Chapter 3 - The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Richard Vale had always been difficult to kill.
Not because he was stronger than Vincent.
Not because he had more men.
Because Richard understood one thing Vincent had underestimated.
People were easier to manipulate than money.
Three years ago, Richard had controlled half the illegal shipping operations along Lake Michigan.
He had been brilliant.
Charming.
Patient.
And completely without loyalty.
When Vincent discovered that Richard had been skimming from their organization, he confronted him privately.
Richard smiled.
“You're going to regret this.”
Vincent answered, “I'm giving you one chance to leave.”
Richard took it.
He disappeared.
No body.
No witnesses.
No confirmed location.
Only rumors.
Then the insurance investigation connected his name to Emma Reed.
Vincent spent the next forty-eight hours turning his mansion upside down.
Not physically.
Politically.
Every employee was questioned.
Every access card was examined.
Every external contractor was investigated.
The estate had twelve permanent staff members.
Only four had access to restricted areas.
One of those four was Marcus.
One was the house manager.
One was the head chef.
And one was Emma.
Vincent found nothing.
Which made the situation worse.
On Monday morning, he called Emma to his study.
She stood near the door, hands folded.
“You wanted to see me?”
“Yes.”
She looked nervous.
“You're not being fired.”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
Then he said, “But I need you to tell me everything about Richard Vale.”
Emma's face went blank.
“I don't know him.”
Vincent watched her carefully.
“Your daughter's insurance money was redirected to a company connected to him.”
“I don't know him.”
“Someone has been monitoring you.”
“I don't know him.”
Vincent stepped closer.
“Emma.”
She looked at him.
“I truly don't know who he is.”
Vincent believed her.
That frightened him.
Because if Emma didn't know Richard, then Richard had no reason to target her unless the reason was much bigger.
Later that day, Emma received a message.
Unknown number.
You should stop asking questions.
She deleted it.
Then another arrived.
Your employer isn't the man you think he is.
She stared at the screen.
A third message followed.
He knows what happened to your husband.
Emma froze.
Her husband, Daniel, had been dead for two years.
Car accident.
At least, that was what the police report said.
Emma had accepted the funeral.
Accepted the ashes.
Accepted the empty side of the bed.
But something about that message reopened a wound she thought had scarred over.
That evening, she went to Vincent.
“You knew my husband.”
Vincent looked up from his desk.
“What?”
“Daniel Reed.”
Silence.
Vincent slowly stood.
“Who told you?”
“Someone texted me.”
“What did they say?”
“That you know what happened to him.”
Vincent stared at her.
He did.
Not everything.
But enough.
Daniel Reed had worked for Richard Vale.
He had transported financial records.
Two years ago, Daniel had disappeared from a warehouse.
Three days later, his body had been found in his car.
Vincent had heard his name because Richard had been investigating a missing ledger.
But Vincent had never connected Daniel to Emma.
Until now.
He sat down.
“Your husband worked for Richard.”
Emma went rigid.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No. Daniel was a mechanic.”
“He told you that.”
Emma stared at him.
Vincent opened a drawer.
He removed an old photograph.
Daniel standing beside a delivery truck.
Richard Vale in the background.
Emma took one look and stepped backward.
“No.”
“I'm sorry.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
She looked at the picture again.
“That man isn't Richard.”
“He is.”
She began crying.
“You're lying.”
“I wish I were.”
Emma sat down.
For several minutes, she said nothing.
Then the truth came out in pieces.
Daniel had changed before he died.
He became anxious.
Protective.
Secretive.
He started checking windows at night.
He once told Emma to keep Lily close.
He had left a locked box.
The box disappeared after his death.
Vincent listened.
“Did he ever mention me?”
Emma shook her head.
“No.”
“Did he mention Richard?”
“Once.”
“What did he say?”
Emma closed her eyes.
“He said Richard was dangerous.”
“Anything else?”
“He said if anything happened to him, I should never trust a man named Vincent Carver.”
The room became completely silent.
Vincent stared at her.
Emma looked up.
“That was before I knew who you were.”
Vincent almost laughed.
It was a bitter sound.
“So your husband told you not to trust me.”
“Yes.”
“And then you came to work for me.”
“I didn't know you owned the company.”
“Why didn't you quit when you found out?”
Emma looked at him for a long moment.
“Because Lily needed medicine.”
That answer stayed with him.
Later that night, Vincent found Marcus in the security room.
“Pull Daniel Reed's old file.”
Marcus already had it open.
“You're going to hate this.”
“What?”
Marcus turned the screen.
Daniel had contacted an attorney four days before his death.
He had intended to expose something.
Something involving Richard.
And someone inside Vincent's organization.
“Who?”
Marcus shook his head.
“The file is incomplete.”
Vincent stared.
“Then complete it.”
By morning, Vincent knew one thing.
Richard Vale wasn't targeting Emma because of the insurance money.
He was targeting her because Daniel had left something behind.
Something Richard desperately wanted.
Something Vincent might have unknowingly protected for years.
That afternoon, Lily came home from the hospital.
Vincent saw her for the first time without medical staff around.
The little girl wore pink pajamas and carried the one-eared rabbit from Emma's bag.
She stared at Vincent.
“You're Mommy's boss.”
“Yes.”
“Are you mean?”
Emma nearly choked.
“Lily.”
Vincent looked at the child.
“Sometimes.”
Lily considered this.
“Mommy says scary people are usually sad.”
Emma looked mortified.
Vincent raised an eyebrow.
“Does she?”
Lily nodded.
Then she offered him the rabbit.
“It needs fixing.”
Vincent stared at the toy.
“What's wrong with it?”
“One ear.”
“I can see that.”
“You know someone who can sew?”
Vincent looked at Emma.
She lowered her head.
He took the rabbit.
“I know someone.”
He walked away.
Marcus was waiting.
“Where are you going?”
“To change something.”
“What?”
“The house rules.”
Marcus stared.
“What rules?”
Vincent looked back toward Lily.
“No employee leaves hungry.”
That was only the beginning.
Within a week, Vincent had changed the staff kitchen policy.
No one was required to attend formal dinners.
Food could be taken home.
Medical emergencies were covered.
Employees with children received paid family leave.
A doctor was available privately for staff.
Emma thought it was temporary.
Marcus knew better.
Vincent did too.
He wasn't doing it because he had suddenly become soft.
He was doing it because Emma's story had forced him to confront a truth he had spent years avoiding.
Not every person standing outside his walls wanted something from him.
Some people were simply trying to survive.
Then, on Thursday night, a bullet shattered the window above Emma's head.
Vincent moved before anyone else.
He pulled her to the floor.
Glass exploded across the room.
Lily screamed.
Vincent's security team rushed in.
Emma clutched her daughter.
Vincent looked toward the shattered window.
A single piece of paper had been taped to the outer frame.
He picked it up.
Three words.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING MINE.
Vincent's expression went cold.
May you like
Richard wasn't hiding anymore.
He was coming for them.
