Chapter 7 - The Man Waiting in Chicago

Daniel Holt wanted immunity.

In exchange:

Account passwords.

Names.

Offshore companies.

And Daniel Quinn’s location.

Mara refused.

“He is bluffing.”

I stared at her.

“How do you know?”

“I don’t.”

That was worse.

Adrian looked at me.

“We go to Chicago.”

Mara shook her head.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“You are a federal witness.”

“So is she.”

She pointed at me.

“Neither of you is going anywhere.”

Victor leaned against the warehouse wall.

“Mara.”

She looked at him.

“You know me?”

“I know your father.”

Her face changed.

Adrian noticed.

“Of course.”

Mara sighed.

“Everybody knows everybody in this story.”

Thomas almost laughed.

Victor continued.

“Mara’s father was the prosecutor assigned to Catherine’s first case.”

Catherine stared.

“He disappeared too.”

Mara nodded.

“Retired.

Not disappeared.”

Victor looked unconvinced.

Mara ignored him.

By morning, federal agents had confirmed the Chicago address.

A small apartment over a hardware store.

Daniel Quinn was there.

Alive.

We were not allowed to travel alone.

So Mara came.

Thomas came.

Adrian came.

I did not argue.

When we reached the apartment, I stood outside the door for a full minute.

Then knocked.

Footsteps.

The door opened.

A man in his late fifties stared at me.

Gray hair.

Blue eyes.

My eyes.

He whispered:

“Laura.”

I had imagined this moment for years without knowing it was possible.

I thought I would hug him.

I did not.

I slapped him.

Hard.

He nodded.

“Fair.”

Then I hugged him.

I hated that I did.

I needed to.

Thomas stood behind me crying.

My father saw him.

“Tom.”

Thomas said:

“You took long enough.”

My father smiled.

Then saw Adrian.

His smile disappeared.

“Bellini.”

Adrian nodded.

“Quinn.”

We went inside.

My father had boxes everywhere.

Evidence.

Old case files.

Photographs.

One file was marked:

CATHERINE BELLINI.

Another:

VICTOR BELLINI.

Another:

DANIEL HOLT.

And one:

ADRIAN BELLINI.

Adrian stared.

“You investigated me too?”

“Yes.”

“For what?”

“Whether you knew.”

“Knew what?”

My father sat.

“The engagement was not Daniel’s first attempt to control you.”

Adrian frowned.

“He arranged your first serious relationship.”

Silence.

Adrian laughed.

“No.”

My father opened the file.

A woman.

Emily Cross.

Adrian’s girlfriend at twenty-four.

She died in a boating accident.

Adrian stared.

“She worked for Daniel?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“She was Mara’s sister.”

Mara froze.

“What?”

My father looked at her.

“You didn’t know?”

Mara went pale.

Adrian looked between them.

Emily had dated Adrian.

Mara’s sister.

Daniel had been watching.

My father continued.

“Emily discovered the shell companies while working at a law firm.”

Mara sat down.

“She drowned.”

“Yes.”

“Accident?”

My father said nothing.

Adrian’s face hardened.

“Daniel.”

My father nodded.

Mara looked away.

Suddenly this was not only Adrian’s family.

Not only Serena’s.

Not only mine.

Everyone around the accounts lost someone.

My father opened another file.

“Emily left a backup.”

Adrian looked at him.

“Where?”

“She mailed it to Catherine.”

Catherine had never received it.

Thomas whispered:

“Rose garden.”

We all looked at him.

“What?”

“Catherine used the roses as dead drops.”

Adrian stared.

“The safe.”

Thomas nodded.

“The safe we opened was one of them.”

My father stood.

“There were three.”

Silence.

Adrian closed his eyes.

“Of course there were.”

Thomas continued.

“One under the east roses.

One under the fountain.

One beneath the old greenhouse.”

Adrian looked at him.

“Which one had Emily’s package?”

Thomas answered:

“The greenhouse.”

Mara stood.

“We go back.”

My father shook his head.

“Too late.”

Everyone stopped.

He looked at Adrian.

“Daniel knew about the third safe before the engagement.”

Adrian stared.

“How?”

My father answered:

“Serena told him.”

Silence.

Adrian looked at Serena.

She was not in Chicago.

She had stayed with Richard.

Mara pulled out her phone.

Adrian said quietly:

“Call her.”

No answer.

Second call.

Nothing.

Third.

Richard answered.

His voice was shaking.

“She’s gone.”

Adrian’s face changed.

“When?”

“Twenty minutes ago.”

“With who?”

Silence.

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Then Richard whispered:

“Daniel.”