Chapter 1 - THE MAN BEHIND THE WHEEL
I recognized the man behind the wheel.
And suddenly, the woman's terror of me was no longer the most disturbing part.
The photograph showed a black Cadillac Escalade parked beside the loading dock at 2:09 a.m.
The driver had turned toward the security camera.
His face was unmistakable.
Marcus Vance.
My younger brother.
The man I'd buried eleven months earlier.
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
My security chief, Daniel Cross, stood beside the bed.
“Boss?”
I stared at the photograph.
“Where did you get this?”
“Traffic camera near the river.”
I looked again.
Same dark hair.
Same scar beneath his left eye.
Same silver ring he'd worn since our father died.
It was Marcus.
Alive.
I felt the room tilt.
Behind me, the woman made a small, broken sound.
“No.”
I turned.
Her eyes were fixed on the photograph.
She looked as though she'd seen a ghost.
“Do you know him?” I asked.
Her lips trembled.
“Please.”
I stepped closer.
“Tell me.”
She shook her head.
“He said you would kill us.”
My blood turned cold.
“Who?”
She pointed at the photograph.
“Your brother.”
Silence.
Daniel looked at me.
I looked at the woman.
Then I asked the question that would change everything.
“What's your name?”
She swallowed.
“Lena.”
“Lena what?”
Her eyes filled.
“Lena Bennett.”
I waited.
Then she whispered:
“And those babies…”
May you like
Her voice broke.
“They're his daughters.”
