Chapter 12 - the lighthouse
The lighthouse had not operated in decades.
It stood on private land above a narrow strip of rocky beach.
Wind slammed against the windows as Dominic’s convoy approached.
No lights.
One vehicle outside.
Paul’s.
Dominic exited first.
Catherine caught his arm.
“We do this carefully.”
“He has Emma.”
“And possibly the ledger.”
“He has Emma.”
Catherine released him.
She understood the distinction.
Inside the lighthouse house, Dominic found Vanessa.
She was tied to a chair.
Her red dress was torn at the shoulder.
Her makeup was streaked.
For the first time all day she looked genuinely afraid.
Dominic cut the tape from her mouth.
She gasped.
“Get me out.”
“Where is Emma?”
“I don’t know.”
“Paul?”
“Upstairs.”
“Richard?”
Vanessa began crying.
“He took my father.”
“Who?”
“Paul.”
Dominic stared at her.
“You helped Paul.”
“I helped Marcus.”
“Same difference.”
“No.”
Her fear sharpened.
“Marcus told me we were taking control from you. He said Richard supported it. I thought Paul was just moving money.”
“You attacked my mother.”
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“She insulted me.”
Dominic stared at her in disbelief.
“That is your defense?”
Vanessa looked away.
“I lost control.”
“You raised a statue over a seventy two year old woman.”
“I know.”
“Emma had to cover her with her body.”
“I know.”
Dominic leaned close.
“You will spend the rest of your life knowing exactly what kind of person you became in that room.”
Vanessa started crying again.
Dominic left her tied.
Isabella followed him upstairs.
Elena remained below with Catherine.
At the top of the lighthouse stairs, they found Richard Hale kneeling near the wall.
His hands were bound.
His face was bruised.
Dominic stopped.
Richard looked up.
“Help me.”
Dominic almost smiled.
“You have remarkable timing.”
“Paul is insane.”
“You killed Daniel.”
Richard’s face changed.
“He told you.”
“Who?”
“Paul.”
Dominic had not said Paul told him.
Richard had exposed himself.
“You did kill him.”
Richard looked away.
Isabella stepped forward.
“Why?”
Richard’s voice became defensive.
“Daniel was unstable.”
Dominic laughed.
“So you killed him.”
“He threatened everything.”
“What everything?”
“Careers. Families. Institutions.”
Dominic crouched.
“You mean corrupt institutions.”
Richard stared at him.
“You think your father was better?”
“No.”
Dominic’s answer surprised Richard.
“He was a criminal. So am I. The difference is I don’t stand in front of cameras pretending my hands are clean.”
Richard’s expression twisted.
“You’re self righteous now?”
“No.”
Dominic stood.
“Just tired of hypocrites.”
A voice came from above.
“Dominic.”
Paul.
Dominic looked toward the spiral staircase.
“Come up alone.”
Isabella whispered, “No.”
Dominic handed her his gun.
“I have another.”
“Dominic.”
He looked at her.
“Trust me.”
She almost laughed.
“After today?”
“Especially after today.”
Dominic climbed.
The top room contained the old lighthouse mechanism and a circular observation platform.
Emma sat near the railing.
Her hands were tied.
Paul stood beside her.
A pistol in one hand.
A leather ledger in the other.
Dominic stopped.
“Emma.”
“I’m okay.”
Paul smiled.
“She is very competent.”
Emma glared at him.
“You kidnapped me.”
“Yes.”
“Competently.”
Dominic looked at the ledger.
“So that is it.”
Paul nodded.
“Vincent’s confession.”
“Confession?”
“Not merely records.”
Paul opened it.
“Your father documented everything. Every bribe. Every murder. Every official. Every betrayal.”
Dominic felt the weight of it.
“That could destroy half the city.”
“Exactly.”
“What do you want?”
Paul looked toward the ocean.
“For them all to fall.”
“Richard?”
“Yes.”
“Marcus?”
“Yes.”
“Vanessa?”
“Yes.”
“Me?”
Paul looked at him.
“Eventually.”
Dominic nodded.
“At least you’re consistent.”
Paul’s eyes filled with emotion.
“Vincent destroyed my sister.”
“Evelyn.”
“Yes.”
“He abandoned Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“He turned all of you into collateral damage for his ambition.”
Dominic said nothing.
Because much of it was true.
Paul continued.
“Daniel spent his life wanting a father who saw him as a liability.”
“Elena says he wanted peace.”
Paul’s jaw tightened.
“Elena was a child.”
“She has letters.”
“Letters written by a broken man.”
“You created an army in his name after he died.”
Paul pointed the gun toward Dominic.
“I created justice.”
“No.”
Dominic’s voice remained calm.
“You created another family war because you couldn’t accept that Daniel chose to end his.”
Paul’s eyes flashed.
“You don’t know what he chose.”
“I know he had a daughter.”
Paul froze.
“And he kept her away from all of this.”
Paul’s hand began trembling.
“That means something.”
“Stop.”
“It means Daniel became the father Vincent never was.”
“Stop.”
“He protected Elena from you.”
Paul shouted, “STOP.”
The gun moved toward Dominic’s chest.
Emma flinched.
Dominic did not.
“Shoot me.”
Paul stared.
“Do it.”
Emma whispered, “Sir…”
Dominic kept his eyes on Paul.
“You spent twenty two years building toward this. Here I am.”
Paul’s breathing changed.
Dominic continued.
“But if you shoot me, you prove you never wanted justice.”
Paul’s eyes watered.
“You wanted someone to inherit your pain.”
Silence.
Then footsteps came from the stairs.
Elena entered.
Paul looked at her.
His face collapsed.
“Elena.”
May you like
She stared at him.
“Uncle Paul.”
