Chapter 3 - What Jamie Saw
Ava wanted to leave.
Dominic refused to let her walk outside alone.
That argument lasted eleven minutes.
“I am not your prisoner.”
“I didn’t say you were.”
“You locked the door.”
“Because someone photographed your brother seven years ago, kept the picture, found you, discovered where you live, and delivered it personally.”
“So?”
Dominic stared.
Ava sighed.
“When you say it like that, it sounds worse.”
“It is worse.”
He called Rosa downstairs.
Eli remained upstairs.
Then Dominic opened a locked cabinet in his library and removed a thin brown folder.
Ava stared at it.
“What is that?”
“The reason I remember the warehouse.”
Inside were shipping records.
Old photographs.
Copies of police reports.
And a newspaper clipping dated seven years earlier.
RED HOOK WAREHOUSE FIRE LEAVES THREE DEAD
Dominic placed another photograph beside it.
A middle-aged man with wire-rim glasses.
“Martin Vale,” he said. “Accountant.”
Ava went still.
Jamie had once mentioned a man named Marty.
“Keep going.”
“Vale handled money for several companies associated with my uncle, Vincent Russo.”
“Your uncle?”
“He ran most of the family businesses before I did.”
Ava heard the careful word.
Businesses.
“What happened to him?”
“He died five years ago.”
“How?”
Dominic’s expression said enough.
Ava didn’t ask again.
“Vale discovered money disappearing through shell companies,” Dominic continued. “Millions. He believed someone inside our organization was moving funds without authorization.”
“Your organization.”
“Yes.”
“At least you admit there was an organization.”
Dominic almost smiled.
“This conversation would be easier if you weren’t determined to irritate me.”
“I’m not determined. It happens naturally.”
That actually earned a small laugh.
It vanished quickly.
“The night the photograph was taken,” Dominic continued, “Vale asked to meet me at that warehouse. He said he had proof.”
“And Jamie?”
“I never met him.”
“You’re in the photograph.”
“I was there for eighteen minutes.”
Dominic pointed to a loading entrance.
“I arrived through that door. Vale was already inside. I saw a young warehouse employee crossing the floor. He was pushing a cart.”
“Jamie.”
“Maybe.”
“You said you never met him.”
“I didn’t.”
“What happened?”
“Vale gave me a ledger.”
“Then?”
“I left.”
“And three men died?”
“Thirty-seven minutes later.”
Ava’s eyes hardened.
“That’s convenient.”
Dominic met her gaze.
“Yes.”
She hadn’t expected agreement.
“The fire destroyed most of the building,” he continued. “Vale disappeared.”
“But the newspaper says three people died.”
“Vale wasn’t among them.”
Ava felt cold.
“What happened to him?”
“Nobody knows.”
“My brother was found two weeks later.”
“I know.”
That stopped her.
“You know?”
“I checked after you gave me his name.”
“In the last hour?”
“I have efficient people.”
“Of course you do.”
Dominic slid a photocopied police report toward her.
Jamie Collins.
Age nineteen.
Cause of death listed as accidental drowning.
Ava looked away.
“I spent seven years thinking somebody named Russo killed him.”
“You may still be right.”
Her eyes returned to his.
“Excuse me?”
“I said I didn’t kill him.”
“That isn’t the same thing.”
“No.”
Dominic’s honesty was beginning to disturb her more than denial would have.
“Who else knew about the ledger?”
“My uncle.”
“Vincent?”
“Yes.”
“Anyone else?”
Dominic hesitated.
Ava caught it.
“Who?”
“My attorney at the time.”
“Name.”
“Sebastian Crane.”
The room went silent.
Ava knew that name.
Everybody in New York did.
Sebastian Crane was the public face of respectable power.
Philanthropist.
Corporate attorney.
Political donor.
Chairman of three charitable foundations.
And one of Lavella’s most frequent guests.
Ava had served him two weeks ago.
“He goes to the restaurant.”
Dominic’s eyes sharpened.
“How often?”
“Maybe twice a month.”
“Does he speak to you?”
“He speaks to everyone.”
“Has he ever asked about your family?”
Ava thought.
Then remembered.
Three weeks after she started at Lavella, Sebastian had asked where she grew up.
She had thought it was polite conversation.
Another memory followed.
He had once called her “Miss Collins” before she introduced herself.
Ava stood suddenly.
“Oh God.”
“What?”
“He knew my name.”
Dominic rose.
“When?”
“Months ago.”
Ava grabbed her phone.
There were four missed calls.
Gerald.
Then a text.
AVA, PLEASE CALL ME. SOMEONE BROKE INTO YOUR EMPLOYEE LOCKER.
Dominic read it over her shoulder.
“Do not go back there.”
“My things are there.”
“You’re concerned about a locker?”
“My apartment key was in my spare purse.”
Dominic immediately called someone.
Ava stared at him.
“What are you doing?”
“Sending someone to your apartment.”
“No.”
“It’s already done.”
“You cannot send people into my home.”
“They won’t enter unless necessary.”
“That sentence does not comfort me.”
His phone rang less than three minutes later.
Dominic answered.
He listened.
His expression changed.
“What?”
Another silence.
Then:
“Don’t touch anything. Call me if anyone returns.”
He ended the call.
Ava’s mouth went dry.
“What happened?”
“Your apartment door was open.”
Ava sat down.
Dominic crouched opposite her.
“Anything valuable there?”
She thought about the wooden box.
Jamie’s photographs.
Hospital bracelet.
Newspaper clipping.
“The box.”
“What box?”
She explained.
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
Ava whispered, “That’s all I have left of him.”
“We’ll get it back.”
“You don’t know that.”
“No.”
His voice softened.
“But we’ll try.”
Footsteps appeared on the staircase.
Eli stood halfway down.
His eyes moved between them.
What happened?
Dominic didn’t understand.
Ava did.
Nothing you need to worry about.
Eli frowned.
That means something happened.
Despite everything, Ava almost smiled.
Dominic looked between them.
“What did he say?”
Ava translated.
Dominic sighed.
“That is definitely my son.”
Eli came downstairs.
He saw Ava’s frightened face.
Without asking permission, he crossed the room and hugged her.
Ava froze.
Then wrapped her arms around him.
Dominic watched them.
Something in his expression softened.
For one impossible second, Ava felt safe.
Then Eli pulled away.
He signed something.
Ava stared.
What?
Eli repeated it.
The man from the restaurant.
Ava’s stomach tightened.
Which man?
Eli pointed toward the photograph of Sebastian Crane in Dominic’s folder.
Ava slowly turned.
“What is he saying?” Dominic asked.
Ava didn’t answer immediately.
Because Eli was signing again.
He came to my school.
Dominic’s face changed.
“When?”
Ava translated the question.
Eli answered.
Yesterday.
Dominic stood.
“Why?”
Eli signed:
He said he knew Mom.
Ava translated.
Dominic went completely still.
Then Eli added one final sentence.
Ava’s hands dropped.
“What?” Dominic demanded.
Ava looked at him.
“Sebastian told Eli that his mother didn’t die the way you told him.”
Dominic’s face lost all color.
And suddenly Ava understood.
This wasn’t only about Jamie anymore.
Someone was digging into Dominic’s past.
And they had chosen two targets.
A waitress who had lost her brother.
May you like
And a deaf little boy who had lost his mother.
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