Chapter 4 - The Man Behind the Fire
Victor Dracott had raised Lucas from the age of 12.
That fact changed everything.
Lucas said nothing during the drive to Freda's house.
Bella could almost hear him rebuilding 25 years of memories.
Victor attending his school ceremonies.
Victor teaching him to drive.
Victor sitting beside him during nightmares after the fire.
Victor telling him repeatedly that survival created obligations.
When they reached Freda's bungalow, the front door was unlocked.
Bella ran inside.
"Freda?"
A lamp had been knocked over.
Lucas drew Bella behind him.
Then a voice came from the kitchen.
"I'm here."
Freda sat at the table holding a rolling pin with both hands.
Bella almost collapsed with relief.
The visitor had already gone.
"What did he want?"
"He asked whether Helena ever gave me documents."
"Did she?"
Freda looked at Lucas.
"I need to know who he is."
"Lucas Dracott."
Freda's face changed.
"God help us."
She told them what happened 27 years earlier.
Helena had appeared at her apartment carrying a newborn.
Victor Dracott had been with her.
His shirt was covered in blood.
He told Helena that the baby needed to disappear.
Freda had never known why.
"What happened next?" Bella asked.
"Victor left. Helena never saw him again."
Lucas frowned.
"That's impossible. He raised me."
"Not immediately. Helena said he disappeared for months."
Bella leaned forward.
"Did my mother ever mention North Meridian?"
Freda went pale.
That was enough.
"She did."
"Once. She said it was the reason people died."
Lucas stood.
"We're leaving."
Bella followed him outside.
"You're confronting Victor."
"No."
"You're lying."
"Yes."
"Then I'm coming."
"No."
Bella grabbed his arm.
Lucas stopped.
The contact surprised them both.
"You do not get to decide which truths belong to me."
His gaze dropped to her hand.
Then to her face.
"You're pregnant."
"And still capable of making decisions."
Something softened in him.
Not ownership.
Fear.
That frightened Bella more.
"I've already caused you enough damage."
"Then stop deciding for me."
Lucas finally nodded.
Victor lived in a Gold Coast mansion protected by private security.
He welcomed them at 4:30 in the morning wearing a robe.
"Lucas?"
His gaze found Bella.
And stopped.
For 1 second, Victor Dracott looked terrified.
"You know her," Lucas said.
Victor recovered.
"No."
Bella stepped forward.
"My name is Bella Kavalchuk."
Victor's eyes closed.
"Helena's girl."
Lucas went still.
"You lied."
Victor looked suddenly old.
"Every lie I told kept you alive."
"Did you kill my family?"
"No."
"North Meridian."
Victor sat down.
"Your father discovered it. But North Meridian wasn't stealing from us."
"What was it doing?"
"Moving money for judges, politicians, police commanders, businessmen. Your father wanted out."
"And the fire?"
"I tried to stop it."
"Who started it?"
Victor looked toward Bella.
"Her father."
Bella's stomach dropped.
"My father?"
"Adrian Vale."
The dead accountant.
Except Adrian had apparently survived.
Victor explained.
Adrian had built North Meridian's laundering system. When Lucas's father threatened exposure, Adrian arranged the fire.
Evelyn discovered what he had done and stole evidence.
She also discovered Adrian had secretly fathered a child with a young woman working in one of his offices.
That baby was Bella.
"Evelyn took you because your mother had been killed."
Bella's voice broke.
"By Adrian?"
Victor nodded.
"Helena protected you because Evelyn believed Adrian would kill his own daughter if you could connect him to the network."
Lucas paced away.
"Why was Adrian at Helena's funeral?"
Victor stared.
"Adrian is dead."
"No."
Lucas showed him the photograph.
Victor's face drained.
"Then we're all in danger."
A gunshot shattered the window.
Lucas moved instantly.
He knocked Bella down and covered her with his body.
A second bullet struck the wall.
Security alarms screamed.
Victor's guards rushed outside.
Lucas lifted Bella.
"Are you hit?"
"No."
"Baby?"
"I'm fine."
He touched her face with both hands before realizing what he was doing.
Bella saw something raw in his expression.
He released her.
Victor had been struck.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
Before paramedics carried him away, he caught Lucas's wrist.
"Rianna."
Lucas leaned closer.
"What?"
Victor coughed.
"Her father worked for Adrian."
Then he lost consciousness.
Lucas turned slowly toward Bella.
Rianna had arranged his medication.
Rianna had access to his penthouse.
Rianna had questioned Bella's hiring.
And Rianna had tried to stop Bella from examining North Meridian.
They drove directly to Dracott Holdings.
Rianna's office was empty.
Her computer had been wiped.
Her phone lay inside a drawer.
On her desk sat one object.
Lucas's watch.
The same watch Bella had walked past the morning after the Thornberry.
Under it was a note.
She passed your test.
Now let's see if you pass hers.
Bella read the second line twice.
Then Benny from IT appeared in the doorway.
"Mr. Dracott?"
His face was white.
"You need to see this."
Security footage showed Rianna leaving 2 hours earlier.
She was not alone.
Pastor Elias walked beside her.
Not dragged.
Not threatened.
Walking willingly.
Bella felt betrayed.
Then Benny enlarged the frame.
Elias looked directly into the security camera.
He raised one hand.
3 fingers.
Then 1.
Then 0.
Then 3.
Bella whispered, "It's not random."
Lucas looked at her.
"What?"
"My mother used numbers for addresses when she didn't want to write names down."
Benny searched.
3103 South Morgan Street.
An abandoned records warehouse.
Lucas reached for his coat.
Bella stopped him.
"There's one more thing."
She pointed at the footage.
Rianna carried the yellow envelope stolen from the church.
But through its torn corner, Bella could see the edge of a photograph.
Two newborn babies.
Not one.
May you like
And written across the back was a single faded word:
TWINS.
