Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN WHO ARRANGED A DEATH
Back in the present, Damen listened without interrupting.
They sat in a private room above Sal's diner.
Jerry had locked the door.
Marco stood outside.
Serena held a glass of water with both hands.
Her voice trembled as she described the phone call.
The bridge.
The van.
The motel in Gary.
Damen's face grew colder with every word.
"Who was the woman?"
"I don't know."
"Did she give you a name?"
"No."
"Did you recognize her voice?"
Serena hesitated.
"No."
Damen leaned forward.
"Think."
She flinched.
He stopped immediately.
"I'm sorry."
He rubbed his face.
"God, Serena."
She looked down.
"I thought they would kill you."
He stared.
"And you thought I could survive burying you?"
Tears filled her eyes.
"I didn't know what else to do."
Damen stood.
Walked to the window.
Then turned back.
"You should have told me."
She laughed bitterly.
"When?"
He stared.
"Between the funerals and the shootings?"
His expression tightened.
"Serena—"
"You were disappearing long before I did."
Silence.
She pressed a hand over her belly.
"I didn't leave because I stopped loving you."
Damen closed his eyes.
"I know."
She looked up.
"I left because I loved you too much to watch you die."
He turned away.
For the first time in eight months, he cried.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just a silent collapse of everything he'd held together.
Serena watched him.
May you like
And realized that whoever had arranged her disappearance had not simply threatened their lives.
They had destroyed two people who loved each other.
