Chapter 8 - Midnight at the Warehouse
Veronica refused to stay behind.
Marcus argued for eleven minutes.
She won.
"You are incredibly difficult," he said.
"You fired me once. You should remember."
Despite everything, Marcus laughed.
It surprised them both.
At 11:52 p.m., they arrived near the abandoned Duca textile warehouse.
Giovanni carried the briefcase.
Raymond coordinated security.
Marcus stayed beside Veronica.
"You do exactly what I say."
"No."
"Veronica."
"I'll do what makes sense."
"That's somehow worse."
Inside, Catherine waited beside Ruth Thompson.
Ruth was frightened but unharmed.
Veronica moved forward.
"Mom."
Ruth shook her head urgently.
Catherine held a gun.
"Briefcase."
Giovanni lifted it.
"Release Ruth."
"First the case."
Marcus watched the shadows.
Something was wrong.
Too quiet.
"Where are your men?"
Catherine smiled.
"You think I need men?"
Marcus heard an engine.
Then another.
Police vehicles surrounded the warehouse.
Catherine's smile widened.
"You called the police?" Veronica whispered.
"No."
Catherine had.
She planned to frame Marcus.
Again.
History repeating itself.
Catherine pointed toward the briefcase.
"Those records prove organized crime, bribery, conspiracy. And here you all are, armed, inside an abandoned warehouse."
Marcus understood.
"You don't want the evidence destroyed."
"No."
"You want it found with us."
"Exactly."
Giovanni laughed softly.
"That's actually good."
Marcus glared.
"Not now."
"No, really. Father would've admired it."
"Giovanni."
"Fine."
Catherine ordered him to set down the briefcase.
He did.
Ruth suddenly kicked it.
The case slid across the concrete.
Catherine turned.
Veronica ran toward her mother.
A gunshot exploded.
Marcus tackled Veronica.
Raymond fired.
Catherine's weapon fell.
Police stormed the building.
For several chaotic seconds, everyone shouted.
Then Marcus realized Veronica was staring at him.
"You're bleeding."
He looked down.
The bullet had grazed his shoulder.
"I'm fine."
"You always say that when you're bleeding."
He remembered the kitchen six years earlier.
So did she.
Their eyes met.
Then Ruth shouted.
"Veronica!"
Her mother threw her arms around her.
Amelia was waiting safely at the estate with Elena, but Ruth's first question was about her granddaughter.
"She's safe."
Ruth began crying.
Police detained Catherine.
But the most unexpected moment came when a federal investigator approached.
"Mr. Duca?"
Marcus stood.
"We've been investigating Catherine Vale for fourteen months."
Raymond stared.
"Vale?"
Catherine had returned to her maiden name.
The investigator continued.
"Your brother has been cooperating."
Marcus turned toward Giovanni.
Giovanni shrugged.
"I've been busy."
"You could have told me."
"You would've tried to control it."
"Correct."
"Exactly."
The federal case changed everything.
Giovanni's supposed departure from Duca Holdings had partly been cover.
He had spent months tracing Catherine's financial network.
The secret payments.
The shell companies.
The manipulation of Vittorio's estate.
Catherine had exposed Amelia because the trust deadline was approaching and she needed Marcus distracted while she moved the final assets.
She had underestimated one thing.
The family she spent years dividing had finally started talking to each other.
By dawn, Catherine was in custody.
Ruth was safe.
The briefcase was evidence.
Marcus sat in an ambulance while a paramedic bandaged his shoulder.
Veronica stood nearby.
"You should go to the hospital."
"It's a scratch."
"You were shot."
"Grazed."
"That's still shot."
He smiled.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Why are you smiling?"
"You sound exactly like you did six years ago."
She remembered kneeling beside him in the kitchen.
"Maybe because you keep getting injured."
"Maybe because you keep taking care of me."
The air changed.
Veronica looked away.
"Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Turn one dramatic night into something it isn't."
Marcus became serious.
"What is it?"
She met his eyes.
"A beginning."
He had not expected that.
"But not the beginning you're imagining."
His expression fell slightly.
Veronica almost enjoyed it.
"You don't get to become Amelia's father overnight."
"I know."
"You don't get to buy six birthdays back."
"I know."
"You don't get to move us into your house permanently because you're frightened."
"I know."
"And you definitely don't get to decide what happens between us."
Marcus nodded.
"I know."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You're being suspiciously agreeable."
"I've discovered arguing with Thompson women has a poor success rate."
That made her laugh.
He stared.
Six years earlier, he had remembered that laugh after she disappeared.
Now it was three feet away.
Veronica noticed the way he looked at her.
"Don't."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
Marcus smiled.
She had used his own line against him.
Hours later they returned to the estate.
Amelia ran down the steps.
She saw Marcus's bandage.
Her face crumpled.
"You're hurt!"
"I'm okay."
She threw herself against him.
Marcus froze.
Then slowly wrapped one arm around his daughter.
Amelia whispered into his jacket.
"You're not allowed to die."
His eyes closed.
"Understood."
"I just found you."
Marcus looked at Veronica over Amelia's head.
His voice broke slightly.
"I just found you too."
Veronica looked away because tears had suddenly become difficult to control.
Then Amelia pulled back.
"Does this mean you're my dad now?"
Marcus crouched.
"I was already your biological father."
"No. I mean dad."
He understood the distinction.
"That's up to you."
Amelia considered him.
"You need practice."
"I probably do."
"You don't know my favorite cereal."
"No."
"Or my teacher's name."
"No."
"Or that I hate peas."
"I also hate peas."
Amelia brightened.
"Really?"
"Absolutely."
"That's one thing."
Marcus smiled.
"One thing."
She took his hand.
"We can start there."
Behind them, Veronica pressed her lips together.
Marcus looked at her.
For the first time, neither was running.
But the hardest part was still ahead.
Because Catherine had been arrested.
Vittorio was dead.
The danger was ending.
May you like
And without danger forcing them together, Veronica and Marcus would finally have to answer the question both had avoided.
Did they actually want a life together?
