Chapter 9: The Last Dinner at Bellamy's
I read the message four times.
My mother wanted to meet me at Bellamy's.
The restaurant where everything had started.
The restaurant where Dominic had mocked Caleb in front of a room full of strangers.
The restaurant where I'd first understood that the man everyone feared was terrified of one thing.
Losing control of his son.
Caleb read the message over my shoulder.
His hands moved immediately.
*“No.””*
I looked at him.
"She's my mother.""
*“And she lied to you for six years.””*
"I know.""
*“She might be working with Thomas.””*
"She might also be the only person who knows why Ethan was really killed.""
Caleb shook his head.
Marcus stepped forward.
"He's right. This is a trap.""
I looked at the recording of Ethan's final moments.
Then I looked at the photograph of my mother standing beside Dominic.
"I need to hear her explain it.""
Caleb signed slowly.
*“Then I'm coming with you.””*
I shook my head.
"She specifically asked me to come alone.""
He typed on his phone.
That's exactly why you shouldn't.
I sighed.
"Fine. You can come. But you stay out of sight.""
Caleb gave me a look.
I almost smiled.
*“You are impossible.””*
He signed.
*“So I've been told.””*
At 11:47 P.M., we arrived at Bellamy's.
The restaurant was closed.
The lights were dim, and chairs had been placed upside down on the tables.
A single table remained set near the center of the dining room.
Two plates.
Two glasses.
A candle.
My mother stood beside the window.
She wore the same blue coat she'd worn to Ethan's funeral.
When she saw me, she began crying.
"Hannah.""
I stopped several feet away.
"Don't.""
She lowered her head.
"I deserve that.""
"You deserve a lot more than that.""
My mother nodded.
"I know.""
I glanced around.
"Where are the others?""
"There's nobody else.""
I didn't believe her.
"Then talk.""
She took a breath.
"Your father told you about the twins?""
"Yes.""
"And about Thomas?""
"Yes.""
She sat down.
I remained standing.
"Tell me why Ethan died.""
My mother folded her hands.
"When Ethan discovered the truth about Caleb, he confronted Thomas. He wanted him to admit what he'd done.""
"What did Thomas do?""
"He offered Ethan money.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Ethan wouldn't have accepted it.""
"No. He refused.""
She wiped her eyes.
"Then Thomas threatened you.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"He told Ethan that if he continued investigating, you'd disappear.""
I sat down slowly.
"Why didn't Ethan tell me?""
"Because he thought he could handle it.""
That sounded exactly like my brother.
My mother continued.
"He contacted Margaret. She gave him the original records. He planned to take them to a federal investigator.""
"And Dominic found out.""
She nodded.
"Dominic was furious. He believed Ethan was trying to destroy the organization. But Thomas had a different plan.""
"What plan?""
My mother looked toward the empty restaurant.
"Thomas wanted Caleb to inherit Dominic's empire. He needed the evidence destroyed before Caleb discovered his real identity.""
I stared at her.
"Then why did he kill Ethan?""
"Because Ethan had already copied the records. And because he refused to tell them where he'd hidden the original drive.""
I remembered the metal box.
The blue room.
My brother had protected the evidence until the very end.
My mother reached across the table.
I pulled my hand away.
"There's something else," she whispered.
"What?""
She took an envelope from her purse.
Inside was a hospital bracelet.
The name printed on it was:
*BABY MERCER — MALE.*
I stared.
My mother spoke softly.
"When you and Ethan were born, there was a third baby.""
I looked up.
"What?""
"Three children. Not two.""
My mind struggled to process the words.
"That's impossible.""
"Your mother—" She stopped, correcting herself.
"I mean, I was told one baby had died during delivery.""
I stared at the bracelet.
"Who was the third child?""
My mother shook her head.
"I didn't know. Thomas arranged everything. But years later, I discovered the hospital had issued three birth bracelets.""
I looked at her.
"Why are you telling me this now?""
She opened another envelope.
Inside was a photograph of a baby.
On the back was a handwritten name.
*NOAH.*
I felt the room spin.
"Who is Noah?""
My mother began crying harder.
"Your brother.""
I stood.
"You said there were twins.""
"I was told there were twins. I only learned about the third child six years ago.""
"Is he alive?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"Where?""
My mother looked toward the restaurant entrance.
