Naomi expected Roman to defend her immediately.
He did not.
That hurt more than she wanted to admit.
For several seconds he sat behind the wheel outside her aunt’s farmhouse, Daniel’s letter folded in one hand and Victor’s voice coming through the phone.
“What evidence?” Roman asked.
Victor answered, “Sebastian claims hospital records show Naomi obtained infant sedatives after her miscarriage.”
Naomi’s mouth dropped open.
“That’s a lie.”
Roman raised a finger.
Not commanding her to be silent.
Asking.
She hated that she understood the distinction.
Victor continued.
“He says she has a connection to Kincaid through Daniel.”
Roman looked at Naomi.
“So do you.”
Silence.
Victor finally said, “I know.”
“Keep Sebastian away from my children.”
“Already done.”
“And Victor?”
“Yes?”
“If Naomi’s name reaches anyone outside that house before I return, I will assume it came from you.”
Victor’s voice remained calm.
“Understood.”
Roman disconnected.
Naomi stared at him.
“You considered it.”
“What?”
“That I poisoned your sons.”
“I considered the claim.”
“That means you considered me.”
“Yes.”
She opened the door.
Roman caught her wrist.
“Naomi.”
“Let go.”
He did instantly.
That mattered.
But not enough.
“You brought me into your house,” she said. “I fed your children from my own body. I slept three rooms from them. And now someone says I hurt them, and you look at me like another suspect.”
Roman’s voice lowered.
“My wife is dead. Someone poisoned my sons. My brother may be involved. The man I trust most may have betrayed me. If I stop questioning people because I care about them, then I am no longer protecting my children.”
The last five words stopped her.
Because she understood them.
Naomi looked down.
“I never obtained sedatives.”
“I believe you.”
“You just said—”
“I considered the possibility. Then I rejected it.”
“Why?”
Roman held up Daniel’s letter.
“Because whoever planted that story doesn’t know you.”
“And you do?”
His eyes met hers.
“More than I did yesterday.”
Naomi looked away before he could see how those words affected her.
They returned to Maryland after midnight.
Vale House was brighter than before.
Every exterior light had been switched on.
Guards covered the grounds.
Inside, Sebastian Vale waited in the library.
Naomi knew immediately he was Roman’s brother.
Same height.
Same pale eyes.
Same dark hair.
But where Roman’s presence felt controlled, Sebastian’s felt polished.
He smiled too easily.
“Naomi Bell.”
Roman stepped between them.
“Don’t.”
Sebastian raised his hands.
“I’m trying to help.”
“No. You’re trying to survive whatever comes next.”
Sebastian’s smile faded.
“You received Daniel Bell’s files.”
Roman did not react.
That was answer enough.
Naomi felt cold.
“How do you know about Daniel’s files?”
Sebastian glanced at her.
“Because your husband came to me.”
Roman’s eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“Six months before he died.”
Sebastian poured himself a drink.
“He discovered payments tied to Black Harbor. He thought Victor was responsible.”
Naomi stepped forward.
“What did you tell him?”
“The truth.”
“Which was?”
“Victor authorized the transfers.”
Roman said, “You’re lying.”
Sebastian smiled bitterly.
“Of course. Because good old Victor raised you after Father died.”
“He protected us both.”
“No. He protected you.”
The room tightened.
Sebastian continued.
“Did you never wonder why every crisis somehow made Victor more important? Every assassination attempt. Every failed shipment. Every enemy who learned just enough to make us afraid but never enough to destroy us?”
Roman stared.
“Careful.”
“You don’t need enemies, brother. Victor created them for you.”
A voice came from the doorway.
“That is an impressive story.”
Victor entered.
He looked tired.
Older than before.
Sebastian turned.
“You always were good at arriving at the right moment.”
Victor ignored him.
Roman held up Daniel’s letter.
“Did you know Daniel Bell?”
Victor looked at Naomi.
“Yes.”
The admission landed hard.
Naomi whispered, “You lied.”
“I omitted.”
“That is a politician’s word for lying.”
Victor nodded.
“Fair.”
Roman’s voice became dangerously quiet.
“What was Daniel investigating?”
“Me.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted him to.”
Silence.
Sebastian laughed.
Roman did not.
Victor took a seat.
“Twenty months ago I discovered money disappearing from Vale companies. Small percentages. Hidden across hundreds of transactions.”
“You told me nothing.”
“Because the person doing it knew your private schedules.”
Roman stared.
Victor continued.
