Chapter 6 - My Father Was the One Man Chicago Had Buried
Lucas Hart.
The name followed me through the safehouse like a ghost.
Victor finally told us the truth.
Lucas had been a lawyer.
Not a criminal.
Not a gangster.
A prosecutor.
A man who had spent years building a case against the Falcone family.
He had nearly destroyed Victor.
Until one night, Lucas disappeared.
My mother vanished soon after.
“Why didn't she tell me?” I whispered.
“Because she thought someone was watching you.”
“Were they?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Almost everyone connected to my family.”
Damian looked at Victor.
“Why protect her?”
Victor's expression hardened.
“Because Lucas saved my life once.”
“You killed him anyway.”
“I didn't.”
“Then who did?”
Victor looked toward the window.
“Adrian Cross.”
That name again.
I was beginning to realize Adrian was not simply Victor's enemy.
He was the center of every secret.
Lucas had been investigating the Falcone empire.
Adrian had been secretly helping him.
Eleanor had discovered the conspiracy.
My mother had helped hide evidence.
Then Lucas disappeared.
And everyone assumed he was dead.
Victor gave us one final location.
An old courthouse archive.
We went there after midnight.
Damian insisted on coming.
The basement smelled like mold and paper.
We found the records room.
There, hidden inside an old legal cabinet, was a file bearing my father's name.
Lucas Hart had left a handwritten statement.
I found evidence against Victor Falcone.
I also discovered Victor is not the architect.
Adrian Cross is.
I stared at the page.
Damian looked over my shoulder.
Another page followed.
Adrian planned to use the Falcone organization to control Chicago's underground economy.
Victor believed he was building his own empire.
He didn't realize he was being manipulated.
Lucas had uncovered it.
He tried to expose both men.
That's why he disappeared.
A noise came from behind us.
Damian turned.
A gunman stepped out.
Then another.
Then a dozen.
Damian pushed me behind a cabinet.
Bullets tore through shelves.
He returned fire.
The archive became chaos.
I crawled toward an emergency exit.
Then I saw someone standing at the far end.
Adrian.
He wasn't shooting.
He was watching.
“Come with me,” he said.
“No.”
“You don't know what your father discovered.”
“I have his records.”
Adrian's expression changed.
“You have the wrong file.”
He pulled out a folder.
“This is the real one.”
Damian appeared beside me.
“Step away from her.”
Adrian smiled.
“You really don't know what Victor did to you.”
Damian raised his weapon.
“Don't.”
Adrian looked at me.
“Your mother didn't disappear to protect you from Victor.”
“She disappeared to protect Victor from you.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your mother knew the truth about Lucas.”
“What truth?”
Adrian's voice lowered.
“Lucas wasn't your father.”
I froze.
“Then who was?”
Adrian said one word.
“Me.”
Everything stopped.
Damian turned toward me.
Adrian continued.
“Lucas adopted you.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“My mother told me—”
“Your mother lied because she had to.”
“Why?”
“Because if Victor knew you were my daughter, he'd kill you.”
Damian stepped between us.
“Enough.”
Adrian looked at him.
“You should thank me.”
“For what?”
“For keeping your mother alive.”
Damian went still.
“My mother is alive?”
Adrian nodded.
“She has been under my protection for eleven years.”
My knees almost collapsed.
“Where?”
Adrian looked at me.
“I'll take you to her.”
Damian immediately said, “Absolutely not.”
I turned toward him.
“I don't know who to trust.”
His eyes softened.
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
He lowered his weapon.
“Because I don't trust my father either.”
May you like
Then he reached for my hand.
“I'm coming with you.”
