Chapter 8 - the third Vance
Her name was Elena Price.
Daniel Vance’s daughter.
Vincent Vance’s granddaughter.
Dominic’s niece.
And according to Paul, the person who had spent the last six years rebuilding the network her father left behind.
Elena entered the office without fear.
Two armed men appeared behind her.
Isabella kept her weapon raised.
Elena smiled.
“Aunt Isabella.”
“Put your men outside.”
“No.”
“Then this conversation ends quickly.”
Elena glanced at Dominic.
“He always let you speak to people like that?”
Dominic said, “She doesn’t need permission.”
Elena’s smile widened.
“Good. At least one story about you is true.”
Dominic looked at her.
“What do you want?”
“The ledger.”
“So does everyone.”
“I have more right to it than they do.”
“According to?”
“My grandfather.”
Dominic laughed once.
“Vincent didn’t leave many clear instructions.”
“He left one for me.”
Elena removed a small envelope from her coat.
Dominic recognized his father’s handwriting.
For Daniel’s child.
Isabella lowered her weapon slightly.
Elena handed the envelope to Dominic.
He opened it.
Inside was one line.
If Daniel has a child, the truth belongs to them too.
Dominic read it twice.
“He knew about you.”
“No.”
Elena shook her head.
“He suspected my father might have a family one day.”
Dominic gave the letter back.
“Why work with Richard?”
Elena’s expression hardened.
“I didn’t.”
“Marcus thinks he works for Daniel.”
“Marcus thinks whatever the person paying him wants him to think.”
“You paid him?”
“No.”
“Vanessa?”
“No.”
“Richard?”
Elena smiled.
“Now you are getting warmer.”
Dominic glanced toward Paul.
Paul looked uncomfortable.
Dominic caught it.
“You knew Elena was coming.”
Paul nodded.
“I asked her.”
“Why?”
“Because she has the other half.”
“The other half of what?”
“The ledger.”
Dominic stared.
Paul explained.
“Vincent divided the evidence. One key opens a vault containing financial records. The other opens a safe deposit box containing recordings and documents.”
Dominic remembered Emma’s key.
“Where are they?”
Elena said, “One location belongs to the Vances.”
Isabella asked, “And the other?”
Elena looked at Dominic.
“To the Hales.”
Dominic understood.
“Richard has been trying to get Sophia to reveal which key opens his family’s evidence.”
“Yes.”
“Vanessa attacked her because she thought Sophia knew.”
“Yes.”
Dominic exhaled slowly.
“Elena, why did you lure us here?”
“To determine whether you were part of it.”
“Part of what?”
“My father’s death.”
Dominic stared at her.
“I didn’t know your father existed until today.”
“I know that now.”
“How?”
Elena looked toward Paul.
Paul said, “Your reaction to the marriage certificate.”
Dominic almost smiled.
“You staged this.”
Elena nodded.
“Mostly.”
Isabella stepped forward.
“You have been using our father’s automated accounts.”
“Yes.”
“Messaging Vanessa?”
“No.”
Caroline.
Dominic knew that part.
“Then what did you control?”
“The Daniel identity.”
“Marcus?”
“Indirectly.”
“How?”
“I sent him documents suggesting Daniel was alive.”
“Why?”
“To see who he contacted.”
Dominic’s voice cooled.
“You manipulated a traitor inside my house for six years.”
“Three.”
“That does not improve it.”
“No.”
Elena looked at him steadily.
“I needed proof of who ordered my father’s death.”
“And?”
“I got it yesterday.”
She removed a small recorder.
Pressed play.
Richard Hale’s voice filled the room.
You should have killed Daniel when Adrian told you to. Leaving him alive was the beginning of everything.
Then Marcus.
I wasn’t there then.
Richard again.
No, but I was. And I fixed it.
The recording ended.
Dominic looked at Isabella.
“Richard confessed.”
Elena nodded.
“To Marcus.”
“Why would Marcus record him?”
“He didn’t.”
Elena smiled faintly.
“Vanessa did.”
Dominic blinked.
“Vanessa recorded her father.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Insurance.”
Dominic almost admired the instinct.
Almost.
Elena continued.
“Vanessa learned Richard intended to sacrifice Marcus if anything went wrong. She realized she might be next.”
“So she began collecting evidence.”
“Yes.”
“Then why attack Sophia?”
Elena’s expression became cold.
“Because Vanessa is still Vanessa.”
Dominic understood.
A person could betray a villain without becoming good.
Isabella walked toward the desk.
“Where is the ledger?”
Elena pointed beneath it.
Dominic frowned.
Paul knelt and felt along the underside of the desk.
His fingers found a recessed switch.
A panel opened in the floor.
Inside was a steel box.
Elena removed a key from her necklace.
Inserted it.
The box opened.
Empty.
Everyone froze.
Elena stared.
“No.”
Paul leaned closer.
“It was here.”
Dominic looked at him.
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
“You saw it?”
“Yes.”
Isabella examined the empty box.
“Who knew?”
Paul whispered, “Only me and Elena.”
Dominic looked at Elena.
She looked genuinely shocked.
Then Dominic saw something inside the box.
A folded red card.
He picked it up.
One sentence.
FAMILY ALWAYS TAKES FROM FAMILY.
Vanessa’s favorite phrase.
Dominic had heard her say it jokingly at dinners.
Family always takes from family.
He looked up.
“She has it.”
Elena shook her head.
“Vanessa doesn’t know this place.”
Dominic thought of the surveillance cameras.
“She doesn’t need to.”
He pulled out his phone.
No signal.
Isabella checked hers.
Nothing.
May you like
Then the office lights died.
From outside came the unmistakable sound of gunfire.
