Chapter 2 - The Woman at Terminal Five

Sebastian drove too fast.

Dr. Levin sat beside him.

I was in the back seat.

Claire Morgan.

Twenty-eight.

Maid.

And somehow the only person at the engagement party who had not lied to him.

The clock on the dashboard read 11:18.

Sebastian gripped the wheel.

“Why did she wait until tonight?”

Dr. Levin looked out the window.

“She didn’t.”

Sebastian glanced at him.

“What does that mean?”

“Maria wrote to you.”

Silence.

“How many times?”

“More than twenty.”

Sebastian’s hands tightened.

“I never received one.”

“I know.”

“Who stopped them?”

Dr. Levin did not answer.

Sebastian already knew.

“Natalie’s father?”

“Some.”

“My uncle?”

“Most.”

The car accelerated.

I leaned forward.

“Why would Maria believe Sebastian chose Natalie’s family if Sebastian never saw the letters?”

Dr. Levin turned toward me.

“Because someone answered them.”

Sebastian went still.

“Answered them as me?”

“Yes.”

“What did they say?”

The doctor hesitated.

“That you wanted the past buried.”

Sebastian laughed once.

No humor.

“My mother thinks I rejected her.”

“Yes.”

Terminal Five appeared ahead.

11:31.

Sebastian parked where parking was forbidden.

We ran inside.

Dr. Levin called Maria.

No answer.

Again.

No answer.

Sebastian looked at the departure board.

Portland.

11:55.

Gate 42.

We ran.

At security, Sebastian stopped.

No boarding pass.

No time.

Dr. Levin pulled a folded document from his coat.

“I bought three refundable tickets.”

Sebastian stared at him.

“You planned this?”

“I hoped you would believe me.”

We passed security.

Gate 42 was nearly empty.

Boarding had begun.

Sebastian searched every face.

Then he froze.

A woman stood near the window.

Sixty-two.

Silver threaded through dark hair.

Gray coat.

One small suitcase.

She was looking at the runway.

Sebastian whispered:

“Mom?”

The woman turned.

Her face changed before she could stop it.

Not surprise.

Pain.

Recognition.

Sebastian did not move.

Neither did she.

Then Maria Romano looked at his left arm.

The black angel tattoo.

Her hand rose to her mouth.

“You kept it.”

Sebastian looked confused.

“What?”

“The angel.”

He stared at his tattoo.

“You knew about this?”

Maria nodded.

“You drew one on every school notebook when you were little.”

Sebastian’s eyes filled.

“You were there?”

“Until you were ten.”

“I was told you died when I was ten.”

“I know.”

He stepped closer.

“Did you leave me?”

Maria flinched.

“No.”

“Did you choose to disappear?”

“At first.”

Sebastian stopped.

“At first?”

She looked at Dr. Levin.

Then at me.

Then back to her son.

“I thought it would be six months.”

Sebastian’s voice dropped.

“It was twenty-three years.”

Maria closed her eyes.

“I know.”

“Why?”

“Because your uncle found me.”

Sebastian stared.

“When?”

“Seven months after my funeral.”

“What did he do?”

“He showed me photographs of you.”

Sebastian’s face hardened.

“What kind of photographs?”

“You walking to school. Sleeping in the back seat of a car. Playing soccer.”

My stomach tightened.

Maria continued.

“He told me if I came back, you would disappear next.”

Sebastian said nothing.

She opened her purse.

Pulled out a photograph.

Sebastian at eleven.

Standing outside a school.

Taken from across the street.

On the back was handwriting.

COME HOME AND HE LOSES HIS.

Sebastian read it twice.

Then looked at Dr. Levin.

“You knew this?”

“No.”

Maria shook her head.

“I told no one.”

“Not even Natalie’s father?”

Maria’s expression changed.

“No.”

Sebastian noticed.

“You don’t trust him.”

“I trusted him once.”

“What happened?”

Maria looked toward the gate.

Final boarding was announced.

She did not move.

Instead she handed Sebastian another envelope.

“This is why I came back.”

Sebastian opened it.

A copy of a bank ledger.

Dates.

Transfers.

Company names.

One name appeared repeatedly.

ROMANO HOLDINGS.

Another:

CROSS JUDICIAL TRUST.

Sebastian looked up.

“Natalie’s father.”

“Yes.”

“And my uncle.”

“Yes.”

“What were they doing?”

Maria’s voice became quiet.

“Moving your father’s money before he died.”

Sebastian scanned the page.

Then stopped.

One transfer had happened three days after his father’s death.

Another six months later.

Another every year after.

Sebastian looked sick.

“My uncle inherited control of the company.”

“Yes.”

“And Judge Cross helped him.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Maria looked at him.

“Because your father discovered they were paying judges, police officers, and contractors through fake consulting companies.”

Sebastian stared at the ledger.

“My father was going to expose them.”

“He was going to testify.”

“At what?”

“A federal grand jury.”

Sebastian’s head lifted.

“He was murdered before he could.”

Maria nodded.

The boarding door closed.

Her flight left without her.

Sebastian did not notice.

He asked one question.

“Who killed him?”

Maria looked toward the terminal entrance.

A man in a dark coat had just appeared.

He was watching us.

Maria’s face went pale.

“That man.”

Sebastian turned.

The stranger immediately walked away.

Sebastian started after him.

Maria grabbed his wrist.

“No.”

“Who is he?”

“He drove the car that hit your father.”

Sebastian stopped breathing normally.

“You saw him?”

“Yes.”

“What is his name?”

Maria looked directly at her son.

“Thomas Vale.”

Dr. Levin’s expression changed.

I knew why.

Natalie’s mother’s maiden name was Vale.

Sebastian understood one second later.

“Thomas Vale.”

Maria nodded.

“Natalie’s uncle.”

And suddenly the engagement was no longer connected to the conspiracy by coincidence.

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It was connected by blood.

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