Chapter 11 - The Secret Norah Had Buried
The medical wing burned before they reached the estate.
Firefighters contained the flames.
Nobody died.
But the medicine room was destroyed.
So were most of the records.
Samuel Vale had erased evidence.
Then disappeared.
Again.
Gideon stood outside watching smoke rise.
"He was alive all this time."
Gabriel nodded.
"Anthony helped fake his death."
"Why?"
"Because Samuel knew everything."
Norah looked at Natalie.
"And our mother?"
Natalie's eyes lowered.
"Samuel loved her."
Norah froze.
"What?"
"Not romantically. Evelyn saved his life when he tried to expose Anthony. She helped him disappear."
"Then why didn't he save her?"
"He tried."
Natalie's voice softened.
"He was too late."
Norah walked away.
Too many secrets.
Too many people deciding what she deserved to know.
Gideon found her beside the garden wall.
"You don't have to be strong every second."
She laughed bitterly.
"Coming from you?"
"That's how I recognize it."
She looked at him.
For once Gideon wasn't the mafia boss.
He was simply a tired man who had nearly died because his family had spent decades destroying itself.
"My mother lied to me."
"She protected you."
"Those aren't mutually exclusive."
"No."
Norah appreciated that he didn't defend Evelyn automatically.
"I loved her."
"You still can."
"And be angry?"
"Especially then."
Norah looked down.
Gideon's hand moved close to hers.
He hesitated.
She noticed.
Then she took it herself.
Neither spoke.
The moment lasted only seconds.
Rafael arrived.
"We found Samuel."
Gideon released Norah's hand.
"Where?"
"He didn't run."
"What?"
"He's downstairs."
Samuel Vale had walked into the estate and surrendered.
He looked nothing like his old photograph.
Gray hair.
Scarred face.
Tired eyes.
Marco stood across from him.
"Brother."
Samuel smiled sadly.
"You kept the bracelet."
Marco's eyes filled.
"You let me think you were dead."
"I needed everyone to."
Gideon entered.
Samuel looked at him.
"Elena's son."
"You poisoned me?"
"No."
"Gabriel did."
"At Anthony's instruction."
"Did you help?"
Samuel hesitated.
"At first."
Gideon's fist tightened.
Norah stepped between them before violence could begin.
"Why are you here?"
Samuel looked at her.
"Evelyn's daughter."
"Which one?"
For the first time, Samuel smiled.
"Definitely Norah."
"Answer me."
"Because Anthony isn't the final problem."
Gideon stared.
"Who is?"
Samuel placed a flash drive on the table.
"Your twelve doctors."
Norah frowned.
"All of them?"
"No."
Samuel pointed to the drive.
"One."
The files contained payment records.
Medical manipulation.
False laboratory reports.
Altered scans.
The poisoning alone hadn't convinced twelve specialists Gideon was dying.
Someone had been falsifying evidence.
Norah looked through the names.
Mercer.
Hart.
Others.
Then one file appeared.
Dr. Lena Hart.
Norah's stomach dropped.
"No."
Gideon stared at the screen.
Hart had been the independent doctor.
The one person they'd trusted.
Samuel nodded.
"She was Anthony's contingency."
Norah remembered Hart arriving quickly.
Too quickly.
Her access.
Her confidence.
Her knowledge.
"Where is she?" Gideon asked.
Rafael called security.
No answer.
Hart's room was empty.
On her desk was a syringe.
And beside it, a photograph.
Norah picked it up.
Her mother.
Evelyn.
Standing with Lena Hart.
On the back were four words.
WE FINISH WHAT SHE STARTED.
Norah stared.
"Maybe we're wrong."
Gideon looked at her.
"About what?"
"Hart isn't working for Anthony."
Samuel's face changed.
Norah understood.
"She's working against him."
Samuel stood.
"Find her."
"Why?"
"Because if Lena has the final file, Anthony will kill her."
A scream came from upstairs.
Then a gunshot.
Rafael ran.
Gideon followed.
Norah reached the staircase.
At the top stood Dr. Lena Hart.
Blood covered her white coat.
She held a flash drive in one hand.
And a gun in the other.
May you like
"Norah," she said.
"Your mother left one final message."
