Chapter 9 - The Man Who Knew About the Bullet
Margaret remembered the cardinal.
She did not remember the ledger.
For the next hour, Emma tried gently guiding her toward the memory.
Nothing.
When pushed, Margaret became frightened.
Emma immediately stopped.
"We're done."
I didn't argue.
Back in the hallway, Luke looked frustrated.
"That book could prove everything."
Emma turned on him.
"She's not evidence."
Luke softened immediately.
"I know."
"No, you know she's useful."
"Emma."
"I said we're done."
Luke nodded.
"You're right."
She walked away toward the restroom.
I waited until she disappeared.
"Don't push her mother."
"I won't."
"I mean it."
Luke looked at me.
"You think I'd hurt an old woman?"
"No."
"Then?"
"I know what desperation makes people justify."
Luke's expression tightened.
He understood.
We both did.
Our world was built on justifications.
Just one threat.
Just one bribe.
Just one ruined life.
Always for some greater necessity.
Emma didn't live that way.
I didn't want us dragging her into it.
When she returned, we left.
Two days passed.
No progress.
Then Adrian Vale called me.
He sounded nervous.
"Danny, I need to meet."
"About?"
"Northlake."
I sat straighter.
"Come to the estate."
"No."
That surprised me.
"Why?"
"I can't."
"Can't or won't?"
"Not there."
I looked at Luke.
He was listening through speakerphone.
"Where?"
Adrian gave an address.
A church on the South Side.
Midnight.
Then he said, "Come alone."
I laughed.
"No."
"Danny."
"You've worked for my family long enough to know better."
"Then bring Luke."
"Anyone else?"
"No."
His voice dropped.
"Especially not the woman."
Emma, who was sitting across my office, stiffened.
"Why?"
Silence.
"Adrian."
"Because Pierce knows about her."
My blood chilled.
"How?"
"Midnight."
The call ended.
Emma immediately spoke.
"I'm coming."
"No."
"He's talking about me."
"Exactly."
"You don't get to decide—"
"This time I absolutely do."
She stood.
"What are you going to do? Lock me in my room?"
"Don't tempt me."
Her eyes flashed.
"Danny."
"Emma."
Luke rubbed his forehead.
"I'm going to leave you two alone."
"No," we both said.
Luke sighed.
"Of course."
Eventually, Emma agreed to stay at the estate.
Or pretended to.
I knew her well enough now to suspect the difference.
At 11:40 p.m., Luke and I reached the church.
Empty parking lot.
Snow beginning.
Adrian sat inside the last pew.
He looked ten years older.
I rolled down the aisle.
Luke stayed behind.
"You're late," Adrian whispered.
"It's 11:57."
"You always did enjoy making entrances."
"I used to walk faster."
His eyes dropped.
Regret crossed his face.
Interesting.
"You know who shot me?"
"Yes."
Everything inside the church changed.
Luke moved closer.
"Name."
Adrian looked terrified.
"Nolan Reeves pulled the trigger."
We already suspected that.
"Who paid him?"
Adrian closed his eyes.
"My father arranged it."
"Richard."
He nodded.
"Under whose orders?"
Adrian looked toward the stained-glass windows.
"Victor."
There it was.
No theatrics.
No music.
Just one word.
My uncle.
"Proof?"
"My father kept recordings."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
"Convenient."
"I'm telling the truth."
"Why now?"
Adrian laughed bitterly.
"Because Pierce is trying to kill me."
Luke looked toward the entrance.
"Why?"
"Victor thinks I'm the leak."
"Are you?"
"Now I am."
Adrian rubbed his hands together.
"My father handled Victor's finances for decades. Shell companies. Payments. People."
"Including the doctor who killed my father?"
His face changed.
Confirmation.
Rage surged through me.
"What was his name?"
"Dr. Harold Klein."
Luke typed.
Adrian continued.
"He adjusted Antonio's medication over several months."
"Why?"
"Victor believed your father was dismantling everything."
"And you?"
"I didn't know until afterward."
I leaned closer.
"But you knew about my shooting."
