Chapter 2 - The Man Behind the Elevator Doors
Dominic reached inside his jacket as the elevator opened.
Elena grabbed his arm.
“No weapons around my son.”
Dominic stopped.
Then slowly removed his empty hand.
The elevator doors slid fully apart.
A thin elderly man stood inside.
He wore a dark wool coat despite the warm restaurant.
His white hair was damp at the temples.
And in his hand was Jamie’s gray blanket.
Elena’s stomach dropped.
“Give me that.”
The man stepped forward.
Marco appeared beside Dominic.
Two restaurant security employees approached from the other side.
The elderly man raised one hand.
“I’m not here to hurt anyone.”
“Then you chose a terrible way to introduce yourself,” Dominic said.
The man looked directly at Elena.
“You have your mother’s eyes.”
Elena went still.
“My mother is dead.”
“Yes.”
The man’s expression tightened.
“And she died because she trusted the wrong person.”
Dominic turned sharply.
“You know who sent the photograph.”
The man looked at him.
“I sent it.”
Silence.
Elena stared.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Samuel Voss.”
She waited.
Nothing.
The name meant nothing.
Samuel seemed disappointed.
“That’s probably for the best.”
“You took my baby’s blanket?”
“I needed proof that security here could be breached.”
Dominic’s voice became dangerously quiet.
“You could have sent an email.”
“They read emails.”
Elena felt sick.
“Who are ‘they’?”
Samuel looked toward the restaurant.
“Not here.”
Dominic’s mouth tightened.
“That line’s getting old.”
Samuel gave him a grim look.
“Your father used to say the same thing.”
Dominic froze.
Elena noticed.
For the first time since meeting him, Dominic looked caught off guard.
“You knew my father?”
“I worked for him.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“My father died twelve years ago.”
“I know.”
“And you disappeared two months before he died.”
“I know that too.”
The air changed.
Whatever existed between these men belonged to another world.
Elena didn’t care.
She shifted Jamie against her chest.
“I want answers.”
Samuel looked at the baby.
“So did your mother.”
Elena’s throat tightened.
“My mother worked at a dentist’s office. She had nothing to do with men like him.”
She pointed at Dominic.
Dominic looked mildly offended but wisely said nothing.
Samuel’s face softened.
“That’s what she wanted you to believe.”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
“Your mother’s name wasn’t Rachel Riley.”
Elena stared.
“What?”
“She was born Rachel DeLuca.”
Dominic’s expression sharpened.
Elena looked between them.
“Who is DeLuca?”
Samuel answered.
“A family Dominic’s father once spent years fighting.”
Dominic said, “That ended before Elena was born.”
Samuel nodded.
“Publicly.”
Elena laughed once.
It came out broken.
“This is ridiculous. My mother sold whitening treatments and complained about insurance forms.”
“She also kept financial records for her brother.”
“My mother didn’t have a brother.”
“She did.”
Samuel’s gaze dropped.
“Antonio DeLuca.”
Dominic cursed under his breath.
Elena’s pulse quickened.
“Who?”
Dominic answered reluctantly.
“A man people feared.”
“Why?”
“Because he earned it.”
Samuel looked at Dominic.
“And because your father made sure everyone knew.”
Dominic’s eyes hardened.
“Careful.”
Samuel ignored him.
“Elena, your mother ran when she discovered Antonio had begun using legitimate businesses to hide money from men more dangerous than he was.”
Elena stared at him.
“My mother died in a car accident when I was fifteen.”
Samuel’s face went still.
“No.”
One word.
It shattered something.
Elena shook her head.
“The police report—”
“Was altered.”
“No.”
“She was supposed to testify.”
“No.”
“She called me the night before she died.”
“Stop.”
Samuel did not.
“She made me promise that if anything happened to her, I would wait until you were an adult and then tell you the truth.”
Elena’s eyes burned.
“Then where were you?”
Samuel looked ashamed.
“I was afraid.”
“You waited thirteen years?”
“I tried twice.”
“Apparently everyone keeps trying to contact me and somehow nobody manages it.”
Dominic looked at Samuel.
“What changed six months ago?”
Samuel’s gaze went to Jamie.
“Him.”
Elena pulled Jamie closer.
Samuel noticed.
“I won’t come nearer.”
“What does my baby have to do with this?”
Samuel looked at Dominic.
Then back at Elena.
“Jamie’s father.”
The room seemed to vanish.
Elena’s voice dropped.
“What about him?”
