Chapter 4 - THE TRUTH ABOUT NORA
The man arrived tied to a chair.
Nora recognized him immediately.
Dr. Harris.
The director of the private clinic where Nora had worked before losing her job.
She hadn't seen him in six months.
He looked terrified.
Dominic stood behind him.
“Tell her.”
Harris swallowed.
“Nora…”
“What did you do?”
“I didn't know.”
Dominic placed one hand on the chair.
“You have thirty seconds.”
Harris closed his eyes.
“You were not hired because you're a nurse.”
Nora stared.
“What?”
“Your employment file was manipulated.”
“By whom?”
“Someone paid me.”
“Who?”
Harris shook his head.
“I never saw his face.”
Dominic leaned closer.
“You have ten seconds.”
“The woman who arranged it called herself Elena.”
Silence.
Nora's heart stopped.
“Elena Rossi?”
“Yes.”
“But she's dead.”
Harris shook his head.
“No.”
Dominic's eyes became murderous.
“What else?”
Harris looked at Nora.
“She specifically requested you.”
“Why?”
“She said you had something her brother needed.”
Nora's mind raced.
“I don't have anything.”
Harris laughed nervously.
“You do.”
“What?”
He looked toward Dominic.
“Your father.”
Nora froze.
“My father?”
“You were told he died when you were four.”
“Yes.”
“He didn't.”
The room seemed to tilt.
Dominic watched her carefully.
Harris continued.
“Your father worked for the Rossi organization.”
Nora shook her head.
“No.”
“He disappeared after stealing something.”
Dominic's expression changed.
“What did he steal?”
Harris looked terrified.
“A ledger.”
Dominic went completely still.
Nora whispered, “What ledger?”
“The Black Ledger.”
Even Dominic seemed shaken.
Nora looked between them.
“What is that?”
Nobody answered.
Harris did.
“It contains names.”
“What names?”
“Judges. Police chiefs. Senators. CEOs. Every person who ever accepted money from the Rossi family.”
Nora stared.
“Where is it?”
Harris's voice dropped.
“Your father hid it.”
“Where?”
“He never told anyone.”
Dominic looked at Nora.
“What was your father's name?”
Nora hesitated.
“Thomas Hayes.”
Dominic's face changed.
“You're Thomas Hayes's daughter?”
“Yes.”
He stepped backward.
For the first time since Nora had met him, Dominic looked genuinely shocked.
“What?”
Dominic turned away.
Leo entered.
“Boss?”
Dominic looked at him.
“Find Thomas Hayes.”
Leo hesitated.
“We've searched for him for years.”
“Search again.”
“He's dead.”
“No.”
Dominic's voice became ice.
“He's alive.”
Nora looked at him.
“How do you know?”
Dominic stared at the old photograph on the wall.
“Because Elena would never have chosen you otherwise.”
Nora felt something cold crawl down her spine.
Then the library doors opened.
A woman stood there.
Dark hair.
Green eyes.
Scar beneath her ear.
Alive.
Elena Rossi smiled.
“Hello, brother.”
Dominic's gun was instantly raised.
Nora stared.
Elena looked at her.
“You've grown up.”
Nora's mouth went dry.
“You know me?”
Elena smiled.
“I knew your mother.”
May you like
She stepped into the room.
“And I know exactly where your father is.”
