Chapter 3 - The Woman Who Was Supposed To Be Dead
Emily refused to believe the prisoner.
Not because his words made no sense.
Because they made too much sense.
For the past eleven years, she had built an entire life around the assumption that her mother was dead.
Now one injured criminal claimed Evelyn Carter was alive.
Gabriel didn't tell her what to believe.
He took her downstairs.
The prisoner sat restrained in a secure interview room.
His name was Victor Dane.
Older than Emily remembered.
The scar across his eyebrow was there.
He looked at her.
Then smiled.
"You got taller."
Emily froze.
"You know me."
"I knew you before Gabriel did."
Gabriel stood behind her.
"Talk."
Victor looked at him.
"You haven't changed."
"I've gotten less patient."
Victor laughed.
"Evelyn was right."
Emily stepped forward.
"Where is my mother?"
Victor's smile faded.
"Alive."
Her knees almost weakened.
"Where?"
"I don't know."
Gabriel stepped closer.
"Who does?"
Victor looked at Emily.
"The man who owns your mother's contract."
Emily felt sick.
"She doesn't belong to anyone."
Victor shook his head.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
He sighed.
"Your mother was an intelligence courier."
Emily stared.
"Courier?"
"She moved information between criminal networks and government agencies."
"You're lying."
"She was recruited when she was twenty-three."
"My mother was a nurse."
"That was the cover."
Emily looked at Gabriel.
He was expressionless.
But she could see he believed the man.
Victor continued.
"She stole a ledger from a man named Matteo Rossi."
Gabriel's face changed.
His uncle.
A man believed dead.
"Matteo Rossi."
Victor nodded.
"Your mother was the last person to see him alive."
Emily frowned.
"How is that connected to me?"
"You were the reason she betrayed him."
"What?"
"She discovered that Matteo planned to use you as leverage."
Victor looked at Gabriel.
"Your father was involved too."
Gabriel's jaw tightened.
"What did my father do?"
"He tried to stop Matteo."
The room went silent.
Gabriel stepped forward.
"Don't."
Victor laughed.
"Your father wanted out."
"Out of what?"
"The organization."
Gabriel stared.
"My father was a criminal."
"Yes."
"But he tried to leave."
"Yes."
Emily looked between them.
"What happened?"
Victor's voice dropped.
"Matteo killed him."
Gabriel went pale.
He had believed his father died of a heart attack.
For years.
His entire childhood had been built around that lie.
"Why would Matteo do that?"
"Because your father chose your mother."
Emily's eyes filled.
"What?"
Victor looked at her.
"And because your mother chose you."
He pulled a photograph from his pocket.
It showed Evelyn.
Holding a baby.
Emily.
A note was written beneath it.
"She'll never know."
Emily touched the photograph.
She cried silently.
Gabriel moved beside her.
Then Victor continued.
"Your mother escaped."
"Where?"
"Europe first."
"Then?"
"Different cities."
"Why return?"
"She didn't."
Emily looked up.
"What?"
"Someone brought her back."
"Who?"
Victor smiled sadly.
"Gabriel."
Gabriel froze.
"What?"
"Your father."
"My father died before Emily's mother disappeared."
"No."
Victor shook his head.
"Your father was alive for months after the official date of his death."
Gabriel's world cracked.
"You're lying."
Victor looked toward him.
"Ask your mother."
"My mother is dead."
"Your mother knows."
Gabriel stepped back.
He had reached the limit.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Victor looked toward Emily.
"The woman raising you after the accident wasn't Evelyn."
Emily froze.
"Who was she?"
"Her sister."
Emily whispered:
"My aunt?"
Victor nodded.
"Your mother disappeared because she had to."
"Then who died?"
Victor looked down.
"No one."
The room fell silent.
A horrifying truth settled between them.
Emily's mother had never died.
She had staged her death.
For years.
And someone had helped her.
Gabriel suddenly asked:
"Who is the man with the silver cuff links?"
Victor looked at him.
"You remember."
Gabriel's expression hardened.
"I never forgot."
"He's the one who ordered the accident."
Emily's heart stopped.
"My accident?"
Victor nodded.
"The night your family was supposed to die."
She stepped backward.
"No."
Gabriel caught her before she fell.
Victor continued.
"You were never the target."
Emily looked up.
May you like
"Then who was?"
"Your father."
