Chapter 14 - The Enemy Inside the House
Norah’s plan was simple enough to sound foolish.
Which was exactly why Victor might believe it.
“He thinks I’m the weak point,” she said.
Roman immediately objected.
“No.”
“You haven’t heard it.”
“I know where this is going.”
“You really don’t.”
“You want to contact him.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Norah looked at Paul.
“He does this often?”
“More recently.”
Roman glared.
Norah continued.
“Victor thinks I care more about surviving than loyalty to Roman.”
Paul nodded.
“He knows your debt.”
“He knows I originally came for money.”
Roman folded his arms.
“He also knows you found Evelyn’s evidence.”
“Exactly.”
Norah pointed at the laptop.
“So I tell him Roman refuses the exchange.”
Mrs. Finch stared.
“He’ll kill Daniel.”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Daniel is leverage. Dead hostages lose value.”
Roman hated how comfortable Norah sounded discussing it.
She noticed.
“I worked overnight diners in Chicago. You learn things.”
“That explains nothing.”
“Let me finish.”
She would offer Victor one copy.
In return, Daniel would be released first.
Norah would deliver it personally.
Paul could track her.
Victor would expect a trap.
But he would also believe Norah had reasons to betray Roman.
Money.
Fear.
Her mother’s death at Gallagher hands.
Roman looked at her.
“He’ll believe that part.”
Norah met his gaze.
“Because part of it is true.”
The room went quiet.
Roman accepted the hit.
“My father destroyed your family.”
“Yes.”
“And you still want to help mine.”
Norah looked toward the playroom.
“Your kids didn’t do anything.”
Roman’s expression softened.
Mrs. Finch whispered, “You could die.”
Norah gave her a faint smile.
“Then Roman would be stuck raising the twins alone.”
Paul looked horrified.
“Truly terrifying.”
Roman glared at both.
The call was made.
Victor answered.
Norah spoke alone.
Roman listened from another room.
“You were right,” Norah said.
Victor laughed.
“About?”
“Roman.”
Silence.
“He won’t trade the files.”
“I told you.”
“He says Daniel isn’t his responsibility.”
Roman’s jaw tightened at the lie.
Victor sounded pleased.
“And now you understand.”
“I understand Roman Gallagher protects Roman Gallagher.”
Norah hated saying it.
Roman hated hearing it.
But Victor believed it.
“What do you want, Norah?”
“Out.”
“Then leave.”
“I can’t.”
“Roman holding you?”
“No.”
She paused deliberately.
“I have a copy.”
Victor went quiet.
“Of the files?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Safe.”
“What do you want?”
Norah looked at Mrs. Finch.
“Daniel.”
Victor laughed.
“You care about Margaret?”
“No.”
Mrs. Finch almost smiled despite herself.
“I care about walking away knowing Roman can’t control me with secrets.”
Victor considered.
“And money?”
Norah named a number.
“Two million.”
Roman stared through the glass.
Paul whispered, “Ambitious.”
Norah continued.
“Cash. Daniel walks first.”
Victor agreed to meet.
Old theater downtown.
Midnight.
Roman hated every second leading up to it.
Norah changed into jeans and the same olive jacket she had worn on her first day.
Roman found her near the garage.
“You can still stop.”
“No.”
“You don’t owe me this.”
“I’m not doing it for you.”
“I know.”
“For Daniel.”
“I know.”
“And the twins.”
Roman looked at her.
Norah adjusted her jacket.
“They need this finished.”
“Yes.”
She turned.
Roman caught her wrist gently.
Norah stopped.
“If anything goes wrong…”
“Paul follows.”
“If anything goes wrong,” Roman repeated, “leave the drive. Leave Daniel. Leave everything.”
Norah stared.
“You mean that?”
“Yes.”
“Even evidence against Victor?”
“Yes.”
“Even if he escapes?”
“Yes.”
Norah’s throat tightened.
Roman had spent six months sacrificing everything to revenge.
Now he was willing to sacrifice revenge for her safety.
“Okay.”
He released her.
Norah walked toward the car.
“Norah.”
She looked back.
Roman’s expression was unguarded.
“Come back.”
She smiled.
“I promised breakfast.”
The theater had been abandoned for fifteen years.
Norah entered alone.
Rows of dusty seats.
Red curtains.
One light onstage.
Daniel sat beneath it.
Alive.
Victor emerged from the wings.
No weapon visible.
Norah knew better.
“You came.”