Samuel swallowed.
“You were told his name was Eric Hale.”
Elena stiffened.
That was a name she hadn’t said out loud in months.
Eric had vanished two weeks after she told him she was pregnant.
His phone disconnected.
His apartment emptied.
His employer claimed no one by that name had ever worked there.
She had spent weeks searching.
Then months trying to forget.
“Yes.”
“There was no Eric Hale.”
Elena felt cold.
Dominic looked at Samuel.
“Who was he?”
Samuel’s expression turned grim.
“A man named Julian Cross.”
Dominic stepped back.
Elena saw recognition again.
“Who is Julian Cross?”
Dominic did not answer immediately.
“Dominic.”
His eyes met hers.
“He worked intelligence and security for several private organizations.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means he was paid to find people who didn’t want to be found.”
Elena went pale.
“Why was he with me?”
Samuel said, “Because someone believed your mother left something with you.”
“What?”
“We don’t know.”
“I was fifteen when she died.”
“They thought she might have hidden it inside something you inherited.”
Elena shook her head.
“I inherited nothing. We had no money.”
“Not money.”
“Then what?”
Samuel looked toward her worn handbag.
Elena noticed.
Her hand moved to it.
“What?”
“That bag.”
She stared down.
It had belonged to her mother.
Cheap brown leather.
Cracked strap.
Elena had kept it for sentimental reasons.
Samuel’s face changed.
“May I see it?”
“No.”
“Elena—”
“No.”
She opened the bag herself.
Wallet.
Baby wipes.
Pacifier.
Old receipts.
A folded eviction notice.
Nothing else.
Samuel looked frustrated.
“Your mother carried a bag just like that.”
“This is hers.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“Has it ever been repaired?”
Elena frowned.
“The lining ripped years ago.”
“By who?”
“My aunt sewed it.”
Samuel looked sharply at her.
“What aunt?”
“Caroline.”
His face drained.
Dominic noticed.
“Who is Caroline?”
Samuel whispered, “Rachel’s sister.”
Elena’s eyes widened.
“She told me she was my mother’s best friend.”
Samuel closed his eyes.
Dominic muttered, “This keeps getting better.”
Elena’s breathing became shallow.
“Aunt Caroline moved away when I was nineteen.”
Samuel looked at her.
“Where?”
“I don’t know. Arizona, maybe.”
“When did she last contact you?”
Elena thought.
“Seven months ago.”
Dominic and Samuel exchanged a glance.
“What?” Elena demanded.
Samuel said, “That’s one month before I sent the photograph.”
Elena pulled out her phone.
She scrolled.
Caroline’s last message appeared.
Hope you and the baby are safe. Never let anyone take Rachel’s bag.
Elena had assumed it was sentimental.
Now the words looked different.
Dominic held out his hand.
“May I?”
She hesitated.
Then handed him the bag.
He examined the seams.
Nothing.
Samuel pointed.
“Inside pocket.”
Dominic turned it inside out.
The stitching along one edge was newer than the rest.
Marco produced a small pocketknife.
Elena looked at Dominic.
“You said no weapons.”
Dominic looked at Marco.
Marco sighed and put it away.
A waiter brought scissors instead.
Dominic carefully cut one seam.
Something hard slipped into his palm.
A tiny brass key.
Elena stared.
Samuel whispered, “Rachel.”
Dominic turned the key over.
A number was engraved on it.
“What does it open?” Elena asked.
Samuel looked terrified.
“I hoped I’d never find out.”
Dominic’s phone rang.
He answered.
“Yeah.”
His expression changed.
“When?”
Elena watched him.
Dominic looked at Marco.
“Seal the building.”
He hung up.
“What happened?” Elena asked.
Dominic took a breath.
“Someone entered your apartment thirty minutes ago.”
Elena’s face went blank.
“What?”
“My security team was watching the building after you arrived.”
“My landlord?”
“No.”
“Police?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Dominic showed her a still image.
A woman stood outside Elena’s apartment.
Older.
Silver-blonde hair.
Thin frame.
Elena nearly dropped Jamie.
“Aunt Caroline.”
Samuel whispered, “Impossible.”
Elena looked at him.
“Why?”
Samuel stared at the screen.
“Because Caroline DeLuca died nine years ago.”
Elena’s phone buzzed.
A new message appeared from an unknown number.
COME HOME ALONE.
May you like
A second message arrived.
OR JAMIE LEARNS WHO HIS FATHER REALLY WAS.
