Chapter 8 - The Woman They Couldn’t See
The blast destroyed the west security station.
Victor moved Harper and Isabella into the reinforced library while his men secured the estate.
Arthur’s people came through the west gate.
The same gate Harper had watched for months.
Gunfire echoed outside.
Harper crouched beside Caleb.
“You knew Arthur used that gate.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell Victor?”
“I didn’t trust him.”
Victor heard.
“Reasonable.”
Caleb looked surprised.
Victor loaded another magazine.
Harper watched him.
“You’re injured.”
“I’ve been injured before.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting.”
Despite everything, she almost laughed.
The lights died.
Emergency lamps turned on.
Isabella whispered, “They’re not attacking to kill Victor.”
Victor looked at her.
“Then why?”
“To retrieve the ledger.”
Harper held it beneath her apron.
Victor had given it to the one person attackers would underestimate.
Again.
The maid.
A crash sounded outside.
Victor raised his weapon.
Harper noticed another door.
A servants’ passage.
“I can get us to the old laundry corridor.”
Victor frowned.
“How?”
“I clean this house.”
She knew doors his soldiers ignored.
Hallways powerful men never used.
Stairs designed for servants a century earlier.
For the first time, Victor’s survival depended not on weapons, but on the woman everyone had treated like furniture.
Harper led Isabella and Caleb through the wall passage.
Victor followed.
They emerged behind the laundry room.
Harper stopped.
The loose brick was displaced.
Someone had searched where she hid the glass.
“They know everything I did.”
Victor looked at her.
“Not everything.”
They moved toward the garage.
A figure stepped from the shadows.
Harper froze.
“Dad.”
Thomas Carter looked older than his photograph.
But alive.
Harper struck him.
The slap echoed.
Thomas accepted it.
“That was deserved.”
“Twelve years?”
“I couldn’t come back.”
“You could have called.”
“They watched you.”
“You let Caleb think you were dead.”
Thomas looked at his son.
“I’m sorry.”
Caleb turned away.
Victor interrupted.
“Who opened my gates?”
Thomas looked toward Isabella.
“Ask your mother.”
Isabella’s face tightened.
“I opened them.”
Victor stared.
“Why?”
“Because Arthur wasn’t coming alone.”
A vehicle roared outside.
Isabella continued.
“I needed all of them inside.”
Victor understood.
“You trapped them.”
“Yes.”
The outer gates suddenly slammed shut.
Arthur’s attackers were contained within the estate perimeter.
Victor’s loyal teams closed in.
For the first time, Isabella smiled.
“Your father taught me something about war.”
Victor looked at her.
“What?”
“Never interrupt your enemy while he’s entering the cage.”
Then Thomas grabbed Harper.
A red laser dot appeared on her chest.
“Down!”
Glass exploded behind them.
A sniper round struck the wall.
Victor dragged Harper behind a car.
Thomas pointed toward the roofline.
“The shooter isn’t Arthur’s.”
Victor looked at him.
“How do you know?”
“Because Arthur is running from the same man.”
A phone began ringing inside the abandoned car beside Harper.
Nobody owned it.
Victor opened the door.
On the seat was a phone displaying one incoming call.
May you like
The caller ID contained two words.
ANTONIO ROMANO.
