Chapter 4 - WHAT ETHAN BELL KNEW
The memory card contained eighteen files.
Seventeen were encrypted.
The eighteenth was a video.
Ethan Bell appeared on the screen.
Claire broke before he said a word.
Her husband looked exactly as he had two years earlier.
Brown hair.
Work jacket.
Tired smile.
Alive.
“If Claire is watching this, then I failed.”
She covered her mouth.
Gabriel wanted to stop the recording.
Claire shook her head.
“Play it.”
Ethan explained that the scaffolding company where he worked was a subcontractor for a DeLuca redevelopment project.
He discovered payments being diverted into a hidden company.
Millions.
Then weapons began appearing inside construction shipments.
Someone was using Gabriel's legitimate businesses without his knowledge.
Ethan went to Pierce because Pierce had known Gabriel for decades.
Pierce introduced him to Marcus.
Marcus promised to investigate.
Three weeks later Ethan died.
The video ended with a warning.
“The person doing this isn't outside the DeLuca family. They're already inside Gabriel's house.”
Claire stared at the blank screen.
Gabriel felt sick.
He had employed the company responsible for the site where Ethan died.
Maybe he had not ordered it.
Maybe he had not known.
But ignorance did not resurrect husbands.
“Claire.”
“Don't.”
“I didn't know.”
“I said don't.”
She left.
For the first time, Gabriel understood that discovering innocence did not automatically earn forgiveness.
That evening Vivian found him alone.
“You look terrible.”
“Thank you.”
She poured herself wine.
“Claire Bell has become very comfortable here.”
Gabriel looked up.
“What does that mean?”
“You know exactly what it means.”
“No. Explain it.”
Vivian's smile disappeared.
“You're my fiancé.”
“A fact you've remembered more often this week than in the previous seven months.”
She set down the glass.
“I stayed.”
“You visited.”
“I rearranged my life.”
“You moved into the guest wing.”
“What was I supposed to do? Become your nurse?”
There it was.
Gabriel had known for months.
Hearing it still hurt.
“No.”
He removed the engagement ring he wore on a chain beneath his shirt.
He placed it on the table.
“You were supposed to love me.”
Vivian stared at it.
“You're ending our engagement because of a housekeeper?”
“No.”
Gabriel met her eyes.
“I'm ending it because I finally noticed how relieved you were when the doctors said I'd never walk again.”
Vivian slapped him.
Then froze.
Gabriel touched his cheek.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Confirming it.”
She left.
An hour later, the estate's security system shut down.
Every camera.
Every alarm.
Every electronic lock.
Then Emma disappeared.
Claire's scream traveled through the entire house.
They found Emma's stuffed rabbit on the driveway.
Beside it was a phone.
It rang.
Gabriel answered.
Marcus's voice came through.
May you like
“If you want the child alive, come alone.”
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