Chapter 9 - THE LAST GHOST
Adrian had buried his father fifteen years earlier.
He remembered the coffin.
The rain.
The silence.
He remembered feeling relief and hating himself for it.
Now federal investigators believed the body inside Thomas Cole's grave had belonged to someone else.
DNA confirmed it two days later.
Claire sat beside Adrian when Agent Keller delivered the news.
Thomas Cole had staged his death.
For fifteen years, he had lived overseas while Adrian unknowingly protected parts of the empire Thomas still controlled.
Owen had answered to him.
Richard Vale had answered to him.
And Elliot had disappeared because he had finally found him.
"Where?" Adrian asked.
Keller placed a photograph on the table.
A gray-haired man leaving a private terminal in Maine.
"Two days ago."
Claire looked at Adrian.
His face was unreadable.
"Say something."
Adrian stared at the photograph.
"I spent half my life trying not to become a dead man who wasn't even dead."
Claire touched his hand.
The contact surprised both of them.
Neither pulled away.
Keller continued.
Thomas had returned for one reason.
The evidence Daniel Morgan hid.
Claire's father had documented enough crimes to imprison him for life.
"He'll come for the originals," Keller said.
Claire immediately understood.
"The Gloucester house."
Adrian turned.
"No."
"You don't even know what I'm going to say."
"You're not being bait."
"Adrian."
"No."
Claire pulled her hand away.
His face changed.
He knew instantly.
There he was again.
The man deciding.
Adrian closed his eyes.
Then corrected himself.
"I don't want you being bait."
"Better."
"But?"
"But it's your decision."
Claire nodded.
"I'm going."
Adrian hated it.
He went anyway.
The plan was simple.
Copies of Daniel's evidence were placed in the blue house.
Agents waited nearby.
Claire would remain inside for no more than twenty minutes.
Thomas arrived at 9:14 p.m.
Alone.
He entered through the front door.
Claire's first thought was how much Adrian resembled him.
Her second was how different they felt.
Thomas smiled.
"Claire Morgan."
"Cole."
"Not for much longer."
She stiffened.
"You know about the separation?"
"I know everything about my son."
"No. You know information about him."
Thomas's smile faded.
"Where are the files?"
"First tell me why you killed my father."
Thomas shrugged.
"He mistook morality for leverage."
Claire's stomach turned.
Outside, agents recorded every word.
"He had a daughter."
"Everyone has something."
"You destroyed my family."
Thomas stepped closer.
"And my son rebuilt it for you."
"No."
Claire held his gaze.
"Adrian built a prison and called it protection."
Thomas smiled again.
"Exactly."
Claire shook her head.
"But he learned how to open the door."
That irritated Thomas.
"My son doesn't change."
"You haven't known your son for fifteen years."
"I made him."
"No."
Claire's voice steadied.
"You frightened him. There's a difference."
Thomas reached inside his coat.
Claire froze.
A gun.
"Files."
She pointed toward the table.
Thomas approached.
Then another voice came from the doorway.
"Put it down."
Adrian.
Claire's heart stopped.
He was not supposed to enter.
Thomas turned.
For the first time, emotion cracked his face.
"Son."
Adrian's gun remained steady.
"Don't call me that."
Thomas laughed.
"You became everything I designed you to become."
"No."
"You inherited my docks. My men. My methods."
"And I'm ending them."
"For her?"
Adrian looked at Claire.
"No."
Claire's heart tightened.
Adrian continued.
"For me."
Thomas raised his weapon.
Gunfire erupted.
Claire dropped.
Agents stormed the house.
Thomas fell, wounded in the leg.
Adrian's weapon skidded across the floor.
For one terrible second, Claire thought he had been hit.
Then he moved toward her.
He stopped three feet away.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."
Only then did he breathe.
Thomas was arrested alive.
There would be a trial.
Daniel Morgan would finally have justice.
Outside, snow began falling over the Atlantic.
Claire and Adrian stood on the porch.
"You weren't supposed to come inside."
"I know."
"Why did you?"
"I heard him threaten you."
"So you broke the plan."
"Yes."
She looked at him.
"That's not exactly growth."
"No."
She laughed.
He smiled.
For several seconds, they simply looked at each other.
Then Claire said, "The separation becomes final Monday."
Adrian's smile disappeared.
"I know."
"You really aren't going to stop it?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you shouldn't have to remain married to the man I was just to see whether you might someday love the man I'm trying to become."
Claire's eyes filled.
Adrian stepped closer but did not touch her.
"I love you," he said.
No demand followed.
No "come home."
No "give me another chance."
Just the truth.
Claire whispered, "I still love you too."
Hope flashed across his face.
"But love wasn't our problem."
"I know."
She placed his hand against her stomach.
Their baby kicked.
Adrian froze.
Then laughed.
A completely unguarded sound.
Claire began crying.
Adrian's eyes filled too.
"Was that—"
"Yes."
The baby kicked again.
His thumb moved gently across her coat.
Claire looked at him.
"Monday still happens."
His expression hurt.
But he nodded.
"Okay."
"And after Monday..."
He waited.
Claire took a shaky breath.
"...maybe you can ask me to dinner."
Adrian stared at her.
"A date?"
"One date."
"Tuesday?"
She laughed through her tears.
"You're impossible."
"Wednesday?"
"Adrian."
"Thursday?"
Claire kissed his cheek.
"Ask me Monday."
Then she walked toward the waiting car.
Adrian stood beneath the falling snow, touching the place her lips had been.
May you like
For the first time, losing his marriage did not feel like the end.
It felt like the first honest chance they had ever had.
