Chapter 4 - The Voice From the Past
Harper hadn't heard her father's voice in nine years.
Not clearly.
She had old birthday videos.
A few voicemails she couldn't bring herself to delete.
One grainy recording from Christmas where Daniel Quinn laughed while trying to assemble a bicycle without instructions.
But nothing prepared her for hearing him speak through Roman Vale's laptop in a dark hospital conference room at two in the morning.
The recording began with static.
Then a man's voice.
"Julian, if you're hearing this, things are worse than I thought."
Harper stopped breathing.
Roman turned sharply toward her.
"You know him?"
She couldn't answer.
The recording continued.
"Derek Langdon isn't acting alone. He's moving accounts through shell companies connected to Saran. Harper doesn't know anything. Keep her out of it."
Harper grabbed the edge of the table.
"No."
Roman paused the recording.
"Harper."
"Play it."
"Are you sure?"
"Play it."
Roman's gaze lingered on her face.
Then he pressed the key.
Her father spoke again.
"If they discover I kept copies, they'll come after me. More importantly, they may use Harper. Langdon has already met her twice through investment events. I don't like the way he asks about her."
Harper's stomach twisted.
Twice?
She had met Derek nine years ago?
No.
They had officially met three years later at a charity fundraiser.
At least that was what Derek told her.
The recording continued.
"If something happens, Roman needs to know Viktor has people inside the city financial crimes unit. Don't trust badges automatically."
Then another voice entered the recording.
Julian Vale.
Younger than Roman.
Calmer.
"Daniel, get out. Take Harper and leave Chicago."
Her father answered.
"She won't understand."
"Then make her understand."
"I spent my whole life keeping this world away from her."
Static.
A noise.
Then Daniel Quinn said one final sentence.
"If I'm wrong, she'll hate me for dragging her away. If I'm right, she may hate me for never telling her why."
The recording ended.
Harper stared at the black screen.
Her father had died nine years ago in what police called a workplace accident.
He had been an independent forensic accountant.
Harper had known he worked for banks and private companies.
She hadn't known he worked with Julian Vale.
Hadn't known he was investigating Viktor Saran.
Hadn't known Derek had been asking about her before they supposedly met.
Roman stood beside her in silence.
Harper whispered, "My father's death wasn't an accident."
Roman didn't lie.
"I don't know."
She turned toward him.
"Don't do that."
"What?"
"Give me careful answers."
His jaw tightened.
"You want certainty I don't have."
"I want the truth."
"So do I."
Harper looked toward the laptop again.
"How did Derek find this?"
Roman's people had intercepted him and Kinsley at the hospital server facility.
Derek escaped through an emergency stairwell.
Kinsley had been detained by Roman's men in an underground loading area.
The storage drive containing Daniel's recording had been recovered.
Now Kinsley sat in another room three floors below.
Waiting.
Harper's voice became hard.
"I want to talk to her."
Roman immediately said, "No."
She looked at him.
He sighed.
"I heard it as soon as I said it."
"Good."
"Harper, she participated in framing you for financial crimes."
"Exactly."
"She may also have helped Derek with people who murdered my brother."
"Then we both have questions."
Roman stepped closer.
"Kinsley knows you're alive. She does not need to know where you're staying or what you're doing."
"I can handle her."
"I know."
Harper blinked.
That wasn't the answer she expected.
Roman continued.
"My objection isn't that you're weak."
"Then what?"
"You're hurt."
Harper's throat tightened.
Roman looked toward the door.
"People who hurt us have unusual access to our judgment."
She studied him.
"Who hurt yours?"
A shadow crossed his face.
"Later."
"You always say later."
"Because every conversation with you turns into an interrogation."
"Maybe you're suspicious."
"Maybe you're relentless."
"Maybe both."
The corner of his mouth almost moved.
Then Roman opened the door.
"Five minutes."
"With Kinsley?"
"Yes."
Harper straightened.
"Alone."
"No."
"Roman."
"No."
She crossed her arms.
He stared.
She stared back.
Finally he said, "Elias waits outside."
"Fine."
The room where Kinsley sat was small and sterile.
She looked nothing like Harper's glamorous best friend.
