Chapter 3 - The Enemy Who Knew Her Name
By sunrise, Karina was no longer a waitress.
At least, that was what Vincent told her.
“You're staying here.”
She stood in the study of the Graham townhouse with her arms folded.
“No.”
Vincent looked at her.
“Yes.”
“You don't own me.”
“I know.”
“Then don't talk like you do.”
Levi, standing near the fireplace, looked at the ceiling as though asking God for patience.
Vincent remained calm.
“Someone has threatened you.”
“Someone threatens half the city.”
“And they know your father's name.”
“That still doesn't mean I stay here.”
“It means you're safer here.”
Karina laughed.
“I spent years surviving without you.”
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
“And how is that going?”
She didn't answer.
He walked toward the desk.
“Your rent is six weeks late.”
Her face flushed.
“Did you investigate me?”
“Yes.”
“You had no right.”
“Probably not.”
“Probably?”
He paused.
“Definitely not.”
That honesty disarmed her.
He continued.
“Your aunt is leaving her house every night at eleven and returning at four in the morning.”
Karina frowned.
“That isn't possible.”
“I have a man watching the block.”
“You put a man outside my aunt's house?”
“Yes.”
She stared.
“You're unbelievable.”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn't a compliment.”
“I know.”
For the first time, she smiled.
It vanished quickly.
“What happened to the missing records?”
Vincent looked at Levi.
“We found one more.”
Levi placed a small notebook on the table.
Its cover was worn.
Karina recognized the handwriting before she touched it.
“My father's.”
She opened it.
Most pages contained numbers.
Fuel.
Routes.
Names.
Dates.
Then, halfway through, the writing changed.
It became rushed.
September 14.
Roman knows.
September 16.
Adrian wants her moved.
September 18.
Girl must not stay at the house.
Karina turned the page.
No date.
Only one sentence.
If anything happens to me, Karina must never know who she really is until she is old enough to choose what to do with the truth.
She looked up.
“What?”
Vincent stared at the page.
“Keep reading.”
She did.
The next line was partly torn.
Her mother isn't—
The rest was missing.
Karina's hands shook.
“What does this mean?”
Vincent sat.
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I don't know everything.”
“Your father knew me.”
“Yes.”
“Your father was protecting me.”
“Yes.”
“From Roman.”
“Probably.”
She stared.
“Who was my mother?”
Silence.
Vincent looked at Levi.
Levi shook his head.
Then a phone rang.
Vincent answered.
“What?”
The color drained from his face.
He ended the call.
“What happened?”
“My aunt is missing.”
Karina stood immediately.
“I have to go.”
Vincent grabbed his keys.
“You're not going alone.”
They drove to Queens.
The house door was unlocked.
No sign of forced entry.
The living room had been disturbed.
One chair overturned.
A cup shattered.
Karina ran upstairs.
“Aunt May!”
Nothing.
Her bedroom was empty.
The attic door stood open.
Karina climbed the stairs.
Boxes had been searched.
Old clothes thrown aside.
Then she saw the trunk.
The one her father had told her never to open.
She knelt.
The lock was broken.
Inside was an old photograph.
A woman.
Karina stared.
The woman had her eyes.
Same mouth.
Same dark hair.
Same tiny scar near the eyebrow.
Under the photograph was a hospital bracelet.
Baby Girl Yoda.
Karina's hands went numb.
Vincent stood behind her.
He looked at the photograph.
“I know her.”
Karina turned.
“Who?”
Vincent swallowed.
“My father called her Elena.”
“Who was she?”
He stared at the picture.
“She was Roman's wife.”
Karina's heart stopped.
“What?”
Vincent continued.
“She disappeared twenty-seven years ago.”
Karina looked at the bracelet.
The date matched her birthday.
“No.”
She stood.
“No.”
Vincent stepped forward.
“We need to leave.”
“My mother was Roman Graham's wife?”
“We don't know that.”
“You said—”
“I said I knew the woman.”
Karina pointed at the photo.
“Then tell me the truth.”
