Chapter 7 - The Red Lighthouse

I tried to take the phone from James.

He caught my wrist.

"Grace."

"Give it to me."

Frank heard me.

"Mrs. Bennett."

"Where is my daughter?"

"Safe."

"If you touched her—"

"I haven't."

"Let me hear her."

Frank was silent.

I screamed, "Let me hear my daughter!"

James's hand tightened around mine.

Then Chloe's voice came through.

"Mommy?"

My knees almost gave out.

"Chloe."

"I'm okay."

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Are you alone?"

"No."

Frank said, "Enough."

I shouted, "Wait!"

Chloe spoke quickly.

"Mommy, tell Grandma I found the red lighthouse."

The line went silent.

Frank returned.

"She is clever."

I couldn't breathe.

"What do you want?"

"The box."

James said, "And?"

"Your signature."

"On what?"

"Transfer papers."

Tony mouthed a curse.

Frank continued.

"East Harbor. The construction companies. The port leases. Enough legitimate control to make my position permanent."

James's face was expressionless.

"You already own East Harbor."

"On paper."

"You want my companies too."

"I want what should have been mine twenty years ago."

James laughed quietly.

"Now we finally get to it."

Frank's voice hardened.

"Your father chose you because you were his son."

"You were his nephew."

"I built the business."

"You stole from it."

"I modernized it."

"You trafficked people."

Silence.

Then Frank said, "Don't pretend you grew a conscience because a waitress made you chicken."

I felt James go still beside me.

Frank continued.

"You have two hours."

"Where?"

"I'll call."

"If Chloe is hurt—"

"You've already buried one daughter, James."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Frank said, "Don't make Grace bury hers."

The call ended.

James stared at the phone.

I slapped him.

The sound cracked through the bank lobby.

Tony froze.

James did not move.

I hit him again.

He let me.

"This is because of you."

"Yes."

"She was safe before you walked into that restaurant."

"I know."

"I told you I had a daughter."

"I know."

"You said you'd protect her."

"I know."

"You promised."

His eyes were hollow.

"I know."

I raised my hand again.

Then stopped.

Because this was exactly what Frank wanted.

James destroyed by guilt.

Me destroyed by fear.

Both of us reacting instead of thinking.

I lowered my hand.

"Where is the red lighthouse?"

James looked at me.

"What?"

"Chloe said she found the red lighthouse."

Tony pulled out his phone.

"Could be Boston Light."

"No."

I shook my head.

"She said tell Grandma."

James frowned.

"Ma has a painting."

"What?"

"In her kitchen. Old harbor painting. Red lighthouse."

Tony looked up.

"I know that place."

"Where?"

"Dry Dock Six. The lighthouse isn't real. It's an old navigation tower painted red."

James was already moving.

Tony grabbed his arm.

"Boss."

"Get the cars."

"No."

James turned.

Tony held on.

"Frank expects that."

"I don't care."

"I do."

James's eyes flashed.

Tony did not release him.

"You go in angry, he wins."

I said, "Tony's right."

James looked at me as if I had betrayed him.

"I am not waiting."

"Neither am I."

I picked up Daniel's letter and the blue envelope.

"Mara Ellis."

Tony frowned.

"Who?"

"The federal agent Daniel trusted."

James said, "No."

I stared at him.

"What?"

"If Frank has police contacts—"

"Daniel specifically wrote not to trust Cole. He specifically wrote to trust Ellis."

"Three years ago."

"So?"

"People change."

"Then we verify her."

"How?"

Tony said, "I can."

James looked at him.

Tony continued.

"My cousin works courthouse security. He can tell me whether she's active."

James shook his head.

"We don't have time."

"We have two hours."

"Frank gave us two hours."

I stepped closer.

"And every minute you spend acting like the old James is a minute Frank controls."

He stared at me.

I pointed toward the vault.

"We have evidence."

"He has Chloe."

"Which is why we stop playing by his rules."

James said nothing.

I continued.

"Daniel died because he tried to get evidence to you."

