Chapter 13 - The Truth Behind the Ledger
Dominic survived surgery.
Barely.
The bullet had passed below his collarbone, missed his heart, and damaged an artery.
The surgeon called him lucky.
Penelope called him infuriating.
She sat beside his hospital bed six hours later.
Dominic opened his eyes.
“You look terrible,” she said.
His voice was rough.
“You too.”
“Thank you.”
“Black dress survived.”
“Priorities.”
His eyes moved toward her hand.
She was holding his.
Penelope noticed.
She considered releasing it.
Didn’t.
Dominic noticed that too.
“Future wife?”
“Do not ruin this moment.”
He smiled faintly.
“Understood.”
Gabriel entered with his shoulder bandaged.
Vincent followed.
Penelope stared.
“Is this becoming a club?”
Vincent handed her coffee.
“Peace offering.”
She took it.
“Still not forgiving you.”
“I know.”
“Good.”
Gabriel placed a laptop on the table.
“The key.”
Penelope removed the brass key from her clutch.
“Mom?”
“With Leo.”
Vincent’s expression softened.
“Apparently he likes her.”
“Everyone likes my mother.”
Gabriel muttered, “Not everyone.”
Penelope ignored him.
The brass key opened a compartment inside Eleanor’s old sewing-machine base.
Gabriel had retrieved it after the pier.
Inside was a small hardware token.
They connected it.
Encrypted files appeared.
Hundreds.
Names.
Dates.
Transactions.
Photographs.
Recordings.
Dominic sat more upright.
“Jesus.”
Gabriel nodded.
“The full ledger.”
Penelope scrolled.
Samuel Vale.
Anthony Costa.
Michael Arden.
Judges.
Politicians.
Police commissioners.
Corporate executives.
Some dead.
Some very much alive.
Then a folder named MORETTI.
Penelope stopped.
Dominic saw it.
“Open it.”
She hesitated.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Inside were records involving Dominic’s father.
Payments.
Illegal construction contracts.
Bribes.
But also another file.
PROTECTION PAYMENTS — HAYES/SANTORO.
Dominic frowned.
Gabriel opened it.
For twenty years, money had moved from Moretti-controlled companies to anonymous security firms.
Amounts matched periods when Penelope and Eleanor moved apartments.
Dominic looked embarrassed.
Penelope stared.
“You paid to protect us.”
He looked away.
“Yes.”
“For twenty years?”
“Yes.”
“You said you searched for Dad eleven.”
“Searching was separate.”
Penelope’s eyes burned.
“Why didn’t Mom tell me?”
Dominic answered quietly.
“She didn’t always know.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“You protected them after she asked you to stop?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Dominic met his eyes.
“Because you were my brother.”
Silence.
Gabriel’s face changed.
The old anger cracked.
“You thought I was dead.”
“Yes.”
“And you still—”
“Yes.”
Gabriel looked away.
For the first time, Penelope understood their relationship.
Not allies.
Not business partners.
Brothers by choice.
Broken by suspicion.
Twenty years stolen by Samuel’s manipulation.
Vincent scrolled farther.
“Here.”
A file dated three years earlier.
ANTHONY COSTA — FINAL STATEMENT.
Vincent froze.
His hand trembled.
He opened the audio.
Anthony’s voice filled the room.
If Vincent ever hears this, I need him to know I was wrong about Gabriel. Samuel played us against each other. He ordered the hits. He controlled the ports. I tried to expose him too late.
Vincent sat.
His face went blank.
The recording continued.
Tell my son I’m sorry I raised him to inherit my enemies.
Vincent closed his eyes.
Penelope placed a hand on his shoulder.
He did not move.
Then Gabriel found another file.
SAMUEL VALE CURRENT.
Location data.
Financial transfers.
One transaction from two hours earlier.
Private airfield.
Westchester.
Dominic looked at Penelope.
“He’s leaving the country.”
Gabriel shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Look at destination.”
Penelope read.
QUEBEC.
A private estate.
Gabriel went pale.
“What?”
“That was my safe house.”
“Twenty years ago?”
“Yes.”
“Why would Samuel go there?”
Gabriel stared at the screen.
“Because that’s where I hid the original paper ledger.”
Everyone froze.
Penelope stared.
“You said it was gone.”
“I thought it was.”
“Apparently everyone in this family is terrible at knowing where things are.”
Dominic swung his legs from bed.
Penelope pushed him back.
“No.”
“I’m going.”
“You were shot six hours ago.”
“I’ve had worse.”
She glared.
“You and my father need new material.”
Vincent stood.
“I’ll go.”
Gabriel nodded.
“So will I.”
Penelope said, “Me too.”
Three men answered:
“No.”
She stared at them.
Dominic sighed.
“Wrong response.”
“Very.”
Gabriel looked toward Dominic.
“She’s coming.”
Dominic frowned.
“You changed quickly.”
“I know my daughter.”
Penelope smiled.
Vincent shook his head.
“This family.”
They prepared.
But before leaving, Penelope returned to her mother.
Eleanor sat with Leo in a waiting room.
The boy was asleep against her shoulder.
Penelope sat beside her.
For several minutes they said nothing.
Then Penelope whispered, “I’m angry.”
“I know.”
“For a long time.”
“I know.”
“I don’t know how to forgive you yet.”
Eleanor nodded.
“You don’t have to do it quickly.”
Penelope looked at her mother.
“You let me think you were dead.”
Tears filled Eleanor’s eyes.
“Yes.”
“Never again.”
“Never.”
Penelope leaned against her shoulder.
Eleanor rested her head against hers.
“I missed you every day.”
Penelope cried quietly.
“I missed you too.”
Afterward, Eleanor handed her a necklace.
A small silver pendant.
“Your father gave me this the night we met.”
Penelope smiled.
“He had taste.”
“Occasionally.”
“Did you still love him?”
Eleanor looked through the glass toward Gabriel.
“Yes.”
“Even after twenty years?”
“Love isn’t always sensible.”
Penelope’s eyes drifted toward Dominic’s room.
Eleanor noticed.
“Oh.”
Penelope immediately said, “No.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You made a mother face.”
“I have many faces.”
“That one was invasive.”
Eleanor smiled.
“He protected you.”
“That doesn’t mean—”
“I know.”
Penelope narrowed her eyes.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“A little.”
Catherine entered.
Her face serious.
“We have a problem.”
Penelope stood.
“What?”
“Samuel never boarded the plane.”
Gabriel appeared behind her.
“Then where is he?”
Catherine held up a phone.
A new video.
Samuel stood somewhere familiar.
Penelope recognized the marble columns.
The chandeliers.
The ballroom.
Dominic’s mansion.
Behind Samuel were dozens of guests.
The same people from dinner.
Hands restrained.
Kneeling.
Samuel smiled into the camera.
“Bring the ledger home.”
Penelope’s stomach dropped.
Then Samuel turned the camera.
Carlo stood beside him.
Alive.
Holding a gun.
May you like
Not as a hostage.
As Samuel’s lieutenant.
