Chapter 6 - THE HEARTBEAT
The drive back to Manhattan blurred.
Luke called the hospital twice.
Dr. Bennett answered the second.
“Elena is stable.”
“And the baby?”
“Heart rate recovered.”
Luke closed his eyes.
“Then why did it drop?”
“Stress. Dehydration. Possibly placental perfusion concerns.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means stop asking questions while I’m treating her.”
He almost smiled.
“Yes, doctor.”
Then:
“Can I talk to her?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“She’s sleeping.”
He hated the distance between Bedford and St. Catherine’s.
Every red light felt personal.
When Luke reached Room 347, Elena was awake.
Dr. Bennett stood beside her.
The ultrasound machine remained nearby.
Luke stopped in the doorway.
“Everything okay?”
Elena looked at him.
“Baby’s stubborn.”
Dr. Bennett nodded.
“Good sign.”
Luke exhaled.
He almost crossed the room.
Stopped.
“Can I come in?”
Elena noticed.
Permission.
Something new.
“Yes.”
He sat.
Dr. Bennett left.
For a minute, silence.
Then Elena asked:
“Daniel?”
Luke looked at her.
“Talking.”
“To police?”
“Yes.”
“Samuel?”
“Also.”
Her eyes widened.
“You found him?”
“Yes.”
“Martin?”
“Alive.”
She closed her eyes.
“Thank God.”
Luke stared.
“You were worried about him.”
“He helped me.”
“While you were starving.”
“He brought groceries once.”
Luke’s chest tightened.
That sentence should not have hurt as much as it did.
A hunted accountant had done what Luke, billionaire ex-husband, had not.
Because Luke thought staying away meant protecting her.
“Elena.”
She looked at him.
“I need to tell you everything.”
“I’m tired.”
“I know.”
“Not physically.”
He nodded.
“Then tomorrow.”
She looked surprised.
Old Luke would have insisted.
Questions.
Answers.
Control.
“Tomorrow,” he repeated.
She stared at him.
Then:
“Okay.”
Luke stood.
“I’ll be outside.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
That mattered too.
He slept in a chair in the hallway.
At six, Victoria arrived.
Luke stood immediately.
His mother looked awful.
No makeup.
Hair loose.
She held no handbag.
Only the brass key.
“Daniel told me.”
Luke stared.
“What?”
“Police contacted me.”
She swallowed.
“He said I was the one who told him about the pregnancy.”
“You did.”
“Yes.”
“You lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Victoria sat.
“Because I was ashamed.”
“That doesn’t answer.”
She nodded.
“Elena came to me.”
“I know.”
“She told me everything Daniel was doing.”
“You said you didn’t know how bad.”
“I lied.”
Luke looked away.
“I knew enough.”
“How much?”
“I knew he blocked housing.”
“Job?”
“Yes.”
“Insurance?”
“Yes.”
Luke laughed without humor.
“You watched.”
Victoria cried.
“I thought if Elena became desperate enough, she would give me the ledger.”
Luke turned.
There it was.
His own mother.
Not only protecting Daniel.
Trying to recover family secrets.
“Why?”
“Because I believed if I had it, I could fix everything quietly.”
“Quietly.”
“Yes.”
“That word almost killed her.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Luke’s voice cracked.
“You know now.”
Victoria stared at the floor.
“I told Daniel she was pregnant because I thought it would stop him.”
“It didn’t.”
“No.”
“And when she refused you the ledger?”
“I stopped taking her calls.”
Luke closed his eyes.
Elena had gone to Victoria for help.
Pregnant.
Alone.
And Victoria chose the family machine over her.
“Did you cancel anything?”
“No.”
“Did you tell Daniel where she was?”
“One address.”
Luke’s eyes opened.
“Which?”
“Temporary apartment in Queens.”
The one Elena lost two days later.
Luke stared.
Victoria sobbed.
“I’m sorry.”
He felt no sympathy yet.
“Why do Mercers apologize only after evidence exists?”
She flinched.
Good.
Then:
“You cannot see Elena.”
Victoria looked up.
“Luke.”
“No.”
“She’s my—”
“Nothing.”
His voice stayed calm.
“You are not entitled to her because you were once her mother-in-law.”
“What about the baby?”
