Chapter 15
The old Miller capos gathered before sunrise.
Not police.
Not outsiders.
Ours.
Men who had followed Adam.
Then me.
Walter stood in front of them without his ring.
Lydia without her pearls.
Heather sat apart.
Louisa slept upstairs.
That mattered.
She did not need to witness consequences to believe she was protected.
I played Adam’s recordings.
No speeches afterward.
None needed.
One old capo wiped his eyes.
Another stared at Walter.
“You told us Adam died instantly.”
Walter lifted his chin.
“He was dying.”
“You held him at the lodge.”
“He refused reason.”
The capo looked disgusted.
“You let your own son die because he wouldn’t obey you.”
Walter snapped:
“He chose Joanna.”
I stepped forward.
“Yes.”
Silence.
“He did.”
Walter looked at me.
“So proud.”
“Yes.”
That hurt him.
I continued.
“And tonight you planned to repeat the same thing with me.”
Lydia interrupted:
“You would have survived.”
I looked at her.
“Until I refused?”
She said nothing.
Heather whispered:
“That’s what Adam asked.”
Everyone turned.
“What?”
She looked at her mother.
“Adam asked what happened when Joanna refused.”
Lydia’s face hardened.
Heather continued.
“Mom said Joanna would learn faster without him.”
Silence.
My stomach turned.
Adam had known even then.
He knew they would come after me.
That was why his final recording mentioned Louisa.
Keep her away from them.
Walter looked around.
“These men belong to me.”
Nobody moved.
He raised his voice.
“I built this organization.”
One capo answered:
“Adam rebuilt it.”
Another:
“Joanna kept it standing.”
Walter’s face reddened.
“I am a Miller.”
The oldest man in the room looked upstairs.
Toward where Louisa slept.
“So is she.”
Walter had no answer.
May you like
Blood had been his final argument.
Now even that belonged to the child he had called a thief.
