Chapter 14 - The Black LedgerDominic pulled Lily to the floor.
Marco shouted for everyone to stay down.
Another shot cracked through the window.
The guards moved toward the exterior doors.
Evelyn grabbed Lily.
Daniel disappeared into the darkness.
“Where did he go?” Dominic demanded.
Marco looked around.
“Gone.”
Dominic cursed.
Then he felt something hit his shoulder.
A bullet had grazed him.
Evelyn gasped.
“Dominic!”
“I'm fine.”
“You're bleeding.”
“Later.”
He looked at the memory card.
“Get this somewhere secure.”
Marco nodded.
They evacuated the estate.
By dawn, they were inside a secure underground facility beneath one of Dominic's legitimate businesses.
The memory card was connected to an isolated computer.
A folder appeared.
BLACK LEDGER.
Dominic opened it.
Names appeared.
Politicians.
Businessmen.
Judges.
Bankers.
International financiers.
Some were dead.
Some were still powerful.
And one name appeared repeatedly.
Samuel Voss.
Dominic leaned back.
“This could destroy half the city.”
Daniel suddenly spoke from the doorway.
“Not half.”
Everyone turned.
“Almost all of it.”
Dominic raised his weapon.
Daniel didn't react.
“You followed us.”
“I never left.”
Dominic stared at him.
“You knew about the attack.”
“Yes.”
“And you didn't warn us?”
“I needed you to understand how dangerous this was.”
“You nearly got my daughter killed.”
Daniel's expression broke.
“I've spent twenty-five years trying to prevent that.”
Dominic lowered the gun slightly.
“Then tell me everything.”
Daniel walked inside.
“Your father discovered Voss was using Moretti Group to move money across the country.”
“Victor was working for them.”
“Yes.”
“And you?”
“I tried to expose them.”
“What happened?”
“They killed my wife.”
The room became silent.
Daniel continued.
“Then they came for my son.”
Dominic stared.
“You had a son?”
Daniel nodded.
“His name was Michael.”
“Where is he?”
Daniel looked away.
“He died.”
Lily stood behind Evelyn.
“I'm sorry.”
Daniel looked at her.
Something softened in his eyes.
“Thank you.”
Dominic studied him.
“Why did they leave you alive?”
Daniel smiled bitterly.
“Because they wanted me to suffer.”
He pointed at the screen.
“Your father hid the ledger before they could take it.”
“And he put the key inside Lily's rabbit?”
“No.”
Daniel shook his head.
“He put the final encryption key inside it.”
Dominic looked at Lily.
“Why Lily?”
“Because your father trusted no one else.”
Dominic understood.
Anthony hadn't simply hidden evidence.
He had hidden it in the one person he believed Voss would never suspect.
His granddaughter.
A child who had been kept away from the Moretti world.
The door suddenly opened.
Marco entered.
“Dominic.”
“What?”
“We have a problem.”
“What kind?”
Marco placed a photograph on the table.
It showed Moretti Plaza.
And beneath it was a message.
WE KNOW WHERE THE LEDGER IS.
Dominic stared.
Then another message appeared.
WE KNOW WHERE YOUR WIFE IS.
Evelyn's phone rang.
She answered.
Nobody spoke.
Then a man's voice said:
“Tell Dominic we have something he wants.”
The call ended.
Evelyn looked at Dominic.
“They have Lily.”
Dominic froze.
He turned.
May you like
The room behind them was empty.
Lily was gone.
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