“Especially not the baby.”
Victoria cried harder.
Luke continued.
“If Elena ever chooses to see you, that is hers.”
She nodded slowly.
“And you?”
Luke looked toward Room 347.
“I have my own forgiveness to earn.”
Victoria left.
No argument.
Maybe the first decent decision she had made in months.
At eight, Elena asked for breakfast.
Good.
At nine, she asked for Luke.
Worse.
For his heart, anyway.
He entered carrying no flowers.
She noticed.
“No flowers?”
“I considered them.”
“And?”
“You hate hospital flowers.”
“I do.”
“Progress.”
She smiled faintly.
Then:
“Tell me.”
So he did.
Daniel.
Samuel.
Martin.
Victoria.
The threat.
Everything.
Elena listened without interrupting.
When he finished, she looked out the window.
“I knew your family was complicated.”
“That is a diplomatic word.”
“I didn’t know they were insane.”
“Fair.”
Silence.
Then Elena asked:
“What happens to Mercer Holdings?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re the largest shareholder after Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“So?”
Luke stared.
“I may sell.”
Her head turned.
“What?”
“I don’t want it.”
“You’ve always wanted it.”
“No.”
He smiled sadly.
“I wanted Dad to think I was strong enough not to need it.”
Elena understood.
She always had.
“And now?”
“I don’t care what he thinks.”
“He’s dead.”
“Exactly.”
That made her laugh weakly.
Then Luke became serious.
“I’m cooperating fully.”
“With federal investigators?”
“Yes.”
“You might expose your father.”
“Yes.”
“Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“Your mother.”
“Yes.”
“And yourself?”
Luke paused.
“Yes.”
Elena studied him.
“For what?”
“Some overseas security work years ago crossed lines.”
“Criminal?”
“Maybe regulatory.”
“You’re willing to risk that?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Luke looked at her.
“Because I’m done calling secrecy protection.”
Silence.
Her eyes filled.
“Don’t do this for me.”
“I’m not.”
She stared.
“I’m doing it because the man I became to protect people kept making their choices for them.”
He looked toward her stomach.
“I don’t want our child learning that.”
Elena’s hand rested there.
“Our child.”
Luke swallowed.
“Only if you want me involved.”
That surprised her.
“You’re the father.”
“I know.”
“But being a father is not the same as being entitled to you.”
Her eyes filled.
He continued.
“I want to be there.”
“For the baby?”
“Yes.”
“And me?”
Luke’s voice broke.
“Yes.”
She looked away.
He did not push.
Then Elena whispered:
“I still love you.”
Luke forgot how to breathe.
She continued before he could speak.
“And I’m still furious.”
“Both can be true.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
She laughed softly through tears.
Luke smiled.
Then her expression changed.
“There’s something I didn’t put in the letter.”
“What?”
“Daniel wasn’t the only person who came after me.”
Luke’s smile vanished.
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“What happened?”
“Two weeks ago.”
“Where?”
“My apartment.”
“Break-in?”
“No.”
She swallowed.
“Someone was already inside when I got home.”
Luke felt cold.
“What did they want?”
“The flash drives.”
“Did they hurt you?”
“No.”
“Who?”
“Woman.”
His stomach tightened.
“Describe her.”
“Forties. Blonde. Expensive coat. Scar here.”
Elena touched near her jaw.
Luke knew exactly one woman matching that description.
“No.”
Elena frowned.
“What?”
Luke stood.
“Her name is Meredith Cole.”
“Who?”
“Martin Hale’s daughter.”
Elena went still.
Martin’s daughter.
The woman he had supposedly been hiding to protect.
If Meredith was searching Elena’s apartment—
then Martin’s story might not be as simple as it looked.
Luke called Marco.
“Find Meredith Cole.”
Marco’s answer came after a beat.
“Already trying.”
“Why?”
“Because she just withdrew three million dollars from an Aurelia Holdings subaccount.”
Victoria’s hidden $84 million vehicle.
Luke stared.
Martin had claimed Daniel controlled everything.
But his daughter could access the money.
Maybe Daniel was not the only person stealing from the Mercers.
May you like
Maybe Martin had not been hiding from Daniel.
Maybe he had been hiding from everyone because he had his own piece of the scheme.
