Chapter 3 - When Dominic Saw My Father's Photograph, He Realized the Woman Who Saved His Children Was the Daughter of the Detective His Family Had BuriedDominic left the hospital room.
I heard his voice in the hallway.
“Find Victor.”
A pause.
“Alive.”
Another pause.
“Bring him to me.”
I didn't know what happened after that.
Because memories had already begun crashing through my mind.
My father's old files.
The newspaper clippings.
The unanswered questions.
The night police officers came to our house.
The way my mother cried when they told her he was dead.
And one sentence my father had said three days before he died.
If anything happens to me, don't trust the Valentines.
I'd forgotten it.
Or maybe I'd spent twelve years trying to.
Dominic returned twenty minutes later.
His face was different.
“Your father was investigating my family.”
“I know.”
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“You never asked.”
He sat opposite me.
“Your father believed my father was involved in organized crime.”
“He was.”
Dominic's eyes hardened.
“You don't know everything.”
“My father did.”
“He may have been wrong.”
“No.”
I looked directly at him.
“He wasn't.”
Dominic studied me.
“What exactly did he know?”
I swallowed.
“He believed your father ordered several murders.”
Dominic looked away.
“My father was a monster.”
The admission surprised me.
“But he wasn't responsible for your father's death.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I found the file.”
“What file?”
“The one your father left behind.”
My heart stopped.
“Where?”
“Hidden inside my father's private records.”
“Why do you have it?”
“Because my father kept evidence.”
“Evidence against himself?”
Dominic gave a bitter laugh.
“He liked collecting insurance.”
He reached into his jacket.
Then placed a photograph on my hospital blanket.
My father.
Dominic's father.
And a third man.
I recognized him.
Victor Valentine.
Dominic's younger brother.
My stomach dropped.
“He was there.”
Dominic nodded.
“The night your father died.”
I looked up.
“Then why wasn't he arrested?”
“Because he disappeared.”
I stared at the photograph.
“Where?”
Dominic's expression became cold.
“We're going to find out.”
Before he could continue, his phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
Silence.
“Where?”
Another pause.
“Don't touch anything.”
He ended the call.
“What happened?”
He looked at me.
“They found Victor.”
“Where?”
“Outside your mother's hospital.”
My blood went cold.
“My mother.”
“I already sent people.”
I tried to get out of bed.
Dominic stopped me.
“You're not going anywhere.”
“My mother is there.”
“I know.”
“Then let me go.”
“You've been shot.”
“I don't care.”
He stared at me.
Then he picked up his coat.
“I'll bring her here.”
“No.”
He stopped.
“You're not going alone.”
“You're coming?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
May you like
His eyes met mine.
“Because if someone is coming after your family, they're coming after mine too.”
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