His face tightened.

"Anthony died because he trusted you to do the right thing."

"Grace."

"Your wife and daughter died because Frank knew exactly how you'd respond to pain."

James looked away.

I lowered my voice.

"Don't give him the same man again."

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then James said, "Call Ellis."

Special Agent Mara Ellis answered on the third ring.

Her voice was cautious.

"Who is this?"

I said, "Grace Bennett."

Silence.

Then, "Daniel's wife?"

My breath caught.

"You remember him?"

"I've been waiting three years for someone to say that name."

James looked at me.

I put the phone on speaker.

Ellis said, "Where are you?"

"Commonwealth Trust."

"Don't leave."

"My daughter was kidnapped."

The line went silent.

Then her voice changed.

"By whom?"

"Frank DeLuca."

Another pause.

"Is James Moretti with you?"

James said, "Yes."

Ellis exhaled slowly.

"That's complicated."

He almost smiled.

"I've heard."

She said, "Mr. Moretti, if this is a trap—"

"It isn't."

"You understand I have warrants with your name on them."

"Bring them."

Tony stared at him.

Ellis did too, apparently, because the line stayed silent.

James said, "Bring every warrant you have. Just help us get the girl."

Mara Ellis arrived thirty-two minutes later with four federal agents and an assistant U.S. attorney named Rachel Kim.

No local police.

James noticed.

"Why no Boston officers?"

Ellis looked at him.

"Because Daniel told me Cole wasn't the only compromised officer."

"Names?"

"Not yet."

James's expression hardened.

"You don't trust me."

"No."

"Good."

She turned to me.

"Mrs. Bennett, I need the evidence."

I held Daniel's letter.

"First tell me how you knew him."

Ellis hesitated.

Then she took a breath.

"He called the tip line."

"When?"

"December twentieth. Three years ago."

"Why didn't you protect him?"

Pain crossed her face.

"I tried."

"That's not an answer."

"I asked him to come in. He refused until he had proof."

"He had a family."

"I know."

"You should have made him."

James said quietly, "Grace."

I turned on him.

"No."

Ellis accepted it.

"You're right to be angry."

"I don't want permission to be angry."

"No."

She looked at me.

"I want your daughter back."

That stopped me.

I gave her the letter.

Then the ledger.

Then the drives.

Rachel Kim reviewed the first pages.

Her expression tightened.

"This is substantial."

James said, "Can you move on Frank now?"

"Not if we don't know where he is."

"Dry Dock Six."

Ellis looked at Tony.

"Source?"

I said, "My daughter."

I explained the red lighthouse.

Ellis pulled up satellite images.

Tony pointed.

"There."

An old cannery sat beside a rust-red navigation tower.

Ellis asked, "Frank owns it?"

James said, "East Harbor does."

Rachel looked at the documents.

"East Harbor links to DeLuca accounts."

Ellis nodded.

"Good enough for emergency entry if we can confirm the hostage."

James said, "You have the call."

Tony had recorded it.

Ellis listened.

When Frank threatened Chloe, her face hardened.

"We move."

James stepped forward.

"I'm coming."

"No."

"Agent Ellis."

"You are a subject in multiple federal investigations."

"My daughter—"

I looked at him.

He stopped.

Not my daughter.

He corrected himself.

"Chloe is there because of me."

Ellis said, "That does not make you tactical personnel."

Tony said, "I know the building."

"So give us a layout."

"I can come."

"No."

James looked at me.

I knew the look.

He was going anyway.

I said, "What does Frank want?"

Ellis frowned.

"The evidence and transfer papers."

"He expects James."

"Yes."

"So if James doesn't come, Frank knows something is wrong."

Ellis shook her head.

"We don't send civilians into hostage sites."

James almost laughed.

"Calling me a civilian is generous."

Rachel Kim looked at him.

"We can use a controlled delivery."

Ellis stared at her.

Rachel continued.

"Frank gets his call. James agrees. We control the exchange point."

Ellis said, "Too risky."

