Chapter 6 - The Traitor at Roman's Table
By sunrise, Roman Vale had transformed from a controlled businessman into something much more dangerous.
He didn't shout.
He didn't throw furniture.
He didn't threaten anyone.
That was worse.
He stood at the center of the safe house command room and quietly dismantled the lives of everyone connected to his cousin Marcus.
Phones seized.
Accounts frozen.
Cars located.
Security access revoked.
Every person who had spoken with Marcus during the previous month was questioned.
Harper sat near the window with coffee she hadn't touched.
Kinsley was gone.
Her mother was still missing.
Derek had the ledger.
And Roman's own cousin had betrayed him.
Harper should have felt helpless.
Instead she felt strangely clear.
Fear had burned through her until nothing remained except purpose.
Roman approached.
"We found Marcus's vehicle."
"Where?"
"Abandoned near Navy Pier."
"Kinsley?"
"No sign."
Harper stood.
"Maybe he transferred her."
"Probably."
"Why take Kinsley?"
"She knows Derek's operation."
"So does Derek."
"Yes."
Harper stared at the map.
"Then maybe they don't want information."
Roman studied her.
"What do you mean?"
"Kinsley is bait."
"For you?"
"For me."
Roman's eyes narrowed.
Harper began pacing.
"Derek knows I'll go after my mother. But Viktor knows you won't let me go alone."
"Continue."
"If they have my mother, they already have leverage over me."
Roman nodded slowly.
"So why take Kinsley?"
"Because they're separating everyone."
Roman's expression shifted.
"Creating multiple objectives."
"Exactly."
"They want my resources divided."
Harper pointed at him.
"Derek called you predictable."
Roman's mouth tightened.
Harper continued.
"What would you normally do?"
"Send separate teams."
"Which is what they're expecting."
"Yes."
"So don't."
Roman stared at her.
Elias, standing nearby, looked between them.
Harper said, "Make them think you are."
A pause.
Then Roman's expression changed into something Harper hadn't seen before.
Respect.
Not protective tolerance.
Not amusement.
Respect.
"Explain."
Harper moved toward the table.
"Send visible cars toward every location. Make phone calls you expect they're intercepting. Let Marcus think you're panicking."
Elias nodded.
"And meanwhile?"
Harper looked toward the city map.
"We find the one person Derek still needs."
Roman's eyes sharpened.
"Who?"
"Me."
Elias immediately said, "No."
Roman lifted a hand.
Harper continued.
"Derek has the ledger, but maybe it's encrypted or incomplete."
"Possible."
"He kept me alive for three years while trying to find something my father left."
Roman understood.
"He still needs something from you."
"Yes."
"Which means he won't kill you."
"At least not immediately."
Roman's face hardened.
"I dislike that sentence."
Harper almost smiled.
"But I'm right."
"Unfortunately."
Roman stared at the map.
Then said, "We use you as controlled bait."
Elias looked horrified.
"Boss."
Roman turned.
"Controlled."
Harper raised an eyebrow.
"That's somehow comforting."
"It should be."
"It isn't."
Roman ignored that.
An hour later, they created the appearance that Harper had escaped Roman's protection.
A car registered under her name was driven south.
A burner phone sent messages from a tower near the highway.
Roman deliberately allowed one compromised employee to overhear an argument between him and Harper.
Harper performed better than expected.
"You don't own me!" she shouted.
Roman shouted back, "You're going to get yourself killed!"
Harper threw a glass into the fireplace.
It shattered dramatically.
Elias stared.
After the compromised employee left, Roman looked at the broken glass.
"That was expensive."
Harper shrugged.
"You told me to make it convincing."
A faint smile appeared.
"Remind me never to divorce you."
The words came out casually.
Both froze.
Elias abruptly walked out.
Harper's cheeks warmed.
Roman looked away.
"Poor phrasing."
"Very."
"Forget it."
"Trying."
Neither succeeded.
Two hours later Derek sent a message.
Finally stopped letting Vale control you?
Harper showed Roman.
He looked annoyed.
"Do not enjoy this."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
Harper typed under Roman's supervision.
I want my mother.
Derek responded:
Come alone.
Harper:
Where?
Derek sent coordinates.
An old printing warehouse.
Roman's team mapped it.
"Too obvious," Elias said.
Roman agreed.
Harper studied the satellite image.
"Then he won't be there."
Roman looked at her.
"What do you see?"
"Parking."
"What?"
"Derek hates walking."
Elias blinked.
Harper pointed.
"This warehouse has no secure parking and only one entrance. Derek never parks where someone can scratch his car."
Roman stared at her.
"You're serious."
"He once made us leave a restaurant because valet parking was full."
Elias laughed.
Harper continued.
"If he chose a meeting location himself, there would be private parking."
Roman searched nearby structures.
Three blocks away stood an old corporate office building with underground parking.
Roman's eyes met hers.
"Interesting."
They sent a drone.
Vehicle detected underground.