“I needed someone outside the organization. Daniel Bell was clean, smart, and stubborn.”
Naomi’s eyes filled.
“You recruited my husband?”
“Yes.”
“You put him in danger.”
“I asked him to audit paperwork.”
“He died.”
Victor looked at her.
Pain crossed his face.
“I know.”
“Did you kill him?”
“No.”
“Did you know Kincaid would?”
“No.”
Naomi stepped closer.
“Then why does his letter say you were behind the payments?”
Victor looked at Roman.
“Because I made sure it did.”
Even Sebastian stopped smiling.
Victor continued.
“I created a false trail leading to myself. Whoever accessed Daniel’s investigation would believe he was getting close.”
Roman understood.
“You used yourself as bait.”
“Yes.”
“Without telling Daniel?”
“At first.”
Naomi’s voice shook.
“And later?”
“Daniel figured it out.”
She stared.
Victor removed something from his pocket.
A tiny key.
“He gave me this three days before he died.”
Naomi recognized it.
Daniel’s safe-deposit key.
Her knees nearly weakened.
“He said if something happened, I was to wait until you were protected before giving it to you.”
Naomi grabbed the key.
“You had this for eight months?”
“Yes.”
“You watched me bury him.”
Victor’s eyes lowered.
“I did.”
“You watched Lily ask where Daddy went.”
“Yes.”
“You could have told me.”
“And whoever killed Daniel would have come for you eight months ago instead of today.”
Naomi wanted to slap him.
She wanted to scream.
Instead she looked toward Roman.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
She believed him.
That surprised her.
Sebastian paced near the fireplace.
“This is touching. But it doesn’t answer who poisoned the children.”
Roman looked at him.
“You know something.”
“I know Victor’s people manage the nursery supply chain.”
Victor responded, “And I know your personal assistant placed the formula order.”
Sebastian froze.
Roman saw it.
Victor continued.
“Her name is Cassandra Reed.”
Naomi remembered the name from Daniel’s notebook.
She opened the folder.
There it was.
C. Reed.
Payment authorization.
Black Harbor Consulting.
Roman moved toward Sebastian.
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know.”
“Wrong answer.”
“I don’t.”
Victor’s phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?”
Everyone watched.
Victor slowly lowered the phone.
“The doctor is down.”
Roman’s face went white.
“The babies?”
“They’re gone.”
For the first time Naomi saw Roman Vale truly lose control.
He crossed the room so fast a chair crashed behind him.
“What do you mean gone?”
“The nursery guard was unconscious. Dr. Howard was found in the hallway. Triplets missing.”
Naomi’s body reacted before thought.
She ran.
Roman followed.
The nursery was empty.
Three cribs.
Three blankets.
No babies.
Naomi stood frozen.
Then she heard something.
A faint whimper.
She turned toward the closet.
Roman ripped open the door.
Dr. Howard lay inside, dazed but conscious.
“Not... gone,” she whispered.
Roman dropped beside her.
“What?”
“The men thought they took them.”
Victor crouched.
“Where are the babies?”
Dr. Howard pointed toward the bathroom.
Roman rushed inside.
The triplets were lying inside a large laundry basket beneath towels.
All three safe.
All three crying.
Naomi nearly collapsed from relief.
Roman lifted Jude.
He kissed his forehead again and again.
Mason screamed until Naomi picked him up.
Cole kicked beneath a towel.
Victor turned to the doctor.
“What happened?”
“They wore your security uniforms.”
“Who?”
“One woman. Two men.”
“Cassandra?”
The doctor nodded weakly.
“She came for the babies.”
Roman stared at Sebastian.
His brother looked genuinely horrified.
Then Naomi noticed something on the floor.
A phone.
Not theirs.
She picked it up.
A message glowed on the screen.
FAILED. MOVE TO PHASE TWO.
Below it was another message.
Kincaid wants Vale at Pier 19 tomorrow midnight. Bring the children or we burn the evidence.
Roman took the phone.
His expression changed.
“Evidence of what?” Naomi asked.
He looked at Victor.
Victor looked at Sebastian.
Then Sebastian sat down.
For the first time, fear cracked his polished mask.
Roman spoke softly.
“You know.”
Sebastian covered his face with both hands.
“God help me.”
Roman walked toward him.
“What did you do?”
Sebastian looked up.
“I didn’t kill Elise.”
Roman froze.
Nobody had accused him.
Sebastian’s next words shattered the room.
“But the bomb underneath her car was meant for you.”
---