Chapter 14 - THE MAN DOMINIC TRUSTED MOSTVincent Kade had been useful from day one.
That was why Dominic trusted him.
He solved problems without noise.
Remembered birthdays.
Handled grieving families.
Never drank too much.
Never raised voice.
He became the man Dominic sent when he wanted something settled.
Nathan disliked him immediately.
Dominic remembered now.
One dinner years ago.
Nathan watched Vincent leave.
“Snake.”
Dominic laughed.
“You say that about everyone.”
“No.”
“Just snakes.”
Dominic ignored.
Vincent delivered profit.
Stability.
Expansion.
After Samuel died in supposed robbery, Vincent handled funeral details.
After Margaret became ill, Vincent managed business so Dominic could stay beside her.
Trust became infrastructure.
Questioning him felt like questioning last twenty years.
Grant reopened Samuel’s death.
Robbery had anomalies.
Nothing stolen except phone.
Samuel had called Vincent twice that week.
He had also scheduled meeting with Nathan.
Dominic sat with report.
“They were working together.”
Grant:
“Looks like.”
Riley:
“On Vincent?”
“Probably.”
Dominic's grief hardened.
Vincent had not only betrayed him professionally.
He may have killed brother and war brother.
Riley asked:
“What are you going to do?”
Dominic picked up phone.
“Invite him to lunch.”
Grant stared.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
Riley:
“You’re confronting?”
“No.”
“Listening.”
Vincent came to restaurant next day.
Same private room where Riley first stood.
She watched remotely from secure location, furious Dominic would not let her attend.
“You’re seventeen,” he said.
“I’m witness.”
“You’re target.”
“I hate you.”
“Take number.”
Vincent entered smiling.
“Dominic.”
“You look tired.”
“So do you.”
They ate.
Small talk.
Then Dominic said:
“I heard Nathan Dawson died.”
Vincent paused perfectly.
“Years ago.”
“You knew?”
“I thought you knew.”
Lie.
Dominic:
“How?”
“Accident.”
“Were you involved with funeral?”
Vincent dabbed mouth.
“Maybe helped.”
“Long time ago.”
Dominic watched micro-expression.
“His daughter found me.”
Vincent looked genuinely surprised for half second.
Then recovered.
“Riley?”
Dominic's blood went cold.
He had not said name.
Vincent realized mistake.
Too late.
Dominic leaned back.
“How do you know her name?”
Vincent smiled.
“You must have mentioned.”
“No.”
Silence.
Then Vincent changed.
Not dramatic.
Mask thinner.
“Nathan was careless.”
Dominic:
“He was many things.”
“Careless wasn’t one.”
Vincent said:
“He dragged family into dangerous business.”
Dominic:
“Whose business?”
Vincent looked.
“Yours.”
There.
Blame.
Dominic asked:
“Did you use my name to threaten people?”
Vincent laughed.
“Your name threatened people by existing.”
“Did you?”
“We built empire together.”
“No.”
Dominic’s voice became quiet.
“I built something dirty enough.”
“You built parasite inside it.”
Vincent’s eyes hardened.
“You’re taking word of dead man and damaged girl?”
Dominic went still.
“Damaged?”
Vincent knew scars.
He knew.
Dominic wanted table between them gone.
Wanted old instincts.
Nathan's letter burned in mind.
Do not respond with violence.
Dominic stood.
Lunch over.
Vincent smiled.
“You’ve gone soft.”
Dominic looked down.
“No.”
“I’ve gone careful.”
“For first time, you should be afraid of that.”
Vincent left under surveillance.
Dominic remained alone.
Grant entered.
“You got it.”
“Enough.”
“Audio captured.”
Dominic nodded.
Then secure phone rang.
Riley.
He answered.
“You heard?”
“Yes.”
“What did you think?”
Her voice was shaking.
“He knew.”
“Yes.”
“About me.”
“Yes.”
“About scars.”
Dominic closed eyes.
“Yes.”
Riley whispered:
“Then he’s the one.”
Dominic looked at door Vincent had exited.
“Maybe.”
Riley snapped:
“Stop saying maybe.”
Dominic understood anger.
But Nathan taught evidence.
“Maybe until proof.”
She hung up.
Dominic did not blame.
May you like
Soon he would have proof.
And he feared what Riley would lose when she got it.
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