Chapter 4 - The Man In The Photograph
The attacker had carried a photograph.
It was the only clue.
A picture of me.
Mia.
And Mason.
On the back was one sentence.
THE DAUGHTER KNOWS.
I stared at it.
“Mia doesn't know anything.”
Luca shook his head.
“Maybe.”
“She's three.”
“She doesn't need to understand information to repeat it.”
That frightened me.
I thought about the song I had taught her.
The little rhyme Mason used to sing.
Seven houses by the river.
Six lights beneath the rain.
Three birds on the old tower.
One door without a name.
Mia knew it by heart.
She sang it when she was happy.
I had never thought anything of it.
Until now.
I looked at Luca.
“Mason taught her that.”
“When?”
“Before he died.”
Luca stared.
“Do you know what it means?”
“No.”
He pulled out the paper.
“Read the numbers.”
Seven.
Six.
Three.
One.
I stared.
“Coordinates?”
“Maybe.”
Julian entered the room.
He looked exhausted.
“We found another document.”
Luca turned.
“What?”
“Your father's old records.”
He handed Luca a folder.
Luca opened it.
Inside were pages documenting shipments from fifteen years ago.
At the bottom of one page was Mason Ward's signature.
Then another name.
Elaine Ward.
My name.
I stopped breathing.
“Why is my name there?”
Julian looked at me.
“You were married to Mason.”
“I wasn't involved.”
“Apparently you were.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I never knew anything.”
Luca flipped another page.
There was a payment.
A scholarship.
In my name.
For nursing school.
My hands trembled.
“Mason paid for my education?”
Julian nodded.
“Through the Valente foundation.”
I looked at Luca.
“My husband worked for your family.”
“Yes.”
“And your father paid for my education.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Luca didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Julian.
“Who else knew Mason?”
“Your father.”
“Elias.”
“Marcus.”
“And Julian.”
Julian nodded.
“I knew of him.”
I looked at Julian.
“You never told me.”
“I didn't know you were his wife.”
I stared.
“You've known me for three years.”
“Yes.”
“And you never recognized my name?”
“No.”
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Mia entered the room holding Teddy.
“Mommy?”
I took her hand.
“What is it?”
“Teddy's sick.”
“What?”
She pointed at the bear's stomach.
“It feels hard.”
My heart stopped.
Luca stood.
“What do you mean?”
Mia held it out.
I touched the bear.
The hidden paper had shifted.
I looked at Luca.
He understood.
The door slammed shut.
Armed men entered.
Luca pulled his gun.
Julian moved first.
Gunfire exploded.
I threw myself over Mia.
She screamed.
Teddy fell.
The room filled with smoke.
Someone shouted.
Another body hit the floor.
When it ended, the attackers were gone.
Julian was bleeding from the shoulder.
Luca looked at him.
“Who were they?”
“I don't know.”
Mia picked up Teddy.
The seam had torn.
The paper fell out.
Luca picked it up.
His eyes moved across the names.
He stopped.
One name had been circled.
Julian Mela.
Beneath it:
PRIMARY ACCESS.
Luca slowly raised his eyes.
Julian stared back.
“Boss.”
Luca pointed the gun.
“Don't call me that.”
Julian froze.
“I can explain.”
“You have ten seconds.”
“I was investigating.”
“You forged these documents.”
“No.”
“You hid this from me.”
“I was protecting you.”
Luca laughed coldly.
“Everyone says that when they're caught.”
I stepped between them.
“Stop.”
They both looked at me.
I held Teddy against my chest.
“There's something you're missing.”
“What?” Luca asked.
I unfolded the paper again.
The hawk symbol was there.
But beside it was another mark.
A tiny star.
I knew that symbol.
Mason had drawn it on every letter he sent me.
I looked at Luca.
“This isn't Julian's code.”
“Then whose is it?”
“My husband's.”
Julian's face changed.
Luca lowered the gun slightly.
“Mason?”
I nodded.
“He wasn't working for your father.”
“He was investigating him.”
Silence.
Julian's eyes widened.
“You know what this means?”
“Yes.”
I looked at Luca.
“Your father wasn't the one being betrayed.”
Luca went still.
“He was the victim.”
Julian shook his head.
“No.”
I pointed to the paper.
“The hawk belongs to whoever controlled the network.”
“The star belongs to whoever was trying to destroy it.”
Luca looked at the symbols.
Then at Julian.
“You've been looking for the wrong enemy.”
Julian swallowed.
“Then who?”
I looked down at Mia.
She was holding Teddy.
Her tiny fingers were pressed around its torn seam.
She whispered,
“Mommy?”
“Yes?”
“I remember Daddy.”
My heart stopped.
“What did you say?”
She looked up.
“Daddy told me not to tell the bad man.”
Luca crouched.
“What bad man?”
Mia pointed at the doorway.
“The man who smiles.”
Everyone turned.
No one was there.
May you like
But on the floor stood a single black rose.
And tied around its stem was the hawk ring.
Related Stories
