Chapter 6 - The House in WestchesterDominic drove through the night.
Marco sat beside him.
Evelyn sat in the back.
No one spoke.
The old Moretti house stood behind iron gates covered in snow.
Dominic hadn't entered it in twelve years.
His father's portrait still hung in the entrance hall.
Dominic looked at it.
“You knew,” he whispered.
Evelyn stood beside him.
“He knew.”
“Why didn't he tell me?”
“Because he thought you would hate him.”
“I do.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“You're allowed.”
Dominic walked toward the library.
His father had always loved books.
Behind the fireplace was a hidden panel.
Dominic remembered seeing it as a child.
He pushed it.
Nothing.
Evelyn touched the carved wooden horse above the mantel.
“Turn that.”
Dominic did.
A click echoed.
The wall opened.
Inside was a small metal safe.
Dominic opened it.
There was no ledger.
Only a key.
And a note.
The truth isn't where you think it is.
Dominic frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Evelyn picked up the key.
“I've seen this before.”
“Where?”
“In the old warehouse.”
Dominic suddenly understood.
Locker 217.
The brass key Lily had brought him.
They rushed back to the city.
At the waterfront storage building, Dominic found the locker.
He inserted the key.
The lock opened.
Inside were documents.
Photographs.
Bank statements.
And an audio recorder.
Dominic pressed play.
His father's voice filled the room.
“If you're hearing this, Victor has probably discovered the ledger.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
“I knew about the money. I confronted him. He threatened Evelyn. He threatened my son. I made a terrible choice.”
The recording continued.
“I thought I could control Victor.”
A pause.
“I was wrong.”
Then another voice appeared.
Victor.
“You should have listened to me, Anthony.”
Dominic stared.
The recording captured everything.
Victor had manipulated the entire operation.
The money.
The shell companies.
The threats.
The disappearance of evidence.
And then came the final revelation.
Victor had not simply been stealing.
He had been preparing to take control of Moretti Group.
Dominic's father had been his final obstacle.
But Victor's plan had one weakness.
The original ledger.
Dominic grabbed it.
“We have him.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Not yet.”
“What?”
“He knows about this place.”
A phone rang.
Dominic answered.
Victor's voice came through.
“You always were your father's son.”
“Where is Lily?”
“Safe.”
“Let me speak to her.”
A pause.
Then Lily's small voice.
“Daddy?”
Dominic closed his eyes.
The word hit harder than any bullet.
“Lily.”
“I'm okay.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
Victor came back on the line.
“You have the ledger.”
“Yes.”
“Bring it to the old warehouse.”
Dominic's voice became cold.
“And then?”
“I release the child.”
“You expect me to trust you?”
“No.”
Victor laughed.
“I expect you to have no choice.”
The call ended.
Evelyn looked at Dominic.
“What are you going to do?”
Dominic held the ledger.
“I'm going to bring my daughter home.”
Marco shook his head.
“And if Victor doesn't keep his word?”
May you like
Dominic looked toward the snowy city.
“Then we make sure he regrets giving us a reason not to.”
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