Chapter 6 - The Price of a Daughter
Nora did not call Adrian.
That was Preston's first instruction.
His second was to come alone.
His third was to bring the original memory card from Emily's camera.
Preston did not know police already had copies.
Fear did not care about logic.
Her daughter was somewhere with a desperate man.
Nora took a taxi toward an abandoned warehouse district near the Calumet River.
But she made one mistake.
Or perhaps the first correct decision of her life.
She sent Adrian a text.
I'm sorry.
Nothing more.
Adrian called immediately.
No answer.
He called again.
Then Marcus entered his office.
“Lucy's school just contacted Nora.”
Adrian stood.
Within minutes, they had Nora's location from traffic cameras.
Meanwhile, Nora entered the warehouse.
“Mom!”
Lucy sat on a chair.
Her hands were not tied.
Preston stood behind her.
Nora's heart pounded.
“Come here, baby.”
Preston raised a pistol.
“Not yet.”
Lucy was crying but otherwise unharmed.
Nora forced herself to remain calm.
“You wanted me.”
“The card.”
She held it up.
Preston smiled.
“Throw it.”
She did.
He crushed it beneath his shoe.
“You destroyed your own insurance,” Nora said.
“I destroyed the evidence.”
“No.”
His smile disappeared.
“There are copies.”
“You're lying.”
“Police have them. Federal investigators have them. Adrian has them.”
Preston stared at her.
Then rage transformed his face.
“You stupid—”
“Don't.”
The voice came from behind him.
Adrian.
Preston spun.
Everything happened at once.
Lucy dropped to the floor.
Nora lunged toward her.
Preston fired.
The shot exploded through the warehouse.
Adrian staggered.
Nora screamed.
Marcus and police officers surged through the side entrance.
Preston was tackled before he could fire again.
Nora crawled toward Adrian.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
“No. No, no, no.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Lucy?”
“She's safe.”
“Good.”
“You idiot.”
He blinked.
“What?”
“You got shot.”
“I noticed.”
Nora laughed and sobbed simultaneously.
“Don't you dare make jokes.”
“I thought you liked my personality.”
“I haven't decided.”
His eyes softened.
“You came alone.”
“He had Lucy.”
“You should have trusted me.”
“I did.”
“What?”
“The text.”
Adrian understood.
I'm sorry had not been goodbye.
It had been a signal.
She had trusted him to understand something was wrong.
Paramedics carried him outside.
His wound was painful but not life-threatening.
The bullet had passed through the upper shoulder without striking major vessels.
At the hospital, Lucy refused to leave him.
“You saved me.”
Adrian looked uncomfortable.
“So did your mother.”
Lucy hugged him.
He froze.
Then slowly placed his good arm around her.
Nora watched from the doorway.
Something inside her surrendered.
Not because Adrian was powerful.
Not because he had money.
Not because Chicago feared his name.
Because when a frightened child hugged him, he closed his eyes like he had forgotten what it felt like to be needed without being feared.
Later, after Lucy fell asleep, Nora sat beside him.
“You ruined our date.”
Adrian looked at his hospital gown.
“I've worn worse.”
“I doubt it.”
“You'd be surprised.”
She smiled.
Then became serious.
“Why did you come personally?”
“Nora.”
“You have security. Police. People.”
“Yes.”
“You didn't need to run into that building.”
He stared at her.
“I did.”
“Why?”
His answer came without hesitation.
“Because you were inside.”
Her eyes filled.
Adrian reached for her hand.
“Nora, I know what people say about me.”
“So do I.”
“Some of it is true.”
“I know.”
“I've done things I'm not proud of.”
“I know that too.”
“I can't promise you my past will become pretty because you're in my future.”
She stopped breathing.
“My future?”
He realized what he had said.
Neither moved.
Then Nora leaned closer.
“You still owe me dinner.”
Adrian smiled.
“I'll make a reservation.”
“No.”
“No?”
“My apartment. Pizza.”
“You're asking me on a date involving delivery pizza?”
“You got shot. Expectations are low.”
He laughed.
Nora kissed him.
It was brief.
Soft.
Nothing like the dramatic kisses either had seen in movies.
But when she pulled away, Adrian looked stunned.
Nora smiled.
“Now you can stop staring at me.”
“I wasn't staring.”
“Liar.”
A detective entered before Adrian could answer.
His expression was serious.
“Mr. Moretti, Ms. Bell.”
Nora's smile disappeared.
“What happened?”
“Preston Hale is in custody.”
“Good.”
“But while processing evidence from his vehicle, we found something.”
The detective placed an envelope on the table.
Inside was a photograph.
Nora recognized the woman immediately.
Her mother.
The photograph was dated fourteen years earlier.
Standing beside her was Victor Hale.
And beside Victor—
May you like
was Nora's father.
The man Nora had been told died when she was nine.
