Chapter 11 - THE DEBT ROMAN'S BROTHER NEVER REPAID
Maeve stared at Julian's letter.
Her father had saved his life?
Daniel Carter was a retired city bus mechanic.
A quiet man.
A man who hated violence.
A man who spent Sundays repairing broken bicycles for neighborhood children.
How could he possibly have saved the life of a man connected to Roman Hayes?
She read the letter again.
Your father once saved my life.
Roman watched her carefully.
"Did your father know Julian?"
Maeve shook her head.
"Not that I know of."
Vincent opened another folder.
"There's an incident report from eighteen years ago."
Maeve looked up.
"What incident?"
"A bus crash near the Chicago River."
Her chest tightened.
She remembered her father talking about an accident when she was little.
He'd been driving a maintenance vehicle.
A city bus had collided with a truck.
Several passengers were trapped.
Her father helped pull people from the wreckage.
He never spoke about it much.
He always said:
"People needed help. That's all."
Vincent continued.
"Julian was one of the passengers."
Roman went still.
"My brother?"
Vincent nodded.
"He was fourteen."
Roman stared.
A memory returned.
Julian coming home with a broken arm.
His father saying a stranger had pulled him from a burning bus.
Roman had never known the stranger's name.
Maeve whispered:
"My dad."
Vincent nodded.
"Daniel Carter."
Roman closed his eyes.
For eighteen years, Julian had known that Maeve's father saved his life.
And now Maeve had tried to save Julian.
The connection felt almost impossible.
But the letter contained more.
Julian explained that he had discovered Victor Bellamy's connection to a fraudulent medical transport network.
While investigating, he'd learned Daniel Carter was being targeted because he had witnessed something during the old bus crash.
Maeve frowned.
"Witnessed what?"
Vincent continued reading.
The bus hadn't collided with the truck by accident.
The truck had been carrying stolen medical supplies and falsified patient records.
Someone had attempted to destroy evidence by causing the crash.
Daniel Carter had seen the driver.
And had given a statement to police.
Maeve felt sick.
"Who was the driver?"
Vincent hesitated.
Then showed her the original report.
A name appeared.
Victor Bellamy.
Roman stared.
For eighteen years, Victor had been part of his business world.
Trusted.
Respected.
Invited into his home.
And all that time, he'd been hiding a crime connected to Julian's childhood.
Maeve looked toward her father's room.
"Does Dad remember?"
"Possibly."
Roman looked at her.
"We shouldn't pressure him while he's recovering."
She nodded.
For once, she was grateful Roman wasn't trying to control the situation.
Later that evening, Maeve gently asked her father about the accident.
Daniel's expression changed.
"The bus?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
He closed his eyes.
"I remember."
Maeve took his hand.
"Do you remember the truck driver?"
Her father looked frightened.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then whispered:
"Victor."
Maeve's heart stopped.
"You remember his name?"
Daniel nodded.
"I saw him."
She swallowed.
"What happened?"
Her father's breathing quickened.
Maeve immediately slowed the conversation.
"You don't have to tell me tonight."
He gripped her hand.
"No, sweetheart."
His voice trembled.
"There's something you need to know."
Maeve leaned closer.
Daniel looked toward the door.
Then whispered:
"That crash wasn't meant to kill Julian."
Maeve froze.
"What?"
May you like
Her father swallowed.
"It was meant to kill Roman Hayes."
