Chapter 13: The Secret They Buried With My Wife
For nine years, I had carried my wife's wedding ring on a chain beneath my shirt.
Catherine Dawson had been fifty-one when cancer took her. I remembered the hospital room, the smell of disinfectant, the way her fingers had grown thinner between my hands. I remembered promising her that I would be all right, even though we both knew I had no idea how to live without her.
I remembered her last words.
Don't let the past steal what's left of your life, Ray.
Now David Mitchell was standing in front of me, telling me that my wife wasn't supposed to die.
I grabbed his jacket.
"Explain yourself.""
David didn't resist.
"Not here.""
"You're going to explain it right now.""
Above us, Victor Hale leaned over the balcony, still gripping Noah's shoulder.
"David, you really should learn when to keep your mouth shut.""
I turned toward him.
"Did you have something to do with my wife's death?""
Victor smiled.
"Your wife was a very unfortunate woman.""
I took a step toward the building.
David caught my arm.
"Ray, listen to me. Catherine discovered something about Bellhaven. She was working as a bookkeeper for a medical supply company that did business with Victor's security firm.""
My hands went numb.
"Catherine worked for a hospital supplier. She never mentioned Bellhaven.""
"Because she didn't know what she'd found at first. She discovered payments being routed through fake vendors. Some of those payments were connected to people who were helping Victor silence witnesses.""
"You're saying she was investigating him?""
"No. She was doing her job. But when she asked questions about missing invoices, Victor became interested in her.""
I stared at him.
"What does that have to do with her cancer?""
David looked away.
"Six weeks before Catherine was diagnosed, she gave me copies of the invoices. She was frightened. She said somebody had been following her.""
My chest tightened.
"Why didn't she tell me?""
"She wanted to protect you.""
The words struck me like a slap.
Everyone had been protecting someone.
David had protected Noah by disappearing. Marcus had protected the club by betraying his friend. Sarah's father had protected evidence by hiding it.
And Catherine had protected me by keeping a secret that might have changed everything.
"Did Victor cause her illness?"" I demanded.
David shook his head quickly.
"I don't know. I'm not going to lie to you about that. I have no evidence that he caused her cancer.""
"Then what are you saying?""
"I'm saying Victor used her discovery to threaten her. He told her that if she went to the authorities, he'd destroy you and everyone in your club. She gave me the documents because she believed I could get them somewhere safe.""
I remembered Catherine sitting at our kitchen table during those last weeks before her diagnosis, staring at her untouched coffee.
I'd asked her what was wrong.
She'd smiled and said she was tired.
I'd kissed her forehead and gone to work.
I had no idea she'd been afraid.
David continued.
"She made me promise that if anything happened to her, I'd make sure the evidence survived. I promised I'd protect you.""
"And then you disappeared.""
"Because Victor found out she'd spoken to me. He threatened to make you the next target.""
I released David's jacket.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Then a small voice called from above.
"Uncle Ray?""
Noah was looking down at us.
His face was wet with tears.
"Is my dad going to leave again?""
David looked up.
Every trace of anger vanished from his face.
"No, buddy.""
Victor tightened his grip.
"Enough sentiment. Ten minutes are almost up.""
David looked at me.
"We need to get Noah out.""
I swallowed the pain rising in my throat.
"Tell me what you need.""
"The original evidence is under the old clubhouse foundation. If we can retrieve it, we can expose Victor and everyone who helped him.""
"That building is gone.""
"The foundation remains. Part of it was incorporated into the new clubhouse parking area.""
I stared at him.
"You expect me to dig up my own property while Victor holds your son hostage?""
"No. I expect you to make him believe we're going to.""
I understood.
A distraction.
But before I could answer, Sarah hurried toward us.
"I've reached the federal agent I trust. They're ten minutes away.""
"Ten minutes?"" I asked.
"They're coming from the other side of Nashville. We need to keep Victor talking.""
Eddie emerged from behind the concrete barrier.
"I can get to the electrical panel. Kill the lights, and the security cameras go down.""
David shook his head.
"Victor has backup power.""
"Then I'll give him something else to worry about.""
Eddie disappeared around the side of the building.
I looked at David.
"Tell me the whole truth about Catherine.""
He met my eyes.
"I will. Every word. But first, we save Noah.""
For the first time in nine years, I believed him.
We moved toward the entrance with the flash drive held high in my hand.
Victor watched us approach.
"Excellent. I knew you'd make the sensible decision.""
"Let the boy go first," I said.
Victor laughed.
"You don't negotiate from a position of weakness, Ray.""
"And you don't threaten children unless you're afraid of something.""
His smile faded.
I held up the flash drive.
"This is what you want. The evidence from the storage unit.""
"Not enough. I want the originals.""
"You'll get them.""
David looked at me sharply.
I kept my eyes on Victor.
"The original files are under the old clubhouse. We'll take you there.""
Victor studied our faces.
Then he looked at Noah.
"Your father has always been very good at making promises he can't keep.""
David stepped forward.
"Let him go, Victor. This is between us.""
"No. It became personal when you stole from me.""
"You threatened my family.""
"And you betrayed me.""
For a moment, the two men stared at each other across the years.
Then Victor pulled Noah closer.
"One more condition. The boy comes with us.""
"No," I said.
Victor raised his gun.
"Then nobody leaves.""
A sudden crash sounded from inside the building.
The lights flickered.
Eddie had done something to the electrical system.
Victor turned toward the noise.
David moved.
He lunged forward, grabbing Victor's wrist as the first lights went dark.
Noah screamed.
I sprinted toward the stairs.
A gunshot cracked through the building.
Then another.
And in the chaos, I heard David shout my name.
"RAY! GET NOAH!""
I reached the balcony just as the emergency lights came on.
Noah was standing alone beside the railing.
Victor was gone.
David lay on the floor, blood spreading across his shirt.
And in the darkness beyond the doorway, a second man was dragging Victor toward the rear exit.
A man whose face I recognized.
My oldest friend had not been the only person who betrayed us.
The second man was the former president of the Iron Wolves.
May you like
Harold Vance.
The man we'd buried six years ago.