Registered to a shell company linked to Derek.
Roman murmured, "Very interesting."
Harper crossed her arms.
"Turns out listening to someone's complaints for three years has tactical value."
Roman looked at her.
"Never let anyone tell you your patience was wasted."
The operation began after sunset.
Roman insisted Harper remain inside an armored command vehicle two blocks away.
She argued.
He didn't move.
"Harper, I agreed to use the contact. I did not agree to put you inside a building with armed men."
"You went in."
"Yes."
"Double standard."
"I'm comfortable with it."
She glared.
Roman leaned close.
"So am I."
"Arrogant."
"Alive."
Harper hated that he had a point.
Roman's team entered the corporate building.
For ten minutes Harper heard only radio chatter.
Clear.
Clear.
Moving.
Third floor empty.
Then:
"Contact."
Gunfire erupted over the radio.
Harper gripped the seat.
"Roman?"
No answer.
"Elias?"
Static.
Then Roman's voice.
"Secure."
Harper breathed.
A minute later another voice:
"We found someone."
Harper's heart jumped.
"My mother?"
Silence.
"Who did you find?"
Roman answered.
"Kinsley."
Harper closed her eyes.
Alive.
At least one person.
Twenty minutes later Kinsley was brought into the command vehicle.
She looked exhausted.
Her lip was split.
Harper gave her water.
Kinsley stared at her.
"You came for me."
"Roman did."
"You helped."
Harper didn't answer.
Kinsley began crying.
"I'm sorry."
"Not now."
"I need to tell you something."
"About Derek?"
"About your mother."
Harper went still.
Kinsley gripped her wrist.
"She's not with him anymore."
"What?"
"Viktor took her."
Roman entered the vehicle just as Kinsley said it.
Harper looked at him.
"Viktor personally?"
Kinsley nodded.
"Marcus told Derek Viktor doesn't trust him."
Roman's expression darkened.
"Of course not."
"Derek thought kidnapping your mother would give him leverage. But Viktor intercepted them."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
Roman crouched in front of Kinsley.
"Think."
She closed her eyes.
"Marcus mentioned a church."
Roman and Elias exchanged a look.
"What church?" Harper asked.
Roman's jaw tightened.
"Viktor owns an abandoned church property on the West Side."
Harper stood.
"Then let's go."
Roman blocked her.
"No."
She stared.
"Seriously?"
"This time, yes."
"Roman—"
"Viktor Saran is not Derek. He doesn't need you alive."
"But he needs the ledger."
"Derek has it."
"Then why my mother?"
Roman didn't answer.
Kinsley did.
"Because Viktor knows something Derek doesn't."
Everyone looked at her.
Kinsley swallowed.
"The ledger isn't enough."
Harper's pulse quickened.
"What else does he need?"
"Your father's signature key."
"What is that?"
"A code. Daniel split the financial records into two parts. Ledger plus signature key."
Harper frowned.
"Where is the key?"
Kinsley looked at her necklace.
Harper touched it instinctively.
A small gold pendant.
She had worn it almost every day since college.
Her father had given it to her.
Roman's eyes narrowed.
"Harper."
She unclasped it.
The pendant looked ordinary.
A circular gold disk engraved with a Q.
Roman took it carefully.
Elias examined the seam.
"There's something inside."
Harper's heart pounded.
They opened it with a small tool.
Inside was a tiny micro-storage chip.
Harper stared.
"My father hid it on me."
Roman looked at her.
"For nine years."
Kinsley whispered, "That's what Viktor wants."
Roman closed his fist around the pendant.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
Roman answered on speaker.
A deep male voice filled the vehicle.
"Roman."
Roman's face became stone.
"Viktor."
Harper's blood went cold.
"So," Viktor said, amused, "the dead accountant's daughter finally found her inheritance."
Roman said nothing.
Viktor continued.
"Bring me the pendant."
Harper stepped closer.
"And my mother?"
A pause.
"Harper Quinn."
His voice seemed almost pleased.
"I wondered what Daniel's daughter would sound like."
"Let her go."
"Your father made demands too."
Roman's expression changed.
Harper heard the threat.
"Where is she?"
Viktor chuckled.
"Midnight. St. Augustine's."
Roman looked at the clock.
Three hours.
"No weapons inside," Viktor added. "No army."
Roman's voice dropped.
"If you hurt her—"
"Your father said almost the same thing about you."
Roman froze.
Harper looked at him.
Viktor laughed softly.
"Ah. He never told you."
"Told me what?"
Viktor paused dramatically.
"Daniel Quinn wasn't killed because he discovered my accounts."
Harper's heartbeat thundered.
"He was killed because he chose to save Roman Vale."
The line went dead.
Harper stared at Roman.
Roman stared back.
Neither understood.
But somewhere in the past, their fathers, their losses, and Viktor Saran were connected by a secret that had already destroyed two families.
And at midnight, Harper was going to walk into the center of it.
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Continue to Chapter 7…
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