Her hair was tangled.
Makeup smeared.
A bruise darkened one cheek.
She wore hospital scrubs beneath a coat.
When Harper entered, Kinsley looked up.
Her face went pale.
"Harper."
Harper closed the door.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Kinsley started crying.
Harper felt nothing.
That scared her.
"Don't."
Kinsley swallowed.
"I can explain."
"That's apparently the phrase everyone uses when they destroy someone's life."
"Harper—"
"You slept with my fiancé."
Kinsley shut her eyes.
"And you moved three million dollars through an account with my name."
Kinsley's eyes snapped open.
"So let's skip the tears."
"It wasn't supposed to happen like this."
Harper laughed once.
"Which part? The sex or the felony?"
Kinsley flinched.
"Derek told me the accounts were temporary."
"You believed him?"
"I needed money."
"So you framed me."
"No."
"Don't lie."
Kinsley looked away.
Harper leaned forward.
"How long?"
"What?"
"You and Derek."
Silence.
"How long, Kinsley?"
"Eight months."
Something inside Harper cracked.
Eight months.
Eight months of brunch.
Eight months of wedding planning.
Eight months of Kinsley hugging her.
Harper's voice was barely audible.
"You helped me choose invitations."
Kinsley started crying again.
"I hated myself."
"Not enough to stop."
"I thought he was leaving you."
Harper stared.
"Did he tell you that?"
"Yes."
"Of course he did."
Kinsley wiped her face.
"He said you didn't understand him. He said you only cared about the wedding."
Harper laughed bitterly.
"Derek complained I wasn't enthusiastic enough about the wedding."
Kinsley looked genuinely confused.
Harper shook her head.
"He played both of us."
"No."
"No?"
Kinsley's expression changed.
"He played you."
The words landed like a slap.
Harper leaned back.
Kinsley continued.
"I knew about the accounts."
"Then congratulations. You're worse."
"I didn't know he planned to put everything on you."
"When did you find out?"
"This week."
"And you didn't warn me."
"I was scared."
"So was I."
"I thought we could fix it."
"You mean steal more money and disappear?"
Kinsley's face crumpled.
Harper suddenly noticed something.
A mark on her wrist.
Fingers.
Bruises.
"Did Derek do that?"
Kinsley covered her wrist.
"No."
"Who?"
"Viktor's men."
Harper's anger paused.
Kinsley whispered, "They came to the apartment. Derek pushed me toward them and ran."
Harper's stomach turned.
"Then how did you end up together at the hospital?"
"He came back."
"Why?"
"Because I knew where the storage drive was."
Kinsley swallowed.
"He needed me."
Harper almost smiled sadly.
"That sounds familiar."
Kinsley cried harder.
Then she whispered, "There's something you don't understand."
"What?"
"Derek didn't choose you randomly."
Harper became still.
"My father?"
Kinsley nodded.
"Derek knew who Daniel Quinn was."
"How?"
"I don't know everything."
"Tell me what you do know."
Kinsley looked toward the door.
"Vale is going to kill me."
"No."
"You can't promise that."
Harper thought of Roman's cold efficiency in the garage.
Maybe she couldn't.
But she said, "Tell me."
Kinsley breathed shakily.
"Your father found evidence linking Viktor Saran to offshore accounts. Derek was working for one of Viktor's lawyers back then."
Harper felt sick.
"He met me because of my father."
"Yes."
"Three years of my life."
Kinsley nodded.
"At first."
Harper stared.
"What does that mean?"
Kinsley hesitated.
"Derek said something changed."
"What?"
"He said he was supposed to get access to anything your father left behind."
Harper's heart pounded.
"But he couldn't find it."
"What was he looking for?"
"A ledger."
"What ledger?"
"I don't know."
Kinsley leaned forward.
"But Derek believes your father left it with you."
"I don't have anything."
"He thinks you do."
"Why?"
"Because Daniel sent you something the week before he died."
Harper froze.
A memory surfaced.
A package.
College dormitory.
Freshman year.
Her father had sent her an old children's book from home.
Harper had thought it was strange.
The book had belonged to her grandmother.
She still had it.