His eyes filled with shame.
"Yes."
"When?"
"Before."
Luke swore.
I felt strangely calm.
"You could've warned me."
"I was afraid."
"You watched me get into that SUV knowing what was coming?"
Adrian couldn't look at me.
"I thought they'd scare you."
I laughed.
The sound echoed through the church.
"A sniper?"
"My father told me it wasn't supposed to kill you."
That stopped me.
"What?"
"The order was to injure you."
"Paralyze me?"
"I don't know."
"Why?"
"Victor didn't want you dead."
That made twisted sense.
If I died, succession became chaotic.
Other families would challenge Moretti control.
But if I remained alive and incapacitated, Victor could manage operations in my name.
A living symbol.
A trapped king.
My stomach turned.
"The bullet wasn't a failure."
Adrian shook his head.
"No."
"It did exactly what they wanted."
"Yes."
For two years I had believed survival was luck.
Now I understood.
Survival had been part of the plan.
Luke's face looked murderous.
"Where are the recordings?"
"My father hid them."
"Where?"
"He once said, 'Margaret knows.'"
Emma's mother.
Again.
"How did your father know Margaret Carter?"
Adrian looked confused.
"Carter?"
"Emma's mother."
Recognition appeared.
"She worked for him."
"What?"
"As a bookkeeper."
Emma had said her mother didn't know Richard professionally.
But perhaps Margaret had hidden that part of her life.
"When?"
"Part-time, years ago. Before her diagnosis."
"Why would Emma not know?"
"Richard hired people privately. Cash. Maybe Margaret didn't tell her."
"What did she handle?"
"Copies."
My pulse changed.
"Copies of what?"
"Records my father didn't want stored digitally."
The ledger.
"Did she steal my father's book?"
"No."
Adrian shook his head.
"Your father gave it to Richard for safekeeping shortly before he died."
"And Margaret took it."
"Maybe."
A noise sounded outside.
Luke turned.
Headlights swept across stained glass.
Adrian stood abruptly.
"They found me."
"Back door?"
He pointed.
Luke moved toward it.
Too late.
The church doors opened.
Pierce stepped inside.
Two men behind him.
He smiled.
"Mr. Moretti."
I hated that title in his mouth.
"Samuel."
Adrian moved behind a pew.
Pierce looked almost disappointed.
"You should've stayed home."
"Apparently everyone has opinions about my schedule."
His eyes shifted toward Adrian.
"Victor wants to speak with you."
Adrian backed away.
"No."
Pierce sighed.
"Don't make this difficult."
Luke reached inside his coat.
Pierce's men did the same.
I raised a hand.
"Nobody."
Luke stared at me.
"Danny."
"Not in a church."
Pierce laughed.
"You've developed religion?"
"No."
I looked toward the side entrance.
"But I've also developed backup."
The doors opened.
Four of our trusted guards entered.
Pierce's smile vanished.
I hadn't come alone.
Not really.
Luke never believed in fair fights.
Pierce's men surrendered quickly.
Pierce didn't.
He ran.
Through a side door.
Luke went after him.
I stayed with Adrian.
Five minutes later Luke returned alone.
"Car waiting."
"Tracked?"
"Working on it."
Adrian collapsed onto the pew.
I looked at him.
"You're coming with us."
"I can't go to the estate."
"You're safer there than anywhere else."
He laughed.
"Unless Victor still controls it."
He had a point.
As we prepared to leave, my phone buzzed.
A message from Emma.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE MAD.
I closed my eyes.
Then another message.
I'M OUTSIDE.
I wheeled toward the church entrance.
Sure enough, Emma stood beside one of our SUVs wearing a winter coat over pajamas.
I stared.
She smiled weakly.
"You said I couldn't come inside."
I almost lost my mind.
Instead, I laughed.
Because apparently this was my life now.
Then Emma saw Adrian.
Her smile vanished.
He stared at her.
"You look exactly like Margaret."
Emma stopped.
"You know my mother?"
Adrian nodded.
And then he said something none of us expected.
May you like
"Your mother is the reason Danny is still alive."
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