Chapter 4 - The Exchange
The address led to an abandoned printing warehouse near the river.
Roman parked two blocks away.
Renley had been taken back to the mansion with Jonah, despite fighting the decision.
“You promised to save her.”
Roman had looked directly at her.
“I will.”
“How do I know?”
“You don't.”
That answer frightened her more than any promise would have.
Roman entered the warehouse carrying the wooden box.
One overhead light burned.
A man stood beneath it.
Tall.
Gray suit.
Silver hair.
Roman knew him immediately.
“Victor Dane.”
Victor smiled.
“I wondered whether Walter would eventually crawl out of his hole.”
“You killed him?”
“No.”
Roman studied his face.
Victor looked amused.
“Disappointed?”
“My father died peacefully.”
“So I've heard.”
“Then why destroy his apartment?”
“To collect what belongs to me.”
Roman held up the box.
“My mother belonged to you too?”
Victor's smile disappeared.
“Walter wrote that, did he?”
“Answer.”
Victor stepped closer.
“Your mother discovered things she should not have discovered.”
Roman's fingers tightened.
“Did you kill her?”
Victor didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
Roman lunged.
Three gunmen emerged from darkness.
Roman stopped.
Victor smiled again.
“Still emotional. Walter always said that was your weakness.”
“Where's Renley's mother?”
A door opened.
Two men brought out a frightened woman.
Elena Hart.
Hands tied.
Alive.
Roman felt a wave of relief.
“Box first,” Victor said.
Roman placed it on a table.
Victor opened it.
Inside lay a cassette tape.
A photograph.
And a second key.
Victor's face changed.
“No ledger.”
Roman smiled faintly.
“My father never trusted you.”
Victor grabbed the cassette.
The label read:
EVELYN — AUGUST 14
Roman's mother's name.
Victor threw the tape into his pocket.
Roman noticed.
“Give me the woman.”
Victor waved.
Elena was released.
She rushed toward Roman.
Gunfire exploded.
Roman shoved Elena behind a steel pillar.
Men shouted.
Glass broke.
Miles and Jonah entered from opposite doors.
Victor had demanded Roman come alone.
Roman had technically done so.
The others had simply arrived later.
The exchange became chaos.
Roman avoided firing whenever possible because Elena was nearby.
Victor disappeared through a rear exit.
Miles pursued him but returned moments later.
“Gone.”
Roman untied Elena.
“Renley's safe.”
She grabbed his shirt.
“If anything happens to my daughter—”
“Nothing will.”
“You brought this into our lives.”
The accusation struck deeply because it was true.
Roman lowered his head.
“Yes.”
Elena expected denial.
He gave none.
“She spent two years helping my father when I didn't even know he was alive.”
Roman swallowed.
“I owe her more than I can explain.”
They returned to the mansion near dawn.
Renley ran into her mother's arms.
Roman turned away to give them privacy.
Then Renley called him.
“Roman.”
He looked back.
“Thank you.”
Roman nodded.
He went upstairs alone.
For nearly twenty minutes, he stared at his reflection.
Walter had left clues.
Victor wanted them.
His mother had been murdered.
And innocent people were being pulled into the consequences of choices Roman had spent years making.
A knock came.
Renley stood outside.
“You should sleep.”
“So should you.”
She entered anyway.
Roman held the photograph from Walter's box.
It showed Walter, a much younger Victor, and Roman's mother, Evelyn.
All three stood outside St. Matthew's.
On the back, Walter had written:
THE FIRST BETRAYAL BEGAN WITH FOUR MEN. ONLY ONE IS STILL YOUR FRIEND.
Renley counted.
“There are three people.”
Roman looked closer.
Then noticed a shadow.
Someone had been deliberately cut out of the photograph.
Only a hand remained around Walter's shoulder.
A distinctive ring on one finger.
Roman recognized it.
His expression went cold.
Renley noticed.
“Who?”
Roman didn't answer immediately.
The ring belonged to a man who had worked beside him for fifteen years.
A man who knew the mansion.
A man who knew the guards.
A man Roman trusted with his finances, his businesses, and sometimes his life.
“Roman?”
He finally answered.
“Samuel Crowe.”
“Who's that?”
Roman looked toward the hallway.
“My closest friend.”
Downstairs, at that exact moment, Samuel Crowe walked through the front door.
And smiled at Jonah.
May you like
“Where's the boss?”
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