Chapter 10 - THE MEN WHO KEPT ASKINGMarissa Cole was found in New Jersey.
Alive.
Scared.
Living under different surname.
Grant arranged meeting in attorney’s office with law enforcement aware.
Riley did not want to go.
Then changed mind.
Marissa looked older than Riley remembered.
Gray streaks.
Hands shaking.
When Riley entered, Marissa began crying.
“Oh my God.”
Riley stayed near door.
“Don’t.”
Marissa stopped.
“I’m sorry.”
“For which part?”
No answer.
Dominic remained outside at Riley’s request.
Grant sat in corner.
Marissa said:
“I tried to keep you safe.”
Riley laughed.
“Dean broke my arm.”
“I made him leave.”
“After.”
Marissa cried harder.
“The money stopped.”
“What money?”
“Nathan’s trust payments.”
Grant leaned forward.
“When?”
“About four years after he died.”
“Who controlled trust?”
“Attorney named Paul Renner.”
Grant knew name.
Firm tied to Vincent.
Riley stared.
“What happened after money stopped?”
Marissa wiped eyes.
“Men started coming.”
“They said Nathan owed people.”
“They wanted a key.”
“A notebook.”
“Something called a red file.”
“I told them I didn't know.”
“One offered me money.”
Riley's expression hardened.
“You took it.”
Marissa closed eyes.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Ten thousand.”
“For what?”
“To tell them where you went to school.”
Grant swore softly.
Riley stared as if punched.
Marissa whispered:
“I thought they only wanted to watch.”
“You sold me.”
“No.”
“You sold my location.”
“I was desperate.”
Riley stood.
“I was twelve.”
Marissa sobbed.
“I know.”
Riley’s voice shook.
“Did my dad trust you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
Marissa had no answer good enough.
There rarely is.
Grant asked:
“Did any name come up?”
Marissa hesitated.
“Vincent.”
Riley froze.
Grant:
“Vincent Kade?”
“Yes.”
“He came once himself.”
“When?”
“After Nathan died.”
“He told me Nathan had gotten involved with dangerous people.”
“He said protecting Riley required cooperation.”
“Did he say Dominic’s name?”
“Yes.”
Riley’s stomach dropped.
“What?”
Marissa looked ashamed.
“He said he was speaking for Dominic Vance.”
Outside office, Dominic heard through agreed audio feed.
His expression went cold.
Marissa continued:
“I believed him.”
“Everyone knew Dominic’s reputation.”
“He said if I caused problems, Riley would end up in state care.”
“So I signed paperwork.”
Grant:
“What paperwork?”
“Trust.”
“Guardianship.”
“Confidentiality.”
“Did Vincent ever ask about Nathan’s private number?”
“No.”
“Anything Dominic-specific?”
“He asked whether Nathan left Riley instructions.”
Riley whispered:
“I lied.”
Marissa looked.
“What?”
“When they asked.”
“I always said no.”
Grant:
“That probably kept you alive.”
Marissa broke down.
Riley did not comfort her.
When meeting ended, Dominic waited in hallway.
Riley walked out.
He asked:
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Want to leave?”
“Yes.”
In car she said nothing for fifteen minutes.
Then:
“He used your name.”
Dominic:
“Yes.”
“To scare her.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t know.”
“No.”
Riley turned.
“How many things have people done using your name that you don’t know about?”
Question landed like weapon.
Dominic looked out window.
“Too many.”
Riley:
“That’s convenient.”
Grant glanced mirror.
Dominic did not defend.
“You’re right.”
She stared, surprised again.
Dominic continued:
“If Vincent used my reputation to threaten your guardian, then whatever I intended is irrelevant.”
“My name still did damage.”
Riley looked forward.
Nathan's words:
Make your life worth saving.
Maybe this was part.
Dominic asked:
“Do you still want my protection?”
Riley thought.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because now you know what your name costs.”
Dominic nodded.
May you like
And quietly decided if Vincent Kade had truly weaponized that name—
he would lose every inch of protection it had ever given him.
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