Chapter 26 - The Price on Dominic’s Head
Federal agents wanted Dominic in protective custody.
Dominic refused.
Hannah overruled him.
That argument lasted twelve minutes.
“You are not going into hiding,” Dominic said.
“Correct.”
“I meant you should.”
“And leave you alone with a murder contract?”
“I have security.”
“So do I.”
“Hannah.”
“Dominic.”
Adrian entered the room.
“I missed absolutely none of this.”
Dominic glared.
“Leave.”
“No.”
Hannah pointed at Adrian.
“See? Genetics.”
Dominic looked betrayed.
“You are both impossible.”
Protective arrangements transformed the penthouse into a fortress again.
But this time felt different.
Hannah refused to let fear become their life.
Foundation meetings continued.
Dominic worked remotely.
Mason played cards with security officers.
Adrian cooked terribly.
Luca slept even less than usual.
Three days passed.
Nothing happened.
That made everyone more nervous.
Then a flower delivery arrived.
White roses.
Box Six roses.
Luca scanned everything.
No device.
No poison.
Only a card.
TONIGHT. 8:15.
Dominic stared.
“Hired killer?”
Hannah shook her head.
“Too theatrical.”
Adrian agreed.
“Gabriel.”
“He’s in federal custody.”
“He still knows how you think.”
The timestamp mattered.
8:15 was when Hannah used to deliver Dominic’s mineral water during her first weeks at the theater.
Only someone who studied them closely would know.
They decided to use the threat.
Federal agents sealed the Marlowe.
Snipers covered nearby rooftops.
The public event was canceled under the excuse of electrical maintenance.
At 8:15, Dominic entered Box Six.
Alone.
At least visibly.
Hannah watched from the hidden service passage with Luca.
Dominic sat.
Two chairs.
No roses.
Silence.
Then the house lights turned on unexpectedly.
Music began through the sound system.
Rachmaninoff.
Hannah’s pulse jumped.
A spotlight illuminated the stage.
A man walked out.
No weapon.
He wore an old maintenance uniform.
Dominic stood.
The man raised both hands.
“My name is Elias Ward.”
Luca whispered.
“I know him.”
“Who?”
“Former Salvatore driver.”
Elias looked toward Box Six.
“Mr. Moretti, I received the contract.”
Dominic said nothing.
“I’m not here to collect.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because Gabriel contacted men who hate your father more than they hate you.”
Dominic descended to the stage.
Hannah wanted to stop him but trusted Luca’s assessment.
Elias continued.
“Your father ruined lives. Gabriel assumed those people would kill you for free.”
“Would they?”
“Some.”
“How many?”
“Seven accepted the message.”
Hannah’s stomach tightened.
“Names?” Dominic asked.
Elias held up a flash drive.
“Here.”
“Why help me?”
Elias looked toward Box Six.
“Because my wife needed surgery eight months ago.”
Dominic frowned.
“The foundation paid for it.”
Hannah closed her eyes.
Elias continued.
“My daughter told me the woman running the foundation sat with her mother during chemotherapy.”
Hannah remembered.
Mrs. Ward.
Breast cancer.
Two daughters.
Elias looked toward the hidden passage as though he knew Hannah stood there.
“Your father destroyed my family.”
He looked back at Dominic.
“Your wife saved what remained.”
Dominic accepted the drive.
“Thank you.”
Elias nodded.
“But one of the seven is different.”
“Who?”
“Professional. Nobody knows his identity.”
Luca stepped out.
“Codename?”
Elias recognized him.
“Reaper.”
Luca’s face hardened.
Adrian entered from the opposite aisle.
“That’s bad?”
Luca nodded.
“Extremely.”
Hannah joined them.
“Can we find him?”
Elias looked at her.
“No.”
“Can he be bought off?”
“No.”
“What does he want?”
“To finish contracts.”
Dominic reached for Hannah.
She held his hand.
Elias looked at them.
“He may already be inside your security circle.”
Everyone became still.
Luca immediately ordered a full personnel review.
By midnight, three suspicious credentials were discovered.
Two proved harmless.
The third belonged to a security officer hired four months earlier.
He had vanished that morning.
His apartment was empty.
His name was fake.
On the wall, investigators found photographs.
Dominic leaving work.
Dominic entering restaurants.
Dominic at the theater.
Then Hannah found the worst one.
It showed Dominic asleep in their bedroom.
Taken from inside the penthouse.
The killer had already stood beside their bed.
And chosen not to strike.
May you like
Which meant Reaper was waiting for something.
Or someone.
