Chapter 14 - THE LAST BETRAYAL
I couldn't speak.
Daniel.
My lawyer.
The man who had helped uncover the accounts.
The man who had filed the protective orders.
The man who had promised to protect me.
The photograph showed him meeting Victor.
“No,” I whispered.
The officer nodded.
“We've been tracking him for weeks.”
Alessandro stepped forward.
“Why wasn't I told?”
“We needed evidence.”
I stared at the photograph.
Daniel had betrayed me.
Or had he?
Something didn't make sense.
“If he was working for Victor,” I said, “why did he expose the accounts?”
The officer looked at me.
“That is what we're trying to determine.”
Daniel suddenly appeared in the doorway.
Everyone reached for their weapons.
He raised his hands.
“Wait.”
I stared at him.
“Were you working for Victor?”
He looked at me.
“Yes.”
My heart shattered.
“How long?”
“Since before your wedding.”
I stepped backward.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You knew what they were doing.”
“Yes.”
“Then why help me?”
He looked down.
“Because I changed sides.”
“When?”
“The night Victor attacked you.”
I shook my head.
“That's not enough.”
Daniel reached into his coat.
He pulled out a small drive.
“This contains the final evidence.”
“What evidence?”
“The murder order.”
Silence.
“Who ordered it?”
Daniel looked at me.
“Raul.”
I exhaled.
“So Victor was telling the truth.”
“Partly.”
“What does that mean?”
“Raul ordered your mother's murder.”
My heart sank.
“But someone carried it out.”
“Who?”
Daniel looked at Alessandro.
Everyone turned.
Alessandro's face hardened.
“No.”
Daniel continued.
“Raul paid someone inside Alessandro's organization.”
I looked at Alessandro.
He looked devastated.
“My people betrayed me.”
“Who?”
Daniel hesitated.
Then gave the name.
A man Alessandro had trusted for twenty years.
The betrayal had been inside his own family.
Alessandro closed his eyes.
“I should have known.”
I touched his arm.
He looked at me.
“You didn't know.”
He shook his head.
“I promised your mother.”
“And you kept it.”
For the first time, Alessandro looked relieved.
The police arrested Daniel.
But before he was taken away, he looked at me.
“I did terrible things.”
I nodded.
“I know.”
“But I couldn't let them destroy you.”
I didn't forgive him.
Not yet.
But I understood.
Then the doctor entered.
“Mrs. Hale?”
I turned.
“Your daughter's heart rate is stable.”
I smiled.
But before I could answer, the hospital television suddenly switched to breaking news.
Victor Hale had escaped again.
May you like
And this time, he had taken someone with him.
My father.
