Chapter 18 - THE NAME BEHIND NATHAN’S MURDERThe breach was not Vincent himself.
A hired driver rammed outer gate and fled.
Distraction.
At same time power flickered.
Grant moved Riley into safe interior room.
Dominic remained with her despite security urging evacuation.
“You’re target too,” Grant said.
Dominic:
“She called me.”
That ended discussion.
Within minutes backup power restored.
No intruder reached building.
But one envelope was found taped to rear service door.
Inside photograph.
Nathan’s dead body beside wreckage.
Riley made sound and dropped it.
Dominic grabbed envelope.
On back:
ASK YOUR FATHER WHO REALLY SENT HIM TO DIE.
Riley's eyes filled with fury.
“He’s dead!”
Dominic realized purpose.
Destabilize.
Make Riley doubt Nathan.
Or Dominic.
There was second note:
NATHAN WASN’T HERO YOU THINK. HE WORKED FOR DOMINIC.
Riley looked at Dominic.
“Did he?”
“No.”
“He audited subsidiary.”
“Not for me personally.”
Grant examined.
“This is psychological.”
Riley snapped:
“I know.”
Dominic said:
“You don’t have to look.”
“I already did.”
She turned away.
That night she refused sleep.
Dominic stayed in adjacent room.
Around 3 a.m. Riley appeared.
“You saw my dad’s body?”
“No.”
“Not before.”
“No.”
“Are you lying?”
“No.”
She sat.
“What if he did bad things?”
Dominic understood.
Children often need parents pure.
Truth rarely is.
“Nathan made mistakes.”
“What?”
“He was angry.”
“Stubborn.”
“Sometimes cruel with words.”
“He shut people out.”
“He lied to protect you.”
“Maybe that was wrong.”
Riley stared.
“But did he hurt people like Vincent?”
Dominic shook head.
“Not that I ever knew.”
“During war?”
Dominic paused.
War was complicated.
“We did things we carried afterward.”
“But Nathan spent rest of life trying to be better than worst day.”
Riley nodded.
That was enough.
Then Grant entered before dawn.
“We got Vincent.”
Riley stood.
“Where?”
“Port Authority parking structure.”
“He tried meeting someone for transport.”
“Federal custody.”
Dominic exhaled.
Riley:
“I want to see him.”
Dominic started no.
She cut:
“Not alone.”
“Not unsafe.”
“If authorities allow witness identification or controlled meeting.”
“I want him to see me.”
Dominic looked at Grant.
Grant:
“That’s investigator decision.”
Dominic turned.
“If approved, I won’t stop you.”
Riley’s shoulders eased.
“Thank you.”
Dominic:
“But understand.”
“Seeing him may not give closure.”
“I know.”
“He may lie.”
“I know.”
“He may try hurt you with words.”
Riley looked at scars.
“He’s late.”
Dominic's face hardened.
That line sounded too old for seventeen.
Soon, maybe, she could start becoming young again.
First, she wanted face man who stole father.
May you like
And Dominic understood why.
He wanted same.
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