Chapter 4 - The Man Dominic Had Buried
Dominic recognized the man before his face became fully visible.
Adrian Vale.
His older brother.
A man everyone believed had been dead for nine years.
The room became silent.
Elena covered her mouth.
Rebecca stared at Dominic.
Russell stepped closer to the screen.
“No.”
Dominic did not move.
On the video, Adrian appeared older.
Thinner.
A scar ran from his temple toward his jaw.
But there was no mistake.
Dominic knew the way his brother stood.
The way he tilted his head.
The heavy silver ring belonged to their father.
Dominic had placed it inside Adrian’s coffin.
His stomach turned.
The coffin.
Closed.
After a warehouse fire.
Authorities had said Adrian’s remains were too badly burned for viewing.
Dental records provided identification.
Dominic had believed them.
Their mother had believed them.
Everyone had.
On the video, Marcus handed Adrian a folder.
The recording had sound.
Marcus said, “You promised nobody would hurt Elena or the child.”
Adrian replied, “Then keep her from finding things that don’t concern her.”
Dominic’s expression changed.
Marcus had not been the architect.
At least not entirely.
The video continued.
Marcus said, “You’re moving too fast.”
“Nine years isn’t fast.”
“He’ll discover the financial trail.”
“That’s the point.”
“He’ll assume Russell.”
“Also the point.”
Marcus slammed his hand against the desk.
“I agreed to expose him. Not destroy innocent people.”
Adrian smiled.
“Dominic destroyed enough innocent people for both of us.”
The recording ended.
No one spoke for several seconds.
Finally Rebecca asked, “How can Adrian be alive?”
Dominic stared at the black screen.
“I don’t know.”
But memories were already rearranging themselves.
Nine years earlier, Adrian had controlled much of the Vale organization.
Dominic had handled legitimate businesses.
The brothers fought constantly.
Adrian believed fear solved everything.
Dominic believed fear worked only until somebody became more afraid of living than dying.
Then Adrian’s warehouse burned.
Two bodies were found.
One supposedly his.
Dominic inherited the organization.
He changed operations.
Eliminated trafficking from Vale-controlled territory.
Cut partnerships with men he considered reckless.
Moved money into construction, logistics, restaurants, security.
Some called him weak.
Others called him smart.
He never cared.
But Adrian apparently had.
Russell broke the silence.
“If Adrian staged his death, Marcus may have discovered him years later.”
Dominic nodded slowly.
“Or helped him.”
Elena said, “Marcus told Adrian nobody should hurt Lily.”
Dominic looked at her.
“That doesn’t erase locking you underground.”
“No.”
“But it means he was afraid of Adrian.”
Dominic replayed the footage.
This time he focused on the desk.
A map lay open.
Dominic paused the video.
“Zoom.”
Rebecca enlarged it.
Locations marked with red dots.
The estate.
Manhattan office.
Atlantic City.
And a warehouse near the Hudson River.
Russell recognized it.
“That facility closed five years ago.”
“Who owns it?”
“Vale Logistics.”
Dominic stood.
“We’re going.”
Russell frowned.
“Could be a trap.”
“It probably is.”
“Then we shouldn’t walk into it.”
Dominic picked up his coat.
“We’re not walking.”
The warehouse appeared abandoned.
Dominic approached with six men.
Russell remained beside him.
Elena and Lily stayed at the estate with Rebecca and additional security.
They entered from the rear.
No guards.
No vehicles.
Inside, rows of empty shelving stretched into darkness.
Dominic found fresh tire marks.
Someone had been there recently.
Russell pointed toward an office.
Light glowed beneath the door.
Dominic opened it.
Marcus sat alone in a chair.
Hands visible.
No weapon.
Russell raised his gun.
Marcus said, “If I wanted you dead, you wouldn’t have gotten through the parking lot.”
Dominic entered.
“Where’s Adrian?”
Marcus looked at him.
“So you found the video.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Russell laughed without humor.
“You expect us to believe that?”
Marcus looked exhausted.
“I expected to be dead before Dominic arrived.”
“From Adrian?”
“Yes.”
Dominic closed the door.
“Start talking.”
Marcus rubbed his face.
“Three years ago, I discovered unusual transfers through one of our transportation companies.”
“You said nothing.”
“I investigated first.”
“Why?”
“Because the authorization carried your signature.”
Dominic said nothing.
Marcus continued.
“I followed the money to a shell company. That company connected to another. Eventually I found Adrian.”
“Where?”
“Montreal.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“He approached me before I could approach him.”
“What did he want?”
“To come home.”
“By destroying me?”
“He believes you stole his life.”
“He faked his death.”
“He says he had to.”
“Why?”
Marcus hesitated.
“That part I never believed.”
“What did he say?”
“That someone inside the old organization planned to kill both of you.”
Dominic stared.
“So he disappeared.”
“Yes.”
“And left me behind.”
“Yes.”
“Convenient.”
Marcus nodded.
“I thought so too.”
Russell asked, “Why help him?”
“I didn’t at first.”
Marcus looked at Dominic.
“Then he showed me documents.”
“What documents?”
“Operations you supposedly authorized.”
Dominic’s face hardened.
“What operations?”
“People disappearing. Businesses being burned. Families threatened.”
“I did none of that.”
“I know that now.”
“When did you know?”
“Six months ago.”
“And yet the room stayed active.”
“I turned it against Adrian.”
Dominic studied him.
Marcus continued.
“I built the surveillance network because Adrian wanted information. Once I realized he was manufacturing evidence, I started copying everything.”
“Why imprison Elena?”
Marcus looked ashamed.
“She found the room before I could move the files.”
“So you locked her underground for three days.”
“I was trying to keep Adrian from learning she knew.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“You could have told me.”
“Your phone was compromised.”
“You could have called Russell.”
“Adrian was framing him.”
“You could have released Elena.”
“I planned to.”
“When?”
Marcus met his eyes.
“Before you got home.”
“You failed.”
“Yes.”
Dominic wanted to hit him.
Instead he asked the question that mattered.
“Where is Adrian?”
Marcus looked toward the warehouse windows.
“He changes locations constantly.”
“You must have something.”
“I have a meeting.”
“When?”
Marcus checked the clock.
“Tonight.”
“Where?”
“Your estate.”
Russell cursed.
Dominic stared.
“My house?”
“He wants the final transfer completed there.”
“What transfer?”
Marcus’s face became grim.
“Control.”
Dominic said, “Explain.”
Adrian had spent three years preparing.
Financial evidence.
Surveillance.
Witnesses purchased or manipulated.
False records connecting Dominic to crimes committed without his knowledge.
The final step involved a federal raid.
Dominic arrested.
Assets frozen.
Leadership destabilized.
Adrian would appear afterward.
Not publicly at first.
He would control the organization through proxies.
Then, eventually, reclaim the Vale name.
Marcus had delayed the plan repeatedly.
Elena discovering the room forced Adrian to accelerate it.
“When is the raid?” Dominic asked.
Marcus looked at him.
“Tomorrow morning.”
Russell swore.
“Can we stop it?”
“Not by running.”
Dominic understood.
Running would make him look guilty.
Destroying the documents would make him look guilty.
Killing Adrian would solve nothing if the evidence had already been distributed.
They needed proof.
Proof Adrian created the false records.
Proof of conspiracy.
Proof enough that even Dominic’s enemies would recognize the setup.
Marcus reached into his jacket slowly.
Russell raised his weapon.
Marcus stopped.
“Flash drive.”
Dominic nodded.
Marcus removed it.
“This contains copies of conversations with Adrian. Payments. Instructions.”
“Enough?”
“No.”
“What’s missing?”
“His direct confession.”
Dominic looked at him.
“And he’s coming to my estate tonight.”
Marcus nodded.
“He thinks I’m ready to betray you completely.”
Dominic took the drive.
“Then we let him believe it.”
At 11:40 p.m., the estate looked normal.
Lights glowed.
Security stood where expected.
Dominic waited inside the underground room.
Russell concealed himself nearby.
Recording devices ran independently from the compromised system.
Elena and Lily had been moved to Rebecca’s protected residence.
Marcus sat at the desk.
Midnight came.
No Adrian.
12:15.
Nothing.
At 12:28, Marcus’s phone buzzed.
One message.
CHANGE OF PLAN.
A second followed.
BRING DOMINIC TO THE OLD CHAPEL.
Dominic recognized the place immediately.
The private chapel where Adrian’s funeral had been held.
Marcus looked at him.
“He knows.”
Dominic picked up his coat.
Then another message arrived.
A photograph.
Elena standing beside Rebecca’s car.
Lily beside her.
Taken less than five minutes earlier.
May you like
Underneath were four words.
COME ALONE OR THEY DISAPPEAR.