I asked, "What if I go?"

Everyone looked at me.

James said, "No."

I ignored him.

"Frank wants the box. He thinks I'm emotional and desperate."

"You are emotional and desperate," James said.

"Exactly."

"No."

Ellis said, "Mrs. Bennett—"

"He'll believe I stole the evidence from James."

James stared at me.

I continued.

"I tell Frank James refused to sign. I tell him I only care about Chloe."

Tony said, "He might buy it."

James turned on him.

"Do not encourage her."

"I am assessing."

"Assess silently."

I said, "Frank knows James will fight."

I pointed at myself.

"He thinks I'll beg."

Ellis studied me.

"Would you?"

"For Chloe?"

My voice cracked.

"I'd crawl."

James looked away.

I continued.

"So he'll believe me."

Rachel Kim said, "We can wire her."

James slammed his palm on the desk.

"No."

Everybody went silent.

He looked at me.

"You are not doing this."

"I am her mother."

"That is exactly why."

"And you are not her father."

The words hit him.

I regretted them.

Not because they were false.

Because I saw Lily in his face when I said them.

I softened my voice.

"James."

He shook his head.

"No."

"You said you can't promise to protect her."

"I can promise to protect you."

"No, you can't."

His jaw tightened.

I stepped closer.

"None of us can promise that."

I touched the scar on his hand.

"But we can make the best plan."

He stared at my fingers.

I removed my hand.

Ellis said, "If we do this, we do it under my command."

James looked at her.

"She wears a wire."

"Yes."

"Your agents are in before she reaches Frank."

"As close as possible."

"You take the shot if he threatens Chloe."

Ellis's face hardened.

"We make that decision."

James stepped closer.

"I need to hear you say her safety comes before catching Frank."

Ellis did not flinch.

"Her safety comes before the case."

James nodded.

Then he looked at me.

"I hate this."

"I know."

"I may never forgive you."

"You met me two days ago."

"That has apparently been enough time for you to ruin my life."

I almost smiled.

Then my phone rang.

Frank.

I answered.

"Yes."

"One hour."

"I have the box."

A pause.

"Where is James?"

"He won't give me the transfer papers."

James stared at me.

I forced my voice to shake.

That part was easy.

"He says he can get Chloe back without giving you anything."

Frank laughed.

"That sounds like James."

"I don't care about your companies."

"Grace—"

"Give me my daughter."

Silence.

Then Frank said, "Bring the box alone."

"Where?"

"Dry Dock Six."

Everyone in the room looked at each other.

Frank continued.

"Thirty minutes."

"Let me speak to Chloe."

"No."

"Frank."

"You'll see her soon."

"Please."

I hated how real the word was.

"Please."

He hesitated.

Then Chloe came on.

"Mommy?"

"I'm coming."

"Okay."

"Are you scared?"

"A little."

"Me too."

She whispered, "The lighthouse is ugly."

I laughed through tears.

James closed his eyes.

I said, "I love you."

"I love you too."

Frank took the phone.

"Thirty minutes."

The line died.

Ellis started giving orders.

Agents moved.

Tony handed over building schematics from an old Moretti archive.

Rachel copied the evidence.

James stood apart.

I walked to him.

"Say something."

He looked at me.

"I don't know what."

"Tell me this can work."

"It can."

"Tell me she comes home."

His face tightened.

"I can't."

I nodded.

"Good."

He looked confused.

"I needed you not to lie."

He reached into his coat.

For one terrifying second, I thought he was going to hand me a gun.

Instead, he gave me the business card from Christmas Eve.

Forty-One Hanover Street.

I frowned.

"What is this?"

"You never came to the interview."

I stared at him.

He continued.

"When this is over, the job is still yours."

I laughed despite everything.

"Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately."

"What if you go to prison?"

"Tony can sign payroll."

Tony called from across the room, "I heard that."

James looked at me.

"When this is over."

I closed my hand around the card.

"When this is over," I repeated.

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Then Mara Ellis opened the door.

"It is time."