Chapter 9 - The Woman Who Refused to Die
THE GUNSHOT ECHOED THROUGH THE ABANDONED LABORATORY. AND FOR ONE TERRIFYING SECOND, DOMINIC THOUGHT HE HAD LOST ANOTHER MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY.
Vanessa collapsed.
Rebecca screamed.
Grace buried her face against Rebecca's shoulder.
Dominic lunged toward Voss.
The gun struck the floor.
Two men crashed into a metal table.
Glass shattered.
Voss swung wildly.
Dominic caught his arm and forced him backward.
“STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!”
Voss stumbled.
Before he could reach the gun, federal agents rushed through the laboratory doors.
“FEDERAL AGENTS! HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!”
Dominic stepped back immediately.
Voss was forced to the floor.
Handcuffs clicked around his wrists.
Across the room, Vanessa lay bleeding from a wound in her shoulder.
Rebecca knelt beside her.
“She's alive!”
Paramedics entered.
Dominic barely heard them.
He was staring at Grace.
His daughter.
Four years old.
Alive.
Rebecca lowered the little girl to the floor.
Grace hesitated.
Then took one small step toward him.
“Daddy?”
Dominic knelt.
“Yes, baby.”
She studied his face.
“Mama Rebecca said you didn't know where I was.”
Tears ran down his cheeks.
“That's right.”
“Did you look for me?”
“Every minute since I found out about you.”
Grace looked down.
“I made you a picture.”
Dominic smiled through tears.
“I saw it.”
Her eyes widened.
“You did?”
He nodded.
“It was beautiful.”
Grace took another step.
“Can I hug you?”
Dominic opened his arms.
She ran into them.
He held her against his chest.
And for the first time in four years, he felt something he'd thought he'd lost forever.
Hope.
Behind him, Michael stood silently.
Rebecca began crying.
Caleb turned away.
Dominic kissed Grace's hair.
“I've got you now.”
The little girl whispered, “Don't go away.”
He held her tighter.
“I won't.”
But even as he spoke, he knew one terrible truth remained.
Elena was still missing.
And the woman who knew what had happened to her was being rushed into surgery.
Vanessa survived.
The bullet had passed through her shoulder without striking a major artery.
Two days later, Dominic visited her hospital room with Detective Bennett present.
Vanessa looked pale.
When she saw him, she turned away.
“I don't deserve you coming here.”
Dominic stood beside the bed.
“You're right.”
She flinched.
He continued.
“But you saved Grace.”
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“I should've done that years ago.”
“Why didn't you?”
She looked at him.
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of Voss?”
“Of what he'd tell everyone.”
Dominic waited.
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
“I married Michael because I thought he would inherit the family.”
Dominic said nothing.
“When Antonio chose you instead, I was furious.”
“So you betrayed Michael.”
She nodded.
“I told Antonio what Michael was investigating.”
“And Michael disappeared.”
“Yes.”
Dominic's jaw tightened.
“Then you came after me.”
Vanessa began crying.
“At first, I wanted your money. Your name. Everything I thought Michael had lost.”
“And Elena?”
Vanessa looked away.
“She discovered my marriage certificate.”
Dominic froze.
“When?”
“Before Grace was born.”
“So she knew.”
“Yes.”
“Did you threaten her?”
Vanessa nodded.
“I told her I'd ruin her marriage if she exposed me.”
Dominic stared.
“You helped Voss take her.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I helped him get into the house. I didn't know what he planned to do.”
“That's not an excuse.”
“I know.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“What did you take from her bedroom?”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“The blue folder.”
“What was in it?”
“Copies of the financial records. And a list of people Antonio had paid.”
“Where is it?”
“Voss took it.”
Dominic studied her.
“Why did you lock Sophie outside the wedding?”
Vanessa began sobbing.
“Because I recognized Elena's handwriting. I thought the letter would expose everything.”
“You punished a six-year-old child because you were afraid of being caught.”
Vanessa covered her face.
“I know.”
Dominic looked at her for a long moment.
He'd once believed he loved this woman.
Now he couldn't recognize her.
“Where's Elena?”
Vanessa lowered her hands.
“I don't know.”
“Voss moved her through medical facilities.”
“Yes.”
“Where did he take her last?”
Vanessa hesitated.
“I heard him mention a place called Willow Creek.”
Dominic frowned.
“Where?”
“Pennsylvania. Somewhere near the mountains.”
“Is she alive?”
Vanessa began crying harder.
“I don't know.”
Dominic turned toward the door.
“Dominic?”
He stopped.
Vanessa whispered, “I'm sorry about Sophie.”
He looked back.
“Don't tell me.”
She stared.
“Tell her someday, if she chooses to hear it.”
He left.
That evening, Dominic returned to the mansion with Grace.
Sophie was waiting in the entrance hall.
Hannah stood beside her.
Dominic knelt.
“Princess, there's someone I want you to meet.”
Grace peeked from behind his leg.
Sophie stared.
“Is that my sister?”
Dominic smiled.
“Yes.”
Sophie stepped closer.
“Hi. I'm Sophie.”
Grace whispered, “I'm Grace.”
Sophie looked at the stuffed rabbit in her arms.
“Do you like bunnies?”
Grace nodded.
“I have one too.”
Grace smiled shyly.
Sophie held out her hand.
“Want to see my room?”
Grace looked at Dominic.
He nodded.
“Go ahead.”
The two little girls walked upstairs together.
Dominic watched them.
Hannah wiped her eyes.
“They look so much alike.”
Dominic smiled.
“They do.”
For one brief moment, everything felt peaceful.
Then Daniel called.
“Dominic, we found Willow Creek.”
Dominic straightened.
“What is it?”
“A private long-term care facility. It closed six months ago.”
“Any patient records?”
“Most were destroyed.”
Dominic felt hope slipping.
“But we found a former employee.”
“Who?”
“A nurse named Patricia Lane.”
“Does she remember Elena?”
Daniel hesitated.
“She remembers a woman admitted under the name Evelyn Marsh.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
“Was it Elena?”
“The description matches.”
“Where is she now?”
Daniel took a breath.
“Patricia says the patient was transferred after the facility closed.”
“Where?”
“To a private residence.”
Dominic gripped the phone.
“Whose residence?”
Daniel's voice lowered.
“YOUR FATHER'S OLD LAKE HOUSE.”
Dominic went still.
The lake house had been empty for years.
At least, that's what he'd been told.
Daniel continued.
“Dominic, there's something else.”
“What?”
“Patricia says the woman wasn't unconscious or mentally incapacitated.”
Dominic stopped breathing.
“She could talk?”
“Yes.”
“Could she walk?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't she leave?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Because someone convinced her that if she did, her daughters would be killed.”
Dominic stared toward the staircase.
Sophie and Grace were laughing upstairs.
Their mother had spent four years believing her children were in danger.
He grabbed his keys.
But before he reached the door, a message appeared on his phone.
Unknown number.
A photograph.
A woman stood beside a window overlooking a lake.
Her hair was longer.
Her face was thinner.
But Dominic knew her instantly.
Elena.
Alive.
Underneath was a message.
SHE'S BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, DOMINIC.
May you like
Then another.
BUT SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO MICHAEL.
