Chapter 3 - The Key Marked Seventeen
Madeline stared at the brass key.
"I didn't put this there."
Dominic believed her.
That frightened her almost as much as the key itself.
"Daniel must have arranged something," he said.
"Daniel died eight months ago."
"Then someone working with him put it on you tonight."
Madeline remembered the chaos.
Noah.
Rebecca.
Doctors.
Orderlies.
The fake orderly.
Dozens of hands and bodies moving around her.
"Why?"
"Because you were the one person Julian couldn't control."
Madeline looked at him.
"That doesn't explain how anyone knew I would be there."
Dominic's expression changed.
Exactly.
They returned to Noah.
Rebecca was awake.
When she saw the key, she began crying.
"You recognize it," Madeline said.
Rebecca nodded.
"Daniel had one."
"What does it open?"
"I don't know."
Dominic asked, "Did he ever mention seventeen?"
"Constantly during his last month."
Rebecca wiped her eyes.
"He said seventeen wasn't a route."
Dominic frowned.
"What was it?"
"A place."
Noah stirred.
"Locker."
Everyone looked at him.
"What?" Madeline asked.
"My dad took me to the train station once."
Rebecca stared at her son.
"When?"
"Before he died."
Noah swallowed.
"He showed me lockers. He said if Mom ever got scared, remember seventeen."
Dominic was already moving.
"Which station?"
Noah told him.
Madeline grabbed her coat.
Dominic stopped.
"No."
"The key was planted on me."
"Which makes you a target."
"I already am."
"Exactly."
She stepped closer.
"You don't get to order me around."
His eyes held hers.
"Do you argue with everyone who tries to keep you alive?"
"Only men who confuse protection with control."
Something in his expression softened.
"Fine."
They went together.
The station was nearly empty.
Locker 17 stood at the far end.
Madeline inserted the key.
It turned.
Inside was a small metal case.
Dominic opened it.
Documents.
A flash drive.
A handwritten ledger.
And an envelope.
On the front:
FOR DOMINIC VALE.
Dominic opened it.
Daniel's handwriting covered two pages.
Dominic read silently.
Then handed the letter to Madeline.
Daniel had discovered that Julian and Marcus Dane were diverting money from legitimate Vale businesses into hidden accounts.
But the theft was only preparation.
They planned to make Victor appear mentally incompetent, force control of his holdings into Julian's hands, and remove Dominic before he could challenge the transfer.
Daniel had collected evidence.
Then he'd realized Marcus knew.
The final paragraph chilled Madeline.
If you're reading this, they probably got to me. Protect Rebecca and Noah. And don't assume Julian is the one in charge. He's too reckless. Someone else taught him where to cut.
Madeline looked up.
"Marcus."
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
Dominic took the flash drive.
"Daniel never guessed."
"What?"
"Marcus doesn't teach anyone. He serves whoever is strongest."
"Then who?"
Dominic closed the case.
"That's what we're going to find out."
A station announcement echoed.
Then Madeline noticed a man watching them.
Gray scrubs weren't necessary this time.
She recognized his eyes.
The fake orderly.
"Dominic."
He turned.
The man ran.
Dominic chased him.
Madeline stayed with the case.
Then someone grabbed her from behind.
She reacted instinctively, driving her heel backward and twisting free.
A second man.
He reached again.
Madeline swung the metal case.
It struck his arm.
Security alarms began sounding.
Dominic returned at a run.
The attacker fled.
Dominic started after him.
Madeline shouted, "Let him go!"
He stopped.
She was breathing hard.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
Dominic looked furious.
Not at her.
At himself.
"I shouldn't have left you."
"I'm standing."
"That's not the standard."
"It is in emergency medicine."
For a second, despite everything, they both laughed.
It vanished quickly.
They returned to the clinic.
Dominic copied the drive.
Most files were financial.
One was an audio recording.
Daniel's voice.
Then Marcus.
Daniel said, "Victor needs to know."
Marcus answered, "Victor won't believe his son is capable of this."
"He'll believe the accounts."
"Then you misunderstand fathers."
Another voice entered.
Older.
Female.
Madeline looked at Dominic.
He went pale.
The woman said, "If Daniel speaks to Victor, solve the problem."
The recording ended.
"Who was she?" Madeline asked.
Dominic didn't answer.
"Dominic."
He sat down.
"My aunt."
"Victor's sister?"
"Elena Vale."
Madeline understood the implications.
Julian wasn't alone.
Marcus wasn't the architect.
Elena was.
"Where is she?"
Dominic looked at his phone.
"With Victor."
Madeline's stomach dropped.
The photograph.
Julian behind his father.
Maybe Julian wasn't holding Victor alone.
Dominic called his second guard, Luca.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
"Something's wrong."
They returned to Noah's room.
Empty.
Madeline's heart stopped.
Then Rebecca emerged from the bathroom.
"He's having imaging."
Madeline exhaled.
Dominic didn't.
"Who authorized it?"
Rebecca frowned.
"The doctor."
Madeline checked the chart.
No imaging had been ordered.
She ran.
Again.
The scanner room was empty.
A wheelchair stood inside.
On its seat lay Noah's hospital bracelet.
Dominic cursed.
Madeline grabbed the bracelet.
Written on the inside in blue ink were three words.
SHE KNOWS NOW.
Her phone rang.
Unknown number.
Madeline answered.
Noah whispered, "Madeline?"
"Noah! Where are you?"
"I don't know."
A woman took the phone.
Her voice was calm.
Elegant.
Older.
"You've caused a remarkable amount of trouble for a nurse."
Madeline looked at Dominic.
"Elena."
Dominic's face hardened.
The woman laughed softly.
"So he told you."
"Where is Noah?"
"Safe, for the moment."
"If you hurt him—"
"You still think this is about the boy."
Madeline gripped the phone.
"What do you want?"
"The key opened Daniel's locker. You have the ledger."
"Maybe."
"Bring it."
"Where?"
Elena gave an address.
Dominic shook his head violently.
Madeline continued listening.
"Come alone," Elena said.
"No."
"Then Noah pays for your courage."
Madeline's jaw tightened.
"Let me hear him."
Noah returned.
"I'm okay."
Then quickly:
"Don't trust the—"
The call ended.
Madeline stared at the phone.
"Don't trust the what?"
Dominic was already tracing the address.
Then his screen lit up.
A message from Luca.
Only four words.
DON'T BRING HER HERE.
Dominic called.
No answer.
Another message arrived.
SHE'S INSIDE THE FAMILY.
Madeline looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
Before Dominic could answer, the clinic doors opened.
Luca staggered inside.
Blood darkened his black shirt.
Dominic caught him.
"Who did this?"
Luca tried to speak.
His eyes found Madeline.
"Not... Elena."
Dominic leaned closer.
"Who?"
Luca forced out one name.
Then collapsed.
May you like
Madeline heard it clearly.
"Rebecca."
