Chapter 12
Nolan arrived at the old pool house after midnight.
Serafina sat at a small table.
No visible bodyguards.
That made him nervous.
“You came alone?”
Serafina said nothing.
Nolan sat.
His knee bounced beneath the table.
“You want Victor?”
Her eyes stayed on his.
“Talk.”
Nolan swallowed.
Then the arrogance returned.
“You guarantee I walk.”
“No.”
His smile faded.
“You need me.”
“No.”
“Then why am I here?”
Serafina leaned back.
“To see whether fear makes you honest.”
His breathing changed.
The silence stretched.
Finally Nolan spoke.
Victor knew about the brake problem.
Victor told Nolan not to stop Lorenzo from leaving.
Victor followed him because he wanted the ORCHARD drive.
After the crash, Nolan climbed down toward the wreck.
Lorenzo was still alive.
Serafina’s fingers stopped moving.
“What?”
Nolan looked away.
“Barely.”
Her voice dropped.
“You said he was alive.”
“He was trapped.”
“Did you call for help?”
“Victor did.”
“When?”
Nolan said nothing.
Serafina’s eyes hardened.
“When?”
“After we got the drive.”
The room went silent.
Not murder by a clean plan.
Something perhaps worse.
They had found Lorenzo alive and chose the evidence first.
“How long?”
“I don't know.”
“Nolan.”
“Maybe six minutes.”
Serafina closed her eyes for one second.
Six minutes.
Then she opened them.
“What did he say?”
Nolan stared at the table.
“Your name.”
Her breathing faltered.
Only once.
Nolan saw it.
For the first time that night, he thought he had regained power.
He leaned forward.
“You want the rest, you protect me.”
Serafina looked at him.
Then past him.
A door opened.
Victor stepped inside.
Nolan turned white.
Serafina had not summoned him.
Victor had followed his son.
Father and son stared at each other.
Victor’s voice was barely audible.
“You told her he was alive.”
Nolan stood.
“You left me with this for seven years.”
Victor’s face changed.
Not guilt.
May you like
Rage.
And Serafina realized the alliance she had been trying to break was already destroying itself.