He took a breath.
“My father believed Elena had a child before she disappeared.”
Karina whispered.
“When?”
“The same year you were born.”
The room seemed to tilt.
She sat.
“I don't believe you.”
“I understand.”
“My father told me my mother died in childbirth.”
“Maybe she did.”
“But if she was Roman's wife…”
“We need records.”
Levi entered the attic.
He held up a folder.
“We found this behind the wall.”
Vincent took it.
Inside was a birth certificate.
The mother's name had been blacked out.
Father:
Unknown.
Karina cried out.
“This is fake.”
“Probably.”
“Then what do we have?”
Levi answered.
“Enough to make someone very nervous.”
A noise sounded downstairs.
Footsteps.
Vincent immediately drew his weapon.
“Stay behind me.”
Karina ignored him.
“I can take care of myself.”
“Tonight you don't have to.”
The footsteps stopped.
A shadow crossed the doorway.
Then a voice.
“Karina.”
She froze.
It was her aunt.
May stepped into the attic.
Her face was pale.
Vincent lowered his gun.
“Aunt May!”
Karina ran toward her.
May pushed her back.
“Don't touch me.”
Karina stared.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Who was here?”
May looked at Vincent.
Then away.
“Go.”
Karina shook her head.
“You know something.”
May began crying.
“I promised your father.”
“Promised what?”
“That I would keep you away from them.”
“From whom?”
“The Grahams.”
Vincent stiffened.
May looked directly at him.
“Your family destroyed ours.”
He accepted the accusation without defense.
“What did my father do?”
“Adrian wanted to leave.”
“Leave what?”
“The business.”
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
“He wanted out.”
May nodded.
“Kenji helped him.”
Karina whispered.
“Then why was my father still working for him?”
“Because Adrian discovered Roman was moving weapons and cash through legitimate companies.”
Vincent's expression darkened.
May continued.
“Adrian wanted to testify.”
“And Roman?”
“He found out.”
Karina's heart hammered.
“What happened to my mother?”
May looked at her.
“She tried to take you and run.”
“Why didn't she?”
“Because someone betrayed her.”
“Who?”
May looked at Vincent.
Not at Karina.
At Vincent.
“Your father.”
The words hit the room like a gunshot.
Vincent stepped back.
“My father?”
“He told Roman where she was.”
Karina looked at him.
For the first time, she saw genuine shock on Vincent's face.
May continued.
“Adrian thought he could control Roman.”
“He couldn't.”
“No.”
Karina's eyes filled.
“What happened?”
“Your mother disappeared.”
“And me?”
“Your father took you.”
“Why?”
“To save you.”
“From Roman?”
“From everyone.”
Karina looked at the photograph.
“And my mother?”
May's voice broke.
“She survived.”
Karina stopped breathing.
“What?”
“She survived.”
“Where is she?”
May shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I wish I were.”
Karina grabbed her hand.
“Tell me.”
May looked toward the stairs.
“We have to leave.”
“Why?”
“Because Roman's men came tonight.”
Vincent's expression hardened.
“Roman is not supposed to be in the city.”
May laughed bitterly.
“Roman doesn't need permission to come home.”
The drive back to Manhattan was silent.
Vincent stared through the windshield.
Karina sat beside him.
She finally spoke.
“You didn't know.”
“No.”
“About your father.”
“No.”
“You believed him.”
“Yes.”
She looked out the window.
“Now you know.”
Vincent's hands tightened on the steering wheel.
“I know.”
“Does that change anything?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Everything.”
When they reached the townhouse, a man was waiting at the door.
He handed Levi an envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
Karina's mother.
Alive.
Standing beside a young man.
The young man was Vincent.
Except the photograph was twenty-four years old.
Vincent stared.
“That was before I met her.”
Karina turned.
“You knew her.”
“I was a child.”
“You knew my mother.”
He looked at her.
“I think she saved my life.”
Karina stepped closer.
“How?”
May you like
Vincent's voice was barely audible.
“Roman wanted me dead.”
