Chapter 13 - THE INFORMANT INSIDE THE HOUSE
Only two members of Dominic’s security team had known about his early return.
Victor.
And Anthony Vale.
Anthony was thirty-two.
Former military.
Quiet.
Trusted.
Dominic had promoted him personally.
When Victor said the name, Dominic stared at him.
“Anthony knew?”
“Yes.”
“And Elliot left yesterday?”
“Yes.”
Dominic looked toward the security cameras.
“Where is Anthony now?”
Victor’s face tightened.
“He was scheduled for the north gate.”
“Was?”
“He disappeared thirty minutes ago.”
The estate locked down again.
This time nobody complained.
Two hours later, Anthony was found in an abandoned maintenance building near the cliffs.
He had not fled.
Someone had attacked him.
He was conscious but badly injured.
Dominic arrived before the ambulance.
Anthony struggled to speak.
“Sir.”
“Don’t.”
Anthony grabbed Dominic’s sleeve.
“Brooke.”
Dominic crouched.
“What about her?”
“She knew.”
“What?”
“Your flight.”
Dominic frowned.
“How?”
Anthony coughed.
“Your assistant.”
Dominic’s expression changed.
His London assistant, Paul Grayson, had arranged the private flight.
Only Paul, Victor, Anthony, and the pilots knew.
“Paul told Brooke?”
Anthony shook his head.
“Not Brooke.”
“Her father.”
Dominic looked at Victor.
Anthony continued.
“Harrington called Elliot.”
“Elliot called me.”
“He offered money.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“You took it?”
Anthony closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Victor looked furious.
Dominic remained calm.
“For what?”
“Flight details.”
“That’s all?”
Anthony hesