Chapter Thirty-Two: The Meeting

Daniel met me at a diner on the edge of the city.

It was the kind of place that didn't ask questions. Vinyl booths. Cracked tiles. A waitress who'd seen everything and cared about none of it. I ordered coffee. Daniel ordered nothing. He just sat across from me, his hands wrapped around a napkin he hadn't touched.

"You said you found something," I said.

He nodded. He reached into his jacket. He pulled out a photograph.

I looked at it. A man. Older. Gray hair. Tired eyes. I didn't recognize him.

"Who is this?"

"His name is Victor Hale."

I looked at the photograph. Then at Daniel.

"Victor Hale. Mom's attorney."

"You know him?"

"I know the name. He's the investigator Julian hired."

Daniel's face tightened. "That's not all he is."

I waited.

"He was there," Daniel said. "The night Mom died. He saw what happened."

I set down the photograph. My hands were steady.

"How do you know?"

"Because I found him. I tracked him down. I talked to him."

I stared at my brother. He looked older than he had the last time I'd seen him. Tired. Scared.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm telling you now."

I leaned back in the booth. The waitress refilled my coffee. I didn't touch it.

"What did he say?"

Daniel leaned forward. He kept his voice low.

"He said he was there. He saw Henry's men. He saw what they did. He wanted to stop it, but he was too scared."

"And now?"

"Now he wants to make it right. He has the evidence. Everything Mom gathered. Everything she was going to use to expose Henry."

"Where is it?"

"He wouldn't tell me. He said it was too dangerous. He said he'd only give it to you."

I looked at the photograph again. Victor Hale. The man who could have saved my mother. The man who ran.

"Why me?"

"He said you'd understand. He said you're the only one who can finish what she started."

I folded the photograph. I put it in my pocket.

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know. He disappeared after we talked. He said he'd contact you when it was safe."

I nodded. I stood.

"Elena."

I looked down at Daniel.

"Be careful," he said. "He's not the only one looking for Victor. Julian is too."

"I know."

I left the diner. Sloane was waiting outside. She didn't ask how it went. She just opened the car door.

I got in. I stared out the window.

Victor Hale. The man who could have saved my mother. The man who ran.

He wanted to make it right.

I didn't know if I believed him. But I believed the evidence.

And that was enough.

---

That night, I found Adrian in his office.

I didn't knock. I just walked in.

"Victor Hale," I said.

He looked up. "What about him?"

"He was there. The night my mother died. He saw what happened."

Adrian set down his pen. He didn't react. He just watched me.

"Daniel found him. He talked to him. Victor said he has the evidence. Everything my mother gathered. He wants to give it to me."

"Why?"

"He said I'm the only one who can finish what she started."

Adrian was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Do you trust him?"

"I don't know. But I trust the evidence."

He nodded. He stood. He walked to the window.

"This changes things," he said.

"How?"

"If Victor has the evidence, we don't need to keep searching. We can go public sooner."

"No."

He turned. "No?"

"We don't go public yet. Not until we have everything. Not until we've neutralized Volkov."

Adrian studied me. "You're thinking like a strategist."

"I'm thinking like a survivor."

He held my gaze. Neither of us spoke.

"Fine," he said. "We wait. But we prepare."

"Agreed."

He walked to me. He stopped a few feet away.

"You're different," he said.

"Different how?"

"Stronger."

I didn't respond. I didn't know how.

He reached for my hand. He took it. His fingers were warm. Steady.

"Let's finish this," he said.

I looked at our hands. I looked at him.

"Okay," I said.

We stood there. The city hummed outside. The clock ticked.

After a while, I leaned my head against his shoulder. He didn't move. He just let me.

We stayed there until the sun came up.