told me killing Charles wouldn't bring anyone back.”
“It won't.”
“This isn't revenge.”
“Then what is it?”
Adrian looked at Emma.
“Keeping a promise.”
At midnight, he went to the river warehouse.
Alone.
Charles waited inside.
Mrs. Bellini sat tied to a chair.
Samuel Price stood beside her.
Adrian finally saw the entire betrayal.
Charles smiled.
“You brought the ledger?”
“Yes.”
“Put it down.”
Adrian did.
Mrs. Bellini shook her head desperately.
Charles aimed a gun at her.
“Where's Daniel's recording?”
She said nothing.
Samuel stepped forward.
“Don't make this difficult.”
Mrs. Bellini looked at Adrian.
Then smiled.
“Daniel said you'd come eventually.”
Charles stiffened.
“What?”
She nodded toward Adrian.
“He said grief would make you blind for a while.”
Adrian's throat tightened.
“But not forever.”
Charles struck her.
Adrian moved.
The gun shifted toward him.
“Don't.”
Adrian stopped.
Mrs. Bellini laughed through a bloody lip.
“You still don't understand.”
Charles grabbed her.
“Understand what?”
“Daniel never gave me the recording.”
Silence.
“Then who?”
Mrs. Bellini looked toward the warehouse entrance.
Charles followed her gaze.
A tiny figure stood there.
Emma.
Sofia was behind her.
Adrian's heart nearly stopped.
“Sofia!”
“I couldn't stop her.”
Emma held Daisy.
Mrs. Bellini smiled.
“Daniel gave it to his daughter.”
Charles stared at the doll.
The patched eye.
The repaired seams.
The key had been one secret.
But not the only one.
Charles raised his gun.
“Give me the doll.”
Emma hugged Daisy.
“No.”
Adrian stepped between them.
Charles smiled.
“You'd die for another man's child?”
Adrian looked at Emma.
Then at the photograph of Claire he still carried inside his wallet.
“Yes.”
Charles cocked the weapon.
A gunshot filled the warehouse.
But Charles had not fired.
Samuel Price collapsed.
Marcus stood in the doorway.
Chaos erupted.
Adrian tackled Charles.
Sofia freed Mrs. Bellini.
Marcus kicked Samuel's weapon away.
Charles escaped through a loading door.
Adrian followed.
By the river, Charles jumped into a waiting vehicle.
It disappeared.
Adrian returned.
Emma handed him Daisy.
“Daddy said you could have it.”
Adrian stared.
“How could he have said that?”
Emma shook her head.
“Not you.”
She pointed at a small stitched label inside Daisy's dress.
FOR THE MAN WHO LOST HIS LITTLE GIRL.
Daniel had written it before he died.
Adrian's hands shook.
Marcus opened the doll carefully.
Inside the stuffing was a flash drive.
They connected it to a laptop.
Daniel appeared on screen.
He looked exhausted.
“If Adrian Moretti is watching this, then I'm dead.”
Adrian leaned closer.
Daniel continued.
“I know who ordered the bomb.”
Charles.
They already knew.
“But Charles Bennett isn't the man you should fear most.”
Everyone went silent.
Daniel looked directly into the camera.
“The person who gave Charles permission was…”
The screen went black.
Someone had remotely erased the file.
Then Adrian's phone buzzed.
May you like
One message appeared.
YOU ALREADY KNOW MY NAME.
