Chapter 8 - The Price of the Truth
Dominic had forty minutes to run.
He didn't.
Autumn couldn't understand it.
“There are accounts in Switzerland. Properties outside extradition jurisdictions. You could disappear.”
“And become Vincent?”
“No.”
“Running makes me exactly what he spent my whole life teaching me to be.”
Dominic called his attorney.
Then he called federal investigators himself.
Roman thought he had lost his mind.
Autumn understood.
Dominic offered everything.
Vincent's organization.
Kestrel.
Rossi.
Politicians.
Police officers.
Offshore accounts.
In return, he demanded protection for Autumn, Noah, Cross's daughter and every civilian employee who had unknowingly worked inside his businesses.
“What about you?” Autumn asked.
“I don't get to negotiate myself into innocence.”
That answer changed something in her.
Dominic had committed crimes.
He did not pretend otherwise.
For years, he had rationalized them as inheritance and survival.
Now he chose accountability.
Investigators arrived.
Dominic was taken into custody.
Before leaving, he turned toward Autumn.
She crossed the lobby.
Neither cared who watched.
“I'll fix this,” she whispered.
“No.”
He touched her face.
“You already fixed enough.”
Then he was gone.
Six months passed.
Autumn testified.
So did Roman.
So did Cross.
Voss became the government's central witness against Kestrel's international network.
The evidence cleared Autumn's name completely.
MIT formally reversed her expulsion.
They offered to restore her scholarship.
Autumn laughed when she read the letter.
Seven years earlier, it would have meant everything.
Now she wasn't sure she needed their permission to know what she was worth.
Dominic eventually reached an agreement with prosecutors.
His cooperation dismantled several major criminal networks.
But cooperation did not erase his own conduct.
He pleaded guilty to financial offenses and conspiracy charges.
The sentence was substantially reduced because of his assistance.
Autumn attended every hearing.
One afternoon Dominic saw her sitting behind his attorneys.
He shook his head.
Afterward he asked, “Why do you keep coming?”
“Because Giovanni's schedule is flexible.”
“Autumn.”
She smiled.
“Because you came for me.”
“When?”
“When Noah disappeared. When Vincent attacked. Every time.”
Dominic looked away.
“You deserve somebody uncomplicated.”
“That's unfortunate. I appear to have terrible taste.”
He laughed.
It was the first genuine laugh she had ever heard from him.
The sentence came two weeks later.
Eighteen months.
Autumn's heart sank.
Dominic squeezed her hand before marshals led him away.
“Eighteen months isn't forever.”
“No.”
She forced herself to smile.
“But you'd better not expect me to wait around doing nothing.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“What are you planning?”
May you like
Autumn smiled through tears.
“Something expensive.”
