Chapter 4 - The Secret Inside Laura
Dominic refused to trade the original ledger.
Chloe refused to let Henry die.
For twenty minutes, they argued in Dominic's office.
"You don't know whether he's even alive," Dominic said.
"Then we find out."
"That's what Paulie is doing."
"And while we're waiting?"
"We think."
Chloe paced.
"You really can turn everything into a business meeting."
"It's kept me alive."
"Maybe that's your problem."
Dominic's expression hardened.
"My problem?"
"You think surviving is the same as living."
Silence.
She regretted it immediately.
Not because it wasn't true.
Because she'd seen the wound land.
Dominic walked to the window.
"My father used to say something similar."
"What?"
"That a man can spend so long building walls he forgets he built himself inside them."
Chloe softened.
"What happened to him?"
"Died before I learned whether he was right."
Paulie entered.
"We found Henry's phone."
"Where?"
"Parking garage six blocks away."
"Henry?"
"No."
Dominic turned.
"Varga wants us moving."
Chloe stopped pacing.
"So we don't."
Dominic looked at her.
"What?"
"He wants the ledger. He expects you to rush into a trade."
"Yes."
"So give him one."
"A fake?"
"A controlled copy."
Dominic studied her.
"Go on."
For the next hour, Chloe became the person she had been before fear had reduced her life to rent payments and survival.
She organized.
Calculated.
Planned.
They photographed selected pages.
Removed anything that could hurt innocent people.
Included enough evidence to frighten Varga.
Then Dominic contacted a federal attorney Dante had once trusted.
By afternoon, the evidence existed in three separate secure locations.
Varga could no longer erase it by stealing one ledger.
Chloe looked at Dominic.
"Now we meet him."
"No."
"You said—"
"I said we make the copy."
"You need me."
"Absolutely not."
"Varga doesn't want you. He wants what my father hid."
"And that's exactly why you're staying here."
Chloe stepped closer.
"You don't own me."
Dominic's jaw tightened.
"I know."
"Then stop making decisions for me."
"I'm trying to keep you alive."
"Then stand beside me. Don't put me behind you."
Something passed between them.
Dominic finally nodded.
"Beside me."
The meeting took place in Laura after midnight.
Varga arrived alone.
Or appeared to.
Henry sat beside him.
Alive.
Bruised but conscious.
Chloe exhaled.
Varga smiled.
"Touching."
Dominic placed the copied ledger on the table.
"Release Henry."
"First the book."
"No."
Varga laughed.
"Your father was easier to negotiate with."
Dominic's expression went cold.
"My father almost destroyed you."
"Your father was sentimental."
Varga looked at Chloe.
"So was Michael."
Chloe stepped forward.
"You invented his debt."
"I encouraged his weaknesses."
"You threatened his children."
"I applied pressure."
"You destroyed him."
Varga shrugged.
"He destroyed himself long before I arrived."
Chloe wanted to hate him.
Instead, she felt something colder.
Clarity.
Her father had made terrible choices.
Varga had exploited them.
Both truths could exist.
Neither had to control her future.
Dominic slid the ledger forward.
Varga released Henry.
Paulie escorted him away.
Varga opened the book.
His smile disappeared.
"This is incomplete."
"Of course."
Varga looked up.
"Where's the original?"
"Safe."
"Then we're not finished."
"We are."
Dominic placed his phone on the table.
"Copies went to attorneys this afternoon."
Varga's face changed.
"You think paper protects you?"
"No."
Dominic looked at Chloe.
"People do."
Varga stood.
"You've become soft."
Dominic remained seated.
"Maybe."
"You think she'll stay when she understands what you are?"
Chloe looked at Dominic.
Varga smiled.
"Has he told you how your father's gambling started?"
Dominic's eyes sharpened.
"Enough."
Chloe heard it.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For what Varga was about to say.
She turned.
"What does he mean?"
Varga laughed quietly.
"Ask Dominic who owned the first card room Michael Bennett ever entered."
Chloe's face went pale.
Dominic stood.
"Chloe—"
"Who?"
He didn't answer quickly enough.
Varga did.
"Dante Rossi."
The room tilted.
Chloe stared at Dominic.
"Your father?"
"Yes."
"You knew?"
"Not until tonight."
Varga smiled.
"But that's not the interesting part."
Dominic moved toward him.
Varga stepped backward.
"Michael didn't wander into Dante's world by accident."
Chloe's heart pounded.
"What are you saying?"
Varga reached inside his coat.
Paulie reacted instantly.
"Hands!"
Varga slowly removed an envelope.
He placed it on the table.
"Michael was recruited."
"By whom?" Chloe asked.
Varga looked directly at Dominic.
"His father."
Dominic froze.
Chloe opened the envelope.
Inside was an old photograph.
Michael Bennett.
Dante Rossi.
And a third man.
On the back was a date from twenty-two years earlier.
Underneath were three handwritten words.
MICHAEL KNOWS EVERYTHING.
Chloe turned the photograph over again.
A fourth figure had been partially cut from the edge.
Only one hand remained visible.
On that hand was a distinctive ring.
Dominic recognized it.
He had seen the same ring every week for twenty years.
He slowly looked toward the restaurant entrance.
Someone had just unlocked the front door from outside.
May you like
Elena stepped through.
The same ring was on her hand...
