Chapter 3 - The Woman in the Warehouse
The warehouse smelled of rust, rain, and old motor oil.
Dominic sat in the rear of the SUV two blocks away while Tommy studied surveillance images.
Every sensible part of Dominic’s mind told him to send his men.
He had twenty professionals capable of entering the building.
But the last five years had taught him what happened when fear made every decision.
“I’m going in.”
Tommy turned.
“No.”
Dominic almost smiled.
“Did you just tell me no?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting.”
“You can barely walk after leaving the penthouse.”
“Then I’ll barely walk inside.”
“Boss—”
“She was taken because someone wanted my attention.”
Dominic opened the door.
“If I hide now, they win twice.”
Rain hit his face.
He stepped out.
Inside the warehouse, Abigail sat tied to a metal chair.
Evan Mercer paced in front of her.
She had imagined this moment for months.
Evan furious.
Evan cornering her.
Evan finally becoming the man she had spent years pretending he wasn’t.
What she had not imagined were the two armed men beside him.
“You shouldn’t have taken me,” Abigail whispered.
Evan laughed.
“You still think this is about us?”
Her stomach dropped.
“What?”
“You were supposed to get close to Russo.”
“I didn’t even know I’d been assigned to him until Dr. Henderson called.”
“Exactly.”
Evan crouched before her.
“Clean background. Nervous little therapist. Perfect.”
Understanding arrived slowly.
“You arranged my referral.”
“Not personally.”
“Who?”
The warehouse door slammed somewhere in the darkness.
Evan stood.
One of the armed men lifted his pistol.
Then came a sound.
Thud.
Pause.
Thud.
A cane striking concrete.
Abigail stopped breathing.
Dominic emerged from the shadows.
Black shirt.
Black trousers.
Rain on his dark hair.
His face pale from pain.
Tommy and four men spread behind him.
But Abigail saw only Dominic.
He had come outside.
For her.
Evan looked genuinely astonished.
“The famous ghost.”
Dominic’s eyes moved to Abigail.
Her cheek was reddened.
A thin cut marked her lip.
His expression changed almost imperceptibly.
That frightened Evan more than rage would have.
“Let her go.”
Evan raised his weapon toward Abigail.
“Another step and she dies.”
Dominic stopped.
Abigail’s pulse hammered.
“Dominic, don’t.”
It was the first time she had used his first name.
His eyes found hers.
Something passed between them.
Trust.
“Who paid you?” Dominic asked Evan.
Evan smiled.
“You still don’t understand, do you?”
“Explain it.”
“The Costas didn’t kill Leo.”
Dominic’s face became stone.
Evan continued.
“Your brother wasn’t the target either.”
Tommy stiffened.
Evan seemed to enjoy that.
“The bomb came from inside your own organization.”
Silence.
Dominic’s gaze shifted briefly toward Tommy.
Evan noticed.
“Oh, that’s beautiful. Five years hiding upstairs, and you still don’t know which friend buried your brother.”
Then the lights died.
Abigail screamed.
Gunfire exploded.
Dominic dropped behind a steel support as Tommy’s men returned fire.
Someone grabbed Abigail’s chair.
She kicked blindly.
A weapon discharged near her ear.
Then strong hands caught her shoulders.
She panicked.
“No!”
“Abigail.”
Dominic.
“Look at me.”
Emergency lights flickered red.
He was kneeling despite his damaged leg.
His hands remained visible, deliberately not touching her.
“May I untie you?”
Even in chaos, he asked.
Abigail stared at him.
Then nodded.
“Yes.”
Dominic cut the restraints.
Across the warehouse, Tommy shouted that Mercer was escaping.
Dominic could have pursued him.
Instead, he stayed with Abigail.
Her wrists were raw.
She started shaking.
“I thought you couldn’t leave your building.”
“So did I.”
A laugh escaped her.
It became a sob.
Dominic removed his jacket and held it out rather than placing it around her.
She took it.
“You came.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
The answer frightened him.
Because there were many things Dominic Russo could say.
Because she worked for him.
Because Mercer had challenged him.
Because enemies could not be allowed to take someone from his home.
All were believable.
None were true.
“Because nobody came for Leo.”
Abigail’s expression softened.
“And I couldn’t let that happen again.”
Sirens sounded in the distance.
Tommy approached.
“Mercer got out through the north side. Two of his men are down. One surrendered.”
Dominic nodded.
“Police?”
“On the way.”
Abigail suddenly grabbed Dominic’s sleeve.
“We can’t trust them.”
He looked down at her hand.
She released him immediately.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
She swallowed.
“Evan has people inside the department. He used to brag that complaints disappeared when the right officer answered them.”
Dominic looked at Tommy.
“Get our attorney here.”
Then Abigail said something neither man expected.
“There’s more.”
Dominic turned.
She was staring at Evan’s abandoned duffel bag.
“I saw documents when they brought me in. Medical files. Photographs.”
“Of whom?”
“You.”
Dominic went still.
“And your brother.”
Tommy opened the bag.
Inside were photographs from the bombing investigation.
Most had never been released.
There were forensic reports, police evidence logs and a photograph of the destroyed Navigator.
Beneath them sat a small black notebook.
Dominic opened it.
Names.
Payments.
Dates.
Then he reached the final page.
November 14.
Five years earlier.
The night Leo died.
Beside the date were three initials.
T.B.
Dominic slowly raised his eyes.
Tommy Barardi stood six feet away.
Abigail saw Dominic’s hand tighten around his cane.
Tommy looked at the notebook.
Then at the man he had served most of his life.
“Dominic.”
May you like
His voice was quiet.
“I can explain.”
