Chapter 9 - THE MOTHER WHO CALLED IT PROTECTION
Margaret Vale requested the meeting herself.
Penthouse.
Cross Logistics.
Midnight.
Dwayne agreed on one condition.
Addison stayed.
Margaret arrived without security.
Sixty.
Elegant.
Gray hair.
Dwayne saw his own eyes immediately.
That angered him.
“You look like Elias.”
Those were her first words.
Dwayne remained behind his desk.
“You abandoned me.”
“Yes.”
No excuse.
Good.
“Why?”
“Vincent would have killed you.”
“He killed Elias.”
“He tried.”
“Then took me.”
“Yes.”
“And you let him?”
Her face cracked.
“I was eighteen.”
Dwayne had not expected that.
“I was terrified. Vincent told me you died after birth.”
Silence.
Margaret continued.
“I learned the truth seven years later.”
“Why didn’t you take me then?”
“By then you were Vincent’s son in every way that mattered publicly.”
“That is not an answer.”
“No.”
Her eyes filled.
“I was afraid you would reject me.”
Dwayne laughed bitterly.
“So instead you manipulated my entire adult life.”
“Yes.”
Addison stood near the windows.
Margaret looked at her.
“Adeline.”
“Don’t.”
“I knew your father.”
“That does not give you the right to use me.”
“No.”
“Then why did you?”
“Because Dwayne needed someone near him who wasn’t Cross.”
Addison’s jaw tightened.
“I am not a blood transfusion.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Margaret looked ashamed.
Maybe.
Maybe not enough.
Dwayne asked:
“Did you order Simon to threaten her?”
“No.”
“Pier Nine?”
“I ordered Simon to move Nathan somewhere safe after he saw Celeste.”
Nathan’s face hardened.
“He shot me.”
Margaret looked genuinely shocked.
“What?”
Simon had lied.
Again.
He told Margaret Nathan escaped unharmed.
He told Simon Margaret approved violence.
He played both sides.
Dwayne understood.
“Simon was building his own power base.”
“Yes.”
“With weapons.”
“Yes.”
“Using Vincent’s loyalists.”
“Yes.”
Margaret nodded.
“I discovered it too late.”
“Where is Simon now?”
“In federal custody.”
Dwayne had arranged that after the restaurant.
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
“What?”
“The man arrested at L’Aura was released forty minutes ago.”
Dwayne stood.
“Impossible.”
“He had federal cooperation papers.”
Addison frowned.
“For what?”
Margaret looked frightened.
“Witness protection.”
“Against who?”
“Elias.”
Dwayne’s blood cooled.
“My father?”
Margaret whispered:
“Simon told federal agents Elias Rourke is rebuilding the old syndicate.”
Celeste shook her head.
“He isn’t.”
“I know.”
“But the government doesn’t.”
Then Dwayne’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A man’s voice.
Old.
Rough.
“Daniel.”
Dwayne froze.
Nobody called him Daniel.
Nobody except the name on his original birth certificate.
“Elias?”
Silence.
Then:
“Son.”
Dwayne’s grip tightened.
“Where are you?”
“Running.”
“From Simon?”
“From your government.”
“What did he tell them?”
“That I ordered twelve murders.”
“Did you?”
Pause.
“No.”
Dwayne almost smiled.
At least the answer came eventually.
Elias continued:
“But one of those murders actually happened.”
“Who?”
Dwayne heard regret in the old man’s voice.
“Samuel Rourke.”
Addison went still.
Her father.
May you like
And Elias whispered:
“I killed him.”