Before she could answer, the front door opened.
A man entered.
He wore a black suit and carried a leather briefcase.
I recognized him from the photograph.
Deputy Chief Thomas Whitaker.
My mother stood abruptly.
"Thomas, you weren't supposed to come.""
He smiled.
"Plans change.""
I stepped backward.
"Where is my brother?""
Thomas placed the briefcase on the table.
"Which one?""
My blood ran cold.
He opened the briefcase and removed a photograph.
A young man stood outside a military recruitment office.
He looked about twenty-four.
He had my eyes.
And Ethan's smile.
Thomas placed the photograph beside the candle.
"His name is Noah. He's been living under a different identity since he was a child.""
"Where is he?""
Thomas smiled.
"Safe.""
I looked at my mother.
She was trembling.
"Why did you hide him?""
Thomas answered for her.
"Because unlike Ethan, Noah understood when to keep his mouth shut.""
I stepped toward him.
"You're disgusting.""
Thomas shrugged.
"Perhaps. But I'm alive, powerful, and still in charge.""
He opened the briefcase again.
Inside was a small pistol.
My mother gasped.
Thomas pointed it toward me.
"Now, Hannah, we're going to make a deal.""
I looked at the gun.
Then at the photograph.
"What deal?""
"You give me the original recordings. You tell the press that Caleb kidnapped you and fabricated the evidence. In return, I tell you where Noah is.""
I shook my head.
"And if I refuse?""
Thomas glanced toward the kitchen.
"Then your brother disappears.""
A chair scraped behind me.
Caleb stepped out of the shadows.
Thomas turned.
His face transformed.
For the first time, I saw genuine surprise.
"Caleb.""
Caleb raised his hands.
*“You killed Ethan.””*
Thomas laughed.
"Your brother made a terrible mistake.""
Caleb signed again.
*“He trusted you.””*
Thomas looked at me.
"Do you know what your brother's final mistake was, Hannah?""
I said nothing.
"He believed that family mattered more than power.""
Caleb stepped forward.
Thomas raised his pistol.
"Stay where you are.""
Caleb stopped.
Then he reached into his jacket and removed his phone.
He pressed a button.
A recording began playing.
Thomas's own voice filled the restaurant.
Dominic, don't shoot him here.
Then:
Do it.
Thomas's face went white.
I looked at Caleb.
He signed one sentence.
*“You should have checked the microphones.””*
Thomas lunged toward him.
But before he could reach Caleb, the restaurant's main doors burst open.
Federal agents flooded the dining room.
"POLICE! DROP YOUR WEAPON!""
Thomas turned.
He fired once.
The bullet struck the chandelier.
Caleb grabbed me and pulled me behind the table.
Agents tackled Thomas to the floor.
My mother screamed.
A woman in a dark suit approached us.
"Miss Mercer?""
I nodded.
"I'm Special Agent Laura Bennett. We've been investigating Thomas Whitaker for eleven months.""
She showed me her badge.
"Your brother Ethan contacted our office before his death. We have been trying to locate the original evidence ever since.""
I stared.
"Then why didn't you protect him?""
Her expression softened.
"We failed him.""
She looked toward Caleb.
"Mr. Vale, we need your testimony.""
Caleb nodded.
Then I remembered something.
"Where's Dominic?""
Agent Bennett's face changed.
"He wasn't at the mansion when we arrived.""
My stomach dropped.
"Where is he?""
She looked at her phone.
"We're tracking him.""
A second agent hurried over.
"Agent Bennett, we've got a situation.""
"What?""
"Dominic Vale just entered the federal building.""
I frowned.
"Why would he come here?""
The agent swallowed.
"He's requesting immunity.""
I stared at him.
"For what?""
The agent looked toward Caleb.
"He's offering information about Thomas Whitaker.""
Caleb's hands slowly lowered.
Then his phone vibrated.
A new message appeared.
Unknown number.
Your father is alive.
Another message followed.
And he wants to meet you.
Caleb looked at me.
His face had gone completely pale.
I glanced at the photograph of Noah.
Then at the message.
Because there was only one person Dominic Vale could possibly mean.
And he wasn't talking about Robert Mercer.
He was talking about the man who had raised Caleb.
May you like
The man who had ordered Ethan's death.
The man who had just walked into federal custody with a smile.
