Chapter 6 - THE MAN WHO KNEW THE WHOLE STORY
The black SUV stopped twenty yards away.
Dominic recognized the man who stepped out.
Richard Ashford.
His father's younger brother.
His uncle.
Dominic hadn't seen him in fourteen years.
Richard smiled faintly.
“You always did have your father's instincts.”
Dominic raised his weapon.
“You should have stayed gone.”
Richard looked past him.
His eyes landed on Lucas.
Then on Anna.
“Looks like everyone found each other.”
Anna stepped in front of Lucas.
Richard's smile disappeared.
“I didn't come for the boy.”
Dominic didn't lower his gun.
“Then why are you here?”
“To stop this before more people die.”
Evelyn laughed bitterly.
“More people?”
Richard looked at her.
“You don't know what your sister caused.”
“My sister?”
“She exposed something she didn't understand.”
Anna stepped forward.
“I understood enough.”
Richard's eyes hardened.
“You understood half of it.”
Dominic cut between them.
“Enough.”
He pointed his gun toward Richard.
“Start talking.”
Richard sighed.
“Your father built the Ashford organization to protect the family.”
Dominic said nothing.
Richard continued.
“But he discovered Vincent Caldwell was using it to move weapons.”
Dominic frowned.
“My father worked with Caldwell?”
“At first, yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Caldwell had information about politicians, judges, police officers. Your father thought he could control him.”
“And couldn't.”
“No.”
Richard looked at Anna.
“She found the evidence.”
Anna shook her head.
“Your father found it first.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“Then why did he let Caldwell continue?”
“Because Caldwell threatened the family.”
“With what?”
Richard looked at Lucas.
“With a secret.”
Lucas stepped closer to Dominic.
Richard lowered his voice.
“Your father had another son.”
Dominic stared.
“No.”
Richard nodded.
“Your half-brother.”
Evelyn looked at Anna.
Anna closed her eyes.
Richard continued.
“Caldwell knew about the boy.”
Dominic's mind raced.
“Lucas?”
“No.”
Lucas looked confused.
“Then who?”
Richard looked at Dominic.
“Your father had a son before he married your mother.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“Who?”
Richard didn't answer.
Anna did.
“Vincent Caldwell.”
Silence.
Dominic stared at her.
“No.”
“Your father had a child with Caldwell's sister.”
Richard nodded.
“Vincent was his wife's brother.”
Dominic looked sick.
“That's impossible.”
“It isn't.”
“And Lucas?”
Richard looked at the boy.
“Lucas is the grandson of the man who started the war.”
Dominic turned toward Anna.
“Then why was he hidden?”
“Because Caldwell believed Lucas knew where the original ledger was.”
Lucas shook his head.
“I don't.”
Anna knelt beside him.
“I know.”
Richard spoke quietly.
“He doesn't need to know.”
Dominic looked at him.
“Then what does he have?”
Richard's eyes moved to the watch.
“The key.”
Dominic looked down.
The old watch was still in Lucas's hand.
“What key?”
Anna answered.
“The watch isn't a watch.”
Dominic opened his palm.
“Give it to me.”
Lucas hesitated.
Anna nodded.
Lucas handed it over.
Dominic turned it over.
There was a tiny seam beneath the back plate.
He pried it open with his knife.
A microfilm strip was hidden inside.
Marco stared.
“What the hell?”
Richard's face changed.
Anna whispered—
“That contains the original names.”
“Names of what?”
“Everyone Caldwell bought.”
Dominic looked at the strip.
“Judges?”
“Yes.”
“Police?”
“Yes.”
“Politicians?”
“Yes.”
Richard added quietly—
“And one Ashford.”
Dominic looked at him.
“Who?”
Richard's answer came slowly.
“Your mother.”
Dominic froze.
Anna stepped closer.
“She wasn't protecting me from Caldwell.”
She looked at Dominic.
“She was protecting me from your father.”
Dominic's voice became cold.
“My mother was killed in an accident.”
Anna shook her head.
“No.”
She reached into her coat.
Pulled out a small photograph.
She handed it to him.
It showed Dominic's mother standing beside Anna.
On the back were handwritten words.
IF DOMINIC EVER FINDS THIS, TELL HIM I CHOSE HIM OVER THE FAMILY.
Dominic stared.
His hands began shaking.
His mother had never been afraid of his father.
She had been afraid of what would happen if Dominic learned the truth.
A gunshot cracked.
Richard dropped.
Dominic caught him.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
“Get down!”
Marco fired toward the trees.
Anna pulled Lucas behind the SUV.
Dominic dragged Richard to cover.
“Who shot you?”
Richard gritted his teeth.
“Not Caldwell.”
Dominic looked around.
“Then who?”
Richard's breathing became shallow.
“The same man who shot at you in the warehouse.”
Dominic froze.
“The traitor.”
Richard nodded.
“He isn't working for Caldwell.”
“Then who?”
Richard looked at Dominic.
“Your mother.”
Dominic stared.
“My mother is dead.”
Richard's eyes widened.
“No.”
May you like
He whispered—
“She isn't.”
