Chapter 3 - The Letter from the Dead
The envelope contained a key.
Nothing else.
Arthur turned it over.
“Where does this open?”
Elena pointed toward Chloe.
“Ask her.”
Chloe looked confused.
“Me?”
“Your family once owned a building on Archer Street.”
“Yes.”
“Your father sold it years ago.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
Elena looked at Arthur.
“Her mother wasn't supposed to die in a car accident.”
The room went silent.
Chloe's breath caught.
“My mother?”
“She discovered the first part of the Croft operation.”
Arthur frowned.
“What operation?”
“Before you were born, the Romano and Henderson families were supposed to merge.”
Chloe shook her head.
“My mother told me she had nothing to do with your family.”
“She lied.”
“Why?”
“Because she was protecting you.”
Elena pulled out another photograph.
It showed Chloe's mother standing with Arthur's father.
Between them was a teenage Malcolm Croft.
Chloe stared.
“I've seen him before.”
“He was already working with them.”
Arthur took the photograph.
“What happened?”
“Your father discovered that Malcolm was using Romano shipping routes to move illegal money.”
Arthur's expression hardened.
“And my father confronted him.”
“Yes.”
“What happened next?”
“He was killed.”
“By Malcolm?”
Elena hesitated.
“Not directly.”
“Who?”
“A member of our family.”
Arthur stared.
“Who?”
Elena's eyes filled with regret.
“Your uncle Victor.”
Arthur stepped backward.
“No.”
“Victor was in debt.”
“Where is he?”
“Dead.”
“Convenient.”
“Very.”
Arthur took a breath.
“What does this key open?”
“The old Archer Street building.”
Chloe frowned.
“But that building was demolished years ago.”
“No.”
Elena shook her head.
“The records say demolished.”
She smiled bitterly.
“The building is still there.”
That night they drove to Archer Street.
The building was hidden behind a renovated warehouse.
The front facade had been removed, but the original basement remained.
Arthur used the key.
A steel door opened.
Inside were shelves.
Boxes.
Old account books.
Photographs.
And a wall covered in names.
Chloe approached it.
Her mother's name was there.
Arthur Romano Sr.
Victor Romano.
Malcolm Croft.
Vivien Croft.
And one name neither of them expected.
Daniel Henderson.
Chloe stopped breathing.
“My brother.”
Arthur looked at her.
“Daniel worked for the Crofts.”
“No.”
“He was involved in the financial records.”
“No.”
“Chloe.”
“You don't know him.”
“I know what the files say.”
She turned on Arthur.
“You think because your family kills people, everyone is guilty?”
He went silent.
Chloe's voice broke.
“Daniel raised me.”
“I know.”
“He worked two jobs so I could finish school.”
“I know.”
“He would never—”
A gunshot shattered the basement window.
Arthur pushed Chloe to the floor.
Leo's men responded immediately.
A bullet struck the wall above them.
“Stay down!”
Arthur moved toward the exit.
Chloe grabbed his sleeve.
“Don't leave me.”
He stopped.
“I won't.”
They escaped through the rear passage.
Back at Moretti House, Arthur studied the files.
Daniel's name appeared on financial transfers.
Not as a recipient.
As a whistleblower.
Chloe stared.
“So he wasn't working for them.”
“No.”
“He was tracking them.”
Arthur nodded.
“Your brother may have known about the poison.”
A phone rang.
Leo answered.
His expression changed.
“Daniel was arrested tonight.”
“What?”
“Federal agents found weapons in his apartment.”
Chloe stood.
“He was framed.”
Arthur agreed.
“Absolutely.”
“Then let's get him.”
They arrived at the courthouse before midnight.
Daniel sat behind glass.
When he saw Chloe, he looked terrified.
“Why did you marry him?”
Chloe stared.
“Because Father forced me.”
Daniel glanced at Arthur.
“Then you have no idea what you've walked into.”
Arthur approached.
“You know who poisoned me.”
Daniel looked at Chloe.
“I know who is going to kill your baby.”
Chloe's blood ran cold.
“Who?”
Daniel swallowed.
“Vivien isn't running this.”
“Then who is?”
May you like
Daniel whispered:
“Someone Arthur trusts more than anyone.”
