Chapter 8 - THE LIST IN GRANDMA’S COAT
We got to my apartment too late.
The door hung open.
Drawers were emptied.
Mattress cut.
Closet destroyed.
Grandma’s winter coat was gone.
Luke searched the building cameras.
A man left carrying a black garment bag.
Victor Dane.
I stared.
“He saved my father.”
Vincent’s jaw tightened.
“And now he works for Dominic.”
“Why?”
“No idea.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
Vincent held out his hand.
I ignored him and answered.
“Claire.”
Victor’s voice was calm.
“Do not trust Vincent Hayes.”
Vincent could hear.
His eyes hardened.
“You took the coat.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To stop Dominic from getting what’s inside.”
I looked at Vincent.
“So you’re helping us?”
“No.”
The answer came instantly.
“I’m helping myself.”
Victor told us to meet him beneath an abandoned train platform that night.
Vincent refused.
I went anyway.
With Vincent behind me, furious.
Victor stood alone.
Gray hair.
Scar beside his ear.
Exactly as Grandma remembered.
He placed the coat on a bench.
Untouched.
“You’ve been watching me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Dominic ordered it.”
“And you obeyed?”
“Until yesterday.”
Vincent stepped forward.
“You had fifteen years to switch sides.”
Victor looked at him.
“I switched sides once. Your uncle killed everyone who helped me.”
Silence.
Then Victor opened the coat lining.
Inside was a folded sheet sealed in plastic.
Names.
Judges.
Contractors.
Police officers.
Business owners.
Politicians.
Men paid by Dominic.
Men threatened by Dominic.
Men Arthur had planned to expose.
Vincent stared.
“This could collapse half his protection.”
Victor nodded.
“Which is why you cannot simply release it.”
“Why not?”
“Because some of the names are victims.”
That mattered.
The list did not distinguish corrupted men from coerced ones.
Expose everyone, and innocent families could be destroyed.
Claire the cleaner would have wanted revenge.
Claire the woman holding thirty-two percent of Hayes Development suddenly understood responsibility.
“We verify every name,” I said.
Victor looked at me.
“Your mother said the same thing.”
My chest tightened.
“You knew her.”
“Yes.”
“Were you there when she died?”
Victor’s face changed.
“No.”
“That wasn’t convincing.”
He looked away.
Vincent moved closer.
“Answer her.”
Victor exhaled.
“I followed Elaine that night.”
My entire body went cold.
“Why?”
“Dominic ordered me to recover Arthur’s records.”
“Did you cause the crash?”
“No.”
The word came hard.
“I swear to you.”
“What happened?”
Victor looked at me.
“Elaine knew I was behind her.”
Rain had been heavy.
She drove faster.
Victor backed off.
Then another vehicle appeared.
Black Cadillac.
It pulled beside her.
Forced her toward the guardrail.
My knees weakened.
“Who was driving?”
Victor’s eyes shifted to Vincent.
“I never saw the driver.”
“But?”
“I saw the passenger.”
“Who?”
May you like
Victor answered:
“Dominic Hayes.”
