Chapter 10 - The Fire on Madison Street
Nathaniel moved before anyone else.
“Dante.”
“Evacuate the restaurant.”
“Already trying.”
“No signal.”
“We use landlines.”
Victor stepped forward.
“If Calder wants me, give me to him.”
Nathaniel looked at his uncle.
“You expect me to believe that?”
Victor’s expression remained unreadable.
“I expect you to understand numbers.”
“Thirty civilians for one old man.”
My mother stared at him.
“You caused this.”
Victor looked at her.
“Yes.”
The honesty surprised everyone.
“Not tonight.”
“But years ago.”
He lowered the glass.
“I convinced Calder to frighten you away.”
Nathaniel looked ready to attack him.
Victor continued.
“I believed Nathaniel would destroy everything his father built for you.”
“So you destroyed us instead.”
My mother’s voice shook.
Victor nodded once.
“I did.”
I had never heard an adult admit something terrible so calmly.
Nathaniel grabbed Victor by the collar.
“You stole eleven years.”
Victor did not resist.
“And if you kill me now, Calder wins.”
My mother stepped forward.
“Nathaniel.”
Slowly, he released him.
Dante returned.
“Restaurant evacuation has begun.”
“How many?”
“Twenty-eight employees.”
“Six customers.”
“Two apartments above the kitchen.”
My mother gasped.
“There are children upstairs.”
Nathaniel grabbed his coat.
“I’m going.”
“You have security teams.”
“I said I’m going.”
My mother followed.
“So am I.”
“No.”
“Nathaniel.”
He stopped.
For one second, they looked exactly like two people who had argued this way many years ago.
My mother crossed her arms.
“My employees are there.”
He sighed.
“Fine.”
I raised my hand.
“No.”
Both adults said it together.
I lowered my hand.
“Worth trying.”
Dante assigned six guards to remain with me and Victor.
Nathaniel and my mother left.
I watched the security screens.
Ten minutes later, cameras showed smoke pouring from the restaurant.
The evacuation was still underway.
Then the feed shook.
An explosion blew out the front windows.
I screamed.
A guard reached for me.
“Miss Ruby.”
“Where’s my mom?”
No answer.
The feed went dark.
Victor walked toward the window.
For the first time, his confidence cracked.
“Calder moved early.”
I stared at him.
“You know him.”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me where he would go.”
Victor looked down.
I repeated the question.
“Where would he go?”
He studied me strangely.
“You really are Nathaniel’s daughter.”
“What does that mean?”
“You ask questions before you panic.”
“I’m panicking.”
“You simply do both.”
He walked toward an old cabinet.
Behind it was a hidden safe.
He entered a code.
Inside were maps and documents.
Victor removed one photograph.
It showed a mansion beside a lake.
“Calder owns nothing under his real name.”
“But his mother left him this house.”
“Where?”
“Westchester.”
I grabbed the photograph.
Then Dante’s voice came through the emergency radio.
“Ruby.”
I jumped.
“Nathaniel and Elena are alive.”
My knees nearly gave out.
He continued.
“They got everyone out.”
I started crying from relief.
Then he said something else.
“But we found a message painted inside the restaurant.”
“What message?”
Dante hesitated.
“THE CHILD OPENS THE VAULT.”
Victor stared at me.
His face became very pale.
He whispered.
“So that’s what Calder wants.”
“What vault?”
May you like
Victor looked toward my bracelet.
“The one your father doesn’t know exists.”
