Chapter 5 - CAMERON'S VERSION OF THE TRUTH
Cameron appeared on television the next morning.
He stood outside the family home in a dark suit, surrounded by reporters.
His expression was wounded but dignified.
“My concern is Nora's well-being,” he said. “She's been under enormous stress. I hope she receives the help she needs.”
I watched the broadcast from the hotel sofa.
He was good.
He always had been.
A reporter asked whether he believed I was being held against my will.
Cameron lowered his eyes.
“I don't want to speculate. I only want her to come home.”
I threw the remote onto the cushion.
“He's making me sound unstable again.”
Dante stood near the window.
“He's trying to control the story.”
“He'll tell everyone I'm confused. That I imagined the messages. That I ran away because I'm sick.”
“Then we'll preserve the evidence.”
I looked at him.
“What evidence?”
“Your messages. The security footage from Saint. The calls. The note from your mother. Anything that can establish a timeline.”
I shook my head.
“People believe him. His father is a senator.”
“Some people will.”
“And the others?”
“We give them facts.”
I stood and paced the room.
“I don't want to spend the rest of my life proving I'm not crazy.”
Dante approached but stopped several feet away.
“You shouldn't have to.”
The simplicity of the statement made my eyes burn.
My phone rang.
My mother's old number.
I stared at it.
Dante noticed.
“Don't answer if you don't want to.”
I pressed accept.
“Hello?”
For a moment, there was only static.
Then a woman's voice.
“Nora?”
My knees weakened.
“Mom?”
A shaky breath.
“Oh, sweetheart.”
I covered my mouth.
“Where are you? Why did you let me think you were dead?”
“I know.”
“Do you know what that did to me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
There was silence.
Finally, she said, “Because I thought I was protecting you.”
“You were wrong.”
“I know.”
I began to cry.
“Are you alive? Are you safe?”
“For now.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Mom, please.”
“Listen to me. You must not trust Cameron. And you must not trust Victor.”
“I know about Victor.”
A pause.
“Then you know about the ledger?”
“No. What ledger?”
“The original accounts. The payments. The recording of Lucia's last conversation.”
Dante stepped closer.
I looked at him.
“Mom, Dante Valenti is here.”
The line went silent.
Then my mother whispered, “Is he listening?”
“Yes.”
“Put him on.”
I handed him the phone.
“Margaret,” he said.
“Dante.”
His voice changed.
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you yet.”
“You came to my club eleven days ago.”
“I needed to know if you were still searching.”
“I have never stopped.”
“I know.”
A long silence followed.
Then my mother said, “The ledger is not in the storage unit. That was a decoy.”
Dante's jaw tightened.
“Where is it?”
“With me.”
“Why did you disappear?”
“Because your father knew what Lucia had found. He wanted the records destroyed. I had proof that members of his organization were moving money through Senator Hale's office.”
Dante closed his eyes briefly.
“My father is dead.”
“The people who helped him are not.”
I took the phone back.
“Mom, why did Cameron come into my life?”
Her breathing changed.
“Because he was looking for me.”
My stomach dropped.
“What?”
“He knew you were my daughter. He thought you might lead him to the ledger. He made himself necessary to you, then made you dependent on him.”
I felt sick.
“Did he ever love me?”
My mother didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
The call crackled.
“Nora, I have to go. I'll contact you again.”
“Wait!”
“One more thing. The necklace isn't just a key. It contains the location of the original recording.”
I looked at the silver bird.
“Where?”
“Inside the wings. You'll know when you see it.”
The line went dead.
I lowered the phone.
Dante was watching me.
“Your mother is alive,” I whispered.
“Yes.”
“And Cameron chose me because of her.”
Dante nodded.
I looked at the television, where Cameron's concerned face was still frozen on the screen.
May you like
For the first time, I didn't feel afraid of him.
I felt furious.