Stored in a box at her mother's house.
Kinsley saw her expression.
"You know something."
Harper stood too quickly.
Chair legs scraped.
"No."
"Harper—"
She headed for the door.
Kinsley called after her.
"Wait."
Harper stopped.
"What?"
Kinsley lowered her voice.
"Derek is going after your mother."
Everything inside Harper froze.
"What did you say?"
"He knows she still has your father's belongings."
Harper opened the door.
Roman stood outside.
One look at her face and his expression changed.
"What happened?"
"My mother."
"What about her?"
"Derek knows where she lives."
Roman pulled out his phone immediately.
"Elias."
Harper grabbed his arm.
"I need to call her."
Roman dialed with his other hand.
"Use my phone."
He handed it over.
Harper called.
Once.
Twice.
No answer.
"Come on, Mom."
Third call.
Voicemail.
Harper's pulse climbed.
Roman spoke into his phone.
"Send the nearest team to Quinn's residence."
Harper called again.
Nothing.
Then her own phone buzzed.
A message from Derek.
A photograph.
Her mother's front porch.
Taken from inside the house.
Below it, one sentence:
Bring me what your father left you, and your mother stays alive.
Harper's knees weakened.
Roman caught her.
His arm locked around her waist.
"Harper."
She turned the phone toward him.
Roman read the message.
His face became terrifyingly still.
Harper looked up.
"We have to go."
"We will."
"Now."
Roman handed the phone to Elias.
"Trace everything."
Then he looked at Harper.
"Derek wants a ledger."
"I know where it might be."
Roman's eyes narrowed.
"Where?"
"My mother's attic."
Harper pulled away.
"I'll show you."
Roman blocked her path.
"You're not walking into a hostage situation."
"That is my mother."
"I know."
"No, you don't."
Something flashed across his face.
"Actually," Roman said quietly, "I know exactly what it's like to lose family because someone else decided they were useful leverage."
Harper stopped.
The pain in his eyes vanished almost as quickly as it appeared.
He stepped closer.
"We get your mother back."
Not I'll try.
Not maybe.
We.
Harper nodded.
Ten minutes later they were inside an SUV racing toward Lincoln Park.
Harper watched Roman make calls.
Teams redirected.
Traffic cameras accessed.
Exit routes mapped.
The feared man everyone whispered about was reorganizing his entire network for a woman he had met less than twenty-four hours earlier.
Harper didn't understand why.
Maybe he didn't either.
They reached her mother's street.
Roman's vehicles stopped a block away.
The house looked dark.
Too dark.
Harper whispered, "Her bedroom light is usually on."
Roman caught her hand.
"Stay here."
"No."
"Harper."
"Don't waste time arguing."
His gaze dropped to their joined hands again.
Then he released a slow breath.
"Behind me."
They entered through the back.
The kitchen was empty.
A chair overturned.
A mug shattered.
Harper's heart broke.
"Mom?"
No answer.
They moved upstairs.
Bedroom empty.
Attic stairs down.
Roman raised his weapon.
Harper followed.
Inside the attic, boxes had been ripped open.
Her father's belongings scattered everywhere.
Then Harper saw the children's book lying on the floor.
Its cover torn.
She picked it up.
Something had been cut from the spine.
The ledger.
Gone.
Roman inspected the room.
"Derek found it."
Harper's phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time a video.
Her mother sat tied to a chair in an unfamiliar room.
Terrified but alive.
Derek stepped into frame behind her.
He looked directly into the camera.
"Harper, Roman Vale will tell you this is about money."
He smiled.
"It isn't."
Roman moved beside her.
Derek continued.
"Ask Roman why your father was really killed."
Harper turned slowly toward him.
Roman's jaw tightened.
The video played on.
"Ask him who gave Viktor Saran your father's location nine years ago."
Harper's blood turned cold.
Then Derek delivered the final line.
"Because the answer isn't me."
The video ended.
Harper stared at Roman.
He didn't look away.
"Roman."
His voice was low.
"There's something I need to tell you."
And suddenly Harper wasn't sure which betrayal would hurt more—the one behind her or the one standing directly in front of her.
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Continue to Chapter 5…
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