Chapter 10 - THE MAN WHO FINALLY TOLD THE TRUTH
Victor survived.
The bullet hit his shoulder.
Mercer was arrested alive.
Dominic wanted otherwise.
He chose otherwise.
That mattered.
Victor woke in the hospital two days later.
I visited only because I wanted to.
Dominic asked three times if I was sure.
“Yes.”
Victor looked strange without a suit jacket.
Smaller.
Older.
“I suppose you hate me.”
I thought.
“No.”
He looked surprised.
“I don’t know you enough.”
That made Dominic almost smile.
Victor laughed, then winced.
“Fair.”
I asked:
“Why did you want Mommy’s money?”
“Because I was greedy.”
Simple.
No excuses.
“Did you scare her?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know Mercer would hurt her?”
“No.”
“Did you stay quiet afterward?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Cowardice.”
I looked at Dominic.
He did not rescue Victor from the word.
Good.
Victor continued.
“I thought if I admitted everything, Dominic would kill me.”
Dominic said:
“I might have.”
Victor nodded.
“That’s why Sofia didn’t trust either of us.”
Silence.
Dominic absorbed that.
Then Victor looked at me.
“Your mother once told me something.”
“What?”
“That money only reveals what people already love.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“She loved freedom.”
He looked at Dominic.
“I loved control.”
Then he looked at me.
“You seem to love questions.”
“I do.”
“Good.”
Victor agreed to testify against Mercer.
He surrendered claims to Sofia’s shares.
Signed away any possible guardianship right.
Not redemption.
Responsibility.
Then Daniel finally came out of hiding.
My father walked into the hospital room wearing a baseball cap and carrying nothing.
I knew him instantly.
Blue eyes.
My nose.
Same nervous smile.
He stopped.
I stared.
“You’re tall.”
He laughed and cried at the same time.
“You’re incredible.”
He approached.
Then stopped three feet away.
“Can I hug you?”
I nodded.
He knelt awkwardly.
I wrapped my arms around him.
He smelled like cold air and soap.
Not like a memory.
Like a person.
I cried.
Then pushed him back.
“Why didn’t you come sooner?”
He closed his eyes.
“I was afraid.”
“You decided for me.”
“Yes.”
“You watched families reject me.”
His face broke.
“Yes.”
“That hurt.”
“I know.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You know now.”
He nodded.
“You’re right.”
I liked that answer.
Then Daniel said:
“I didn’t only hide because of Mercer.”
Dominic looked up.
“What?”
Daniel swallowed.
“I was also hiding from the federal task force.”
“Why?”
“Because someone above Mercer was protecting him.”
The conspiracy went higher.
Then Daniel named the person.
May you like
Deputy Director Samuel Hart.
The man currently overseeing Mercer’s prosecution.
