Chapter 13 - The Woman in Burgundy Returns
They did not go to Prague immediately.
Dante surprised everyone.
“Forty-eight hours.”
Mara stared.
“You suddenly believe in patience?”
“No.”
“Then why wait?”
“Because Victor expects us to leave.”
“He’s in custody.”
“Victor has spent his life preparing for the possibility of custody.”
Adrian agreed.
“And Rachel is still free.”
Dante nodded.
“We stabilize Chicago first.”
For forty-eight hours, the Cavalari organization changed.
Board meeting canceled publicly.
Meridian trust documents filed privately.
Finn’s dormant voting authority activated.
External forensic accountants retained.
Several foundation employees suspended pending investigation.
Luca voluntarily turned over his communications.
Adrian contacted three investigative journalists.
Not one.
Three.
Separate publications.
Different cities.
Same evidence package.
Mara watched Dante destroy his own family’s ability to hide the scandal.
“You’re actually doing it.”
He looked up from his desk.
“Disappointed?”
“Surprised.”
“Why?”
“Most powerful people choose reputation.”
“And you expected me to?”
“I met you at a mafia gala.”
“Charity gala.”
“You’re very attached to that distinction.”
“It was for children.”
Mara smiled.
There it was again.
The thing that complicated Dante Cavalari.
He could intimidate a boardroom without raising his voice.
Yet every discussion eventually returned to the clinics.
Not control.
Not money.
Children.
“You really care about the foundation.”
Dante looked at her.
“My mother did.”
“Your father built it.”
“My mother gave him the idea.”
Mara sat across from him.
“What was she like?”
“Kind.”
“That’s descriptive.”
“She laughed at inappropriate times.”
“Better.”
“She hated expensive restaurants.”
“Why?”
“She said every menu that didn’t list prices was a threat.”
Mara laughed.
Dante watched her.
“You should do that more.”
“What?”
“Laugh.”
Her expression changed.
“Careful.”
“Why?”
“You almost sound kind.”
“I have a reputation.”
“Yes. Very fragile.”
Their eyes held.
Then Finn entered.
“Rachel contacted us.”
The moment vanished.
“How?”
“Email.”
“To?”
“Mara.”
She opened her laptop.
One message.
PRAGUE IS A DISTRACTION.
ASK ADRIAN WHAT HE REMOVED BEFORE THE FIRE.
Mara looked at her brother.
Adrian stood near the window.
He read the screen.
His face changed.
“What did you remove?” Mara asked.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t.”
“I’m not lying.”
Rachel sent another message.
CHECK HIS LEFT SHOULDER.
Dante frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Mara knew.
Adrian had a scar beneath his left shoulder blade.
He had claimed it came from a motorcycle accident.
She walked toward him.
“Take off your jacket.”
“Mara.”
“Now.”
Adrian sighed.
He removed it.
Then his shirt.
The scar was visible.
Mara touched the edge.
“Motorcycle?”
“No.”
“What?”
“Gunshot.”
Dante’s eyes hardened.
“Who shot you?”
“Thomas.”
Mara stepped back.
“When?”
“The night before Prague.”
“You told me you were in Budapest.”
“I was in Chicago.”
“Again.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Adrian put his shirt back on.
“Alessandro asked me to meet him.”
“What happened?”
“Thomas followed.”
“Why?”
“He knew Alessandro had created a physical ledger.”
“The one at the Meridian office?”
“No.”
Silence.
Dante frowned.
“Another one.”
Adrian nodded.
“How many archives did my father build?”
“He didn’t build this one.”
“Who did?”
Adrian looked at Mara.
“I did.”
She stared.
“What?”
“I copied everything I had collected independently.”
“Where?”
“Prague.”
“The second archive.”
“Yes.”
Mara’s anger rose.
“So the archive Rachel wants is yours.”
“Yes.”
“Why does she need me?”
“Because I protected it using your biometric profile.”
“You used my identity without asking?”
“To keep it secure.”
“You really are my brother.”
Dante almost smiled.
Mara glared at him.
“Not helping.”
Adrian continued.
“After Thomas shot me, I realized he was the leak. I warned Alessandro.”
“And?”
“We decided to evacuate Northstar.”
“But they thought I was compromised.”
“Thomas planted your credentials before I could tell them he was the leak.”
Mara stared.
“Then why fake the fire?”
“To force everyone underground.”
Dante asked, “What did you remove before the fire?”
Adrian hesitated.
Mara’s voice hardened.
“Rachel knows.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
He reached beneath his shirt.
A thin chain.
Attached was a small metal capsule.
Mara had seen it countless times.
“You’ve worn that for years.”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“Encryption seed.”
Dante leaned forward.
“For the Prague archive.”
“Yes.”
Mara closed her eyes.
“You carried the key around your neck?”
“Only half.”
“Where’s the other half?”
Adrian looked at her.
“You.”
“I don’t have anything.”
“You do.”
“No.”
“Your Northstar identification number.”
Mara frowned.
“That was retired.”
“Not the number. The checksum derived from it.”
“You expect me to remember a checksum from eight years ago?”
Adrian smiled.
“You designed it.”
Mara’s face changed.
Memory.
An authentication protocol.
Northstar used personnel identifiers translated through a rotating numeric sequence.
She had written the prototype.
Dante watched recognition appear.
“You remember.”
“I might.”
A knock came at the study door.
One of Finn’s men entered.
“Package for Ms. Vale.”
Mara froze.
“No return address.”
A box.
Inside was a burgundy bracelet.
The same style worn by the woman at the gala.
And a note.
THANK YOU FOR FINDING THE KEY.
Mara looked at Adrian.
“Rachel knows we have both halves.”
Dante said, “Then she’ll follow us.”
“Exactly.”
Finn frowned.
“You sound pleased.”
Mara held up the bracelet.
“For forty-eight hours Rachel has been ahead because she knew where we were going.”
“And now?”
Mara smiled.
“Now we know where she’s going.”
Prague.
Dante looked at her.
“You still want to open the archive?”
“Yes.”
“Even after Rachel’s warning?”
“Especially after.”
He studied her.
“You realize this could destroy everything you believed about Alessandro.”
“That’s your fear.”
“Yes.”
Mara stepped closer.
“And if we don’t go?”
“Victor’s network survives somewhere else.”
“Yes.”
“And Rachel keeps hunting.”
“Yes.”
Dante exhaled.
“Then we go.”
Adrian nodded.
“Tomorrow.”
But that evening, before anyone could book a flight, Rachel Wexler appeared at the front gate of Dante’s home.
Alone.
No guards.
No weapons.
Wearing a burgundy coat.
And carrying a sealed folder addressed to Mara.
May you like
When Dante’s security asked what she wanted, Rachel answered:
“To save Elena Markovic from opening the one archive her brother should have destroyed years ago.”
