Chapter 4 - The Woman Who Got Into the CarSilas watched the recording again.
Then a third time.
Mallory stood beside the restaurant, wearing the cream-colored coat he had bought her for their anniversary. Adrian approached her, said something, and opened the passenger door.
She looked toward the restaurant.
Then she got inside.
Silas felt Noah's small hand gripping his sleeve.
“Daddy?”
He immediately turned off the tablet.
“I'm here, buddy.”
“Are you mad?”
Silas looked at his son.
“No. Never at you.”
Jonah waited until the little boy was distracted by a wooden train.
“Silas, there's more.”
“What?”
“Adrian wasn't alone that night. Someone else was waiting inside the restaurant.”
“Who?”
Jonah enlarged another frame.
A man stood near the bar.
Silver hair.
Black suit.
A heavy ring with a flat black stone.
Silas recognized it immediately.
The same ring from the photograph taken outside Walter Dain's estate.
“The Black Circle,” Jonah whispered.
Silas's expression hardened.
The Black Circle was an underground alliance of wealthy businessmen, corrupt officials, and criminal financiers. Silas had spent years dismantling its operations.
He had never discovered who controlled it.
“Walter Dain is involved?”
“More than involved. His estate is one of their meeting locations.”
Silas looked at the nursery door.
“Get Noah and Mallory into the car. Nobody leaves them alone.”
Jonah nodded.
But before he could move, Mallory appeared.
She stood in the doorway, pale and frightened.
“Silas.”
He turned.
She looked at the frozen image on the tablet.
“I can explain.”
“Then explain.”
Mallory's eyes filled with tears.
“Adrian told me you were in danger. He said there was a bomb beneath the restaurant and that you had been marked for execution.”
Silas stared at her.
“He said the only way to save you was to come with him.”
“Why didn't you call me?”
“He showed me a photograph of you tied to a chair.”
Silas felt his stomach tighten.
“I thought they were going to kill you.”
Mallory lowered her head.
“I got into the car because I thought I was saving my husband.”
Silas stepped closer.
“Sweetheart, you don't have to apologize for trying to save me.”
She began crying.
“But I never came back.”
“No. They made sure you couldn't.”
A small voice interrupted them.
“Mommy?”
Noah stood beside the crib.
Mallory immediately knelt and opened her arms.
He ran toward her.
Silas watched them embrace.
Then he noticed something.
Mallory's right hand was trembling.
Not from cold.
From pain.
He gently took her wrist.
“What's this?”
She pulled away.
“Nothing.”
“Mallory.”
She hesitated.
Then rolled up her sleeve.
A faded circular scar surrounded her wrist.
Silas recognized the shape immediately.
A restraint mark.
His expression changed.
“Who did this?”
She looked toward the hallway.
“Walter.”
Silas nodded slowly.
“Then Walter is going to have a very difficult evening.”
But Mallory caught his hand.
“Don't hurt him yet.”
Silas looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because he knows where Adrian is going tonight.”
Jonah stepped forward.
“Where?”
Mallory swallowed.
“Boston.”
“What's in Boston?”
“A meeting.”
She looked directly at Silas.
“Your brother is planning to announce that you're dead and take control of the Keene organization permanently.”
Silas smiled.
May you like
It was not a pleasant expression.
“Then perhaps we should attend.”
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