Chapter 7 - The Father Who Wasn't Dead
Norah didn't sleep.
At dawn, Dominic found her sitting beside the window.
“Did you eat?”
“No.”
“You should.”
“I don't care.”
“You should anyway.”
She looked at him.
“You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“You knew my father was alive.”
“I knew there was a possibility.”
“For how long?”
“Three days.”
Norah laughed bitterly.
“Three days?”
“I was trying to confirm it.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know if the photograph was real.”
“Now?”
“Now I believe it is.”
Norah stood.
“I want to find him.”
“We will.”
“No.”
Dominic frowned.
“I'll find him.”
“You don't know how.”
“I know people.”
“You're going to get yourself killed.”
“So are you.”
He looked at her.
That stopped her.
“What?”
“You keep stepping between dangerous people and everyone else.”
“That's who I am.”
“That's exactly what worries me.”
Norah's heart skipped.
Dominic looked away.
“We leave in an hour.”
They drove north.
The photograph led them to an abandoned lakeside cabin.
Inside, they found evidence that someone had lived there recently.
A coffee cup.
A newspaper.
Fresh footprints.
And a wall covered with photographs.
Norah's entire life.
Her school.
Her first job.
Her apartment.
Her mother.
Dominic.
Lily.
Norah stared in horror.
“He's been watching me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Dominic examined the wall.
“Maybe he was protecting you.”
“By spying on me?”
“Maybe.”
A floorboard creaked.
Dominic turned.
“Who's there?”
No answer.
Then an older man stepped into the doorway.
Norah couldn't breathe.
He looked older than she remembered.
Gray hair.
A scar over his eyebrow.
But the eyes were the same.
Her father's eyes.
“Nora.”
She whispered:
“Dad?”
The man closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
She slapped him.
He didn't move.
“You let me think you were dead.”
“I had no choice.”
“You had twenty years.”
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“You abandoned me.”
“I watched every birthday.”
“From where?”
“Everywhere.”
She cried.
“You don't get to call that being a father.”
He lowered his head.
Dominic remained silent.
Then Norah's father looked at him.
“You're Dominic Mercer.”
“Yes.”
“You look just like your uncle.”
Dominic's jaw tightened.
“Did you know who killed him?”
The older man looked toward the window.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
He hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Your uncle was killed by someone who now controls the Mercer family.”
Dominic went still.
“Who?”
The man looked directly at him.
“Your mother.”
Silence.
Norah stared at Dominic.
Dominic didn't move.
May you like
Then a bullet tore through the window.
Norah's father collapsed.