“You have the money?”
Victor smiled.
“You have the drive?”
Norah lifted it.
“Daniel first.”
Victor shook his head.
“Drive first.”
“No.”
He studied her.
“You really aren’t afraid of me.”
“I’m exhausted by men who think fear is a personality.”
Victor almost laughed.
He motioned.
A guard untied Daniel.
Norah’s pulse accelerated.
Daniel ran toward the aisle.
Victor stopped him halfway.
“Drive.”
Norah held it up.
“Let him reach the door.”
Victor nodded.
Daniel moved.
Ten steps.
Twenty.
He reached the exit.
Norah tossed the drive onto the stage.
Victor picked it up.
“Money?”
He smiled.
“You believed me?”
Norah had expected that.
“What about my exit?”
Victor’s expression changed.
“You were never leaving.”
Two men appeared behind her.
Norah’s heart hammered.
Victor walked closer.
“Evelyn made the same mistake.”
“What?”
“She thought evidence protected people.”
Norah stared.
“You killed her.”
Victor smiled.
“I arranged the opportunity.”
“Bomb?”
“Yes.”
Norah breathed carefully.
A microphone inside her jacket transmitted every word.
Paul listened from three blocks away.
Roman too.
Victor continued because arrogant men often mistake confession for victory.
“Roman’s empire was fracturing. Evelyn was interfering. Charles’s old files were resurfacing. One explosion could solve several problems.”
“You expected Roman in the car.”
“Yes.”
“Then Evelyn took it.”
Victor’s eyes hardened.
“A fortunate accident.”
Norah’s stomach turned.
“And Hannah?”
Victor shrugged.
“Before my time.”
“Your father?”
Victor paused.
Norah saw it.
“Your father worked for Charles.”
Victor stepped closer.
“You ask too many questions.”
“Occupational hazard.”
“Nanny?”
“Survival.”
Victor reached toward her.
Norah stepped back.
Then every light in the theater came on.
Victor froze.
Paul’s voice echoed from the balcony.
“She got you talking.”
Armed federal agents entered through side doors.
Victor’s face transformed.
Not fear.
Rage.
“You.”
Norah smiled faintly.
“Two million was excessive anyway.”
Victor grabbed her.
Weapon against her side.
Everything stopped.
Roman appeared at the back of the theater.
Victor laughed.
“You couldn’t stay away.”
Roman’s hands were empty.
“Let her go.”
“Give me the real files.”
“They’re already with federal prosecutors.”
Victor’s smile vanished.
“You’re lying.”
“No.”
“You’d convict yourself.”
“Yes.”
Victor stared.
Roman walked closer.
“Let her go.”
“Or what?”
Roman stopped.
“Nothing.”
Victor blinked.
Roman continued.
“I’m not threatening you.”
“What happened to you?”
Roman looked at Norah.
“Life.”
Victor tightened his grip.
Roman remained still.
“You want me angry.”
“Yes.”
“You want me to shoot.”
“Yes.”
“You want proof I’m still Charles Gallagher’s son.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
Roman shook his head.
“I’m done proving that.”
Norah moved.
She drove her heel onto Victor’s foot and twisted free.
Agents surged.
Victor raised the weapon.
Paul tackled him before he could fire.
Seconds later, Victor was facedown on the stage.
Handcuffed.
Alive.
Roman reached Norah.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
He looked furious.
“You promised to leave if it went wrong.”
“I considered it.”
“That is not the same thing.”
Norah smiled weakly.
Roman suddenly pulled her into his arms.
She froze.
Then held him back.
Across the theater, Paul looked away.
Daniel reunited with Mrs. Finch twenty minutes later.
Victor was taken away.
For the first time, the enemy Roman had chased for six months was no longer hiding.
But Roman knew the hardest part was still coming.
Victor had been captured.
The files remained.
Evidence of crimes committed by Charles.
Victor.
Politicians.
Police.
And Roman himself.
At sunrise, Roman received a call from a federal prosecutor.
He listened.
Then hung up.
Norah stood beside him.
“What?”
Roman looked toward the Gallagher estate in the distance.
“They want me downtown.”
“When?”
“Today.”
Norah understood.
“To testify?”
“To surrender.”
Her expression changed.
Roman nodded.
“The deal only works if I tell them everything.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know.”
Norah looked toward Theo and Ruby’s window.
Roman whispered:
“I finally learned how to come home.”
His eyes filled.
May you like
“And now I may have to leave them.”
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