Chapter 7 - The Man Who Tried to Kill Me Begged Me to Save His Daughter
We returned to Chicago under cover of darkness.
Adrian had arranged a safe apartment above one of his family's old hotels.
The city looked different now.
Not because it had changed.
Because I had.
Every shadow felt like surveillance.
Every parked car looked suspicious.
Every stranger could have been watching.
Adrian was waiting.
He handed me a folder.
“Calder.”
Inside were photographs.
A young girl.
Eight years old.
Brown hair.
Pink backpack.
A school picture.
I looked at him.
“Why are you showing me this?”
“Calder has a daughter.”
“And?”
“He threatened to kill her if I didn't bring him the ledger.”
My jaw tightened.
“He's using his own child?”
“No.”
Adrian looked down.
“Hale is.”
I opened another page.
Hospital records.
The girl had been diagnosed with leukemia.
My anger softened.
“Where is she?”
“Children's Hospital.”
“Protected?”
“Not yet.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“This is a trap.”
“Yes.”
I looked at him.
“Probably.”
“Then don't go.”
I ignored him.
Adrian watched me.
“You're going.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because children don't choose their fathers.”
We went to the hospital.
The girl was asleep.
Calder sat beside her.
When he saw me, he reached for his weapon.
Daniel aimed first.
“Don't.”
Calder slowly lowered his hand.
“You came.”
“You threatened me.”
“I had no choice.”
“Everyone says that.”
He looked at his daughter.
“She’s all I have.”
“You killed people for Hale.”
“I know.”
“You helped hunt me.”
“I know.”
“Why should I help you?”
He looked me in the eyes.
“Because I helped him kill your father.”
Silence.
Daniel raised his gun.
I stopped him.
“Let him talk.”
Calder swallowed.
“Hale didn't order the death.”
“Then who did?”
“Your father.”
My blood ran cold.
“What?”
“He ordered his own disappearance.”
I stared.
“No.”
Calder shook his head.
“The shooting, the death certificate, everything.”
“He planned it.”
“Why?”
“To expose Hale.”
“Then why did he never return?”
Calder looked at me.
“He did.”
I froze.
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
“Where?”
“Chicago.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“Where exactly?”
Calder gave an address.
The Blue Lantern.
My diner.
I felt sick.
“He was there?”
“Yes.”
“How close?”
“He watched you.”
I closed my eyes.
My father had been inside my diner.
He had watched me serve coffee.
Watched me live my ordinary life.
And never said a word.
“Why?”
“Because Hale was watching you.”
Calder continued.
“He wanted to tell you everything.”
“What stopped him?”
“He was killed.”
“By Hale?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Calder looked at Adrian.
“His own man.”
Adrian stepped back.
“Who?”
Calder said a name.
Marcus Vale.
Hale's alter ego.
But the man we thought was Hale wasn't the one who fired the shot.
Someone else had.
A name appeared in Calder's records.
Victor Hale's right-hand man.
A person I knew.
Someone who had worked beside my father for years.
I whispered the name.
“Evelyn Cross.”
Daniel stared at me.
“She killed him?”
Calder nodded.
“Because she wanted Black Harbor for herself.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“And where is she now?”
Calder smiled bitterly.
“Close.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice said:
“You've been looking in the wrong direction.”
I knew that voice.
Evelyn.
“You killed my father.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He was going to destroy everything.”
“Why kill Daniel?”
“I didn't.”
I froze.
“What?”
“He was useful.”
“Where is he?”
Silence.
Then the call ended.
I turned.
Daniel was gone.
The hospital hallway was empty.
His gun was on the floor.
I ran.
Adrian followed.
There was blood near the service elevator.
One drop.
Then another.
But no body.
I knew immediately.
They had taken him.
And they wanted me to follow.
I looked at Calder.
“Where?”
He gave me the address.
A warehouse near the river.
I knew it.
The old Black Harbor distribution center.
I took the gun.
Adrian grabbed my arm.
“Mara, wait.”
I looked at him.
“I waited fourteen years.”
May you like
I pulled away.
“I'm done waiting.”
