Chapter 15 - THE WOMAN DANIEL HAYES WANTED
Daniel Hayes contacted Clara directly.
Not Arthur.
Her phone rang at 2:13 a.m.
Unknown number.
Clara answered.
“Hello?”
A man's voice replied.
“You were better at disappearing than Anthony.”
Clara sat upright.
Arthur woke immediately.
She raised one finger.
Stay quiet.
“Daniel?”
A pause.
“Samuel told you.”
“You killed him.”
“He was already dead seventeen years ago. He simply hadn't stopped breathing.”
Clara felt Arthur tense beside her.
“What do you want?”
“To meet the woman who changed Arthur Costello.”
“I didn't change him.”
“No?”
“No. He changed himself.”
Daniel laughed.
“That answer is why I want you.”
Arthur's eyes became lethal.
Clara remained calm.
“For what?”
“A job.”
“No.”
“You haven't heard the offer.”
“I don't need to.”
Daniel's voice hardened slightly.
“Tomorrow. Noon. Union Station. Come alone.”
“Not happening.”
“If Arthur comes, someone dies.”
The line disconnected.
Arthur was already getting dressed.
“No.”
Clara stared.
He stopped.
Then sighed.
“I strongly—”
“Object. Yes.”
“Violently.”
“That part is implied.”
Arthur sat beside her.
“I hate this.”
“I know.”
“I hate that he calls you.”
“I know.”
“I hate that my first instinct is to lock every door.”
Clara touched his hand.
“But?”
Arthur looked at her.
“But you aren't something I can lock away.”
She smiled faintly.
“Good answer.”
The next day Clara entered Union Station alone.
Technically.
Arthur was three blocks away.
Gregory monitored cameras.
Michael controlled exits.
Clara sat beneath the enormous clock.
At exactly noon, a man sat beside her.
Sixties.
Silver hair.
Expensive coat.
Ordinary face.
“Mrs. Costello.”
“Ms. Hughes professionally.”
He smiled.
“Of course.”
Daniel Hayes.
Clara studied him.
“You betrayed Anthony.”
“I survived Dominic.”
“By helping kill an innocent man?”
Daniel's smile vanished.
“Anthony was not innocent.”
“No.”
Clara nodded.
“But he was trying to become better.”
Daniel leaned back.
“That is the Costello family disease. Men become monsters, then demand applause when they stop biting.”
Clara said nothing.
Because part of her understood.
Daniel continued.
“I spent thirty years building insurance against families like yours.”
“The eighty-three million.”
“Operating capital.”
“For what?”
“A network.”
Judges.
Police.
Corporate officers.
Politicians.
Criminal intermediaries.
Daniel had built a shadow organization designed to manipulate both organized crime and law enforcement.
He believed control prevented chaos.
Clara almost laughed.
“You sound exactly like Dominic.”
His eyes sharpened.
“I am nothing like him.”
“That's probably what Arthur once said.”
That landed.
Daniel leaned closer.
“Come work for me.”
“No.”
“You haven't asked what you'd do.”
“I know.”
Clara looked directly at him.
“I'd clean your messes, hide your secrets, and convince myself I'm important because you need me.”
Daniel's face changed.
Clara stood.
“I already wasted five years learning that lesson.”
Daniel grabbed her wrist.
Immediately, three men across the concourse moved.
Arthur's men.
Daniel noticed.
Clara looked at his hand.
“Let go.”
He did.
Then smiled.
“Arthur came.”
“Of course.”
“You lied.”
“No. You said if Arthur came, someone would die.”
Clara leaned closer.
“You never said he couldn't bring the FBI.”
Daniel's smile vanished.
Federal agents appeared at the entrances.
But Daniel did not panic.
Instead, he laughed.
Then every light in Union Station went out.
People screamed.
Arthur heard Clara's voice through the comm.
“Arthur—”
Static.
Thirty seconds later, emergency lights returned.
Arthur ran into the concourse.
The bench was empty.
Daniel was gone.
So was Clara.
On the seat rested her wedding ring.
Arthur picked it up.
His entire world narrowed to one thought.
Gone.
Again.
May you like
But this time—
Clara had not chosen to leave.
