Chapter 5 - THE RING
Lucas did not confront Victor immediately.
He had learned long ago that anger was useful only when it arrived at the right time. A reckless accusation could send a guilty man running. A quiet investigation could reveal everyone standing behind him.
He asked Daniel to make a copy of the security logs and keep the original hidden.
Then he requested a private meeting with the physician who had examined his inhaler.
The preliminary report arrived that evening.
The medication canister itself had not been replaced, but the valve assembly had been tampered with. The doctor could not yet identify the exact substance involved. He could say that the device had not delivered the expected dose reliably.
Lucas read the report twice.
“Could this have caused the attack?”
“It could have contributed,” the physician said. “But we need the laboratory results before making a definitive conclusion.”
Lucas nodded.
“Send the results directly to Daniel.”
The doctor hesitated. “Shouldn't they go to your medical file?”
“They will. Daniel gets a copy.”
When the physician left, Lucas called his cousin.
“Victor's ring.”
“What about it?”
“Lily described a silver snake.”
Daniel went quiet.
“That's Victor's signet ring.”
“Find out whether anyone else owns one.”
“I'll check.”
“And find out why he erased the camera footage.”
Daniel leaned forward in his chair. “Lucas, if Victor is involved, this goes deeper than a tampered inhaler.”
“I know.”
“Your father trusted him.”
“My father trusted a lot of people who wanted his chair.”
Daniel left to begin the investigation.
Meanwhile, Grace received a phone call from the school nurse.
Lily had been asking to visit the hospital. She wanted to know whether the man she had helped was still breathing.
Grace promised to explain later, but Lily was persistent.
“Mommy, what if he gets sick again?”
“He has doctors.”
“But doctors weren't there when he fell.”
Grace had no answer.
That evening, someone knocked on their apartment door.
Grace looked through the peephole and saw a woman in a dark coat.
“Mrs. Carter?” the woman asked when Grace opened the door. “I'm with the Moretti household. Mr. Romano asked me to bring you a message.”
Grace kept the door partly closed.
“What message?”
“He would like to speak with you about your daughter's statement.”
“Mr. Moretti already spoke with us.”
The woman smiled.
“This is a separate matter.”
Grace noticed the small earpiece tucked beneath the woman's hair.
“Please tell him I have nothing more to say.”
The woman's smile disappeared.
“Your daughter could get confused about what she saw. It would be better if she didn't repeat it.”
Grace's heart began pounding.
“Are you threatening my child?”
“I'm advising you to be careful.”
Grace closed the door and locked it.
She immediately called the number Daniel had given her.
A security officer arrived fifteen minutes later. The woman in the dark coat was gone.
At the mansion, Daniel received the report and showed it to Lucas.
“Victor is sending people to the apartment.”
Lucas stood.
“Where is he?”
“In the west office.”
Lucas started toward the door.
Daniel caught his arm.
“Wait. If you confront him now, he'll know we have Lily's statement.”
Lucas looked down at Daniel's hand.
“Move.”
“Not until you think. You taught me that.”
For several seconds, neither man moved.
Then Lucas stepped back.
“Find the woman. Quietly. And get Grace and Lily somewhere safe.”
Daniel nodded.
Lucas looked toward the dark windows.
May you like
The child had saved him once.
He would not let anyone use her to finish what they had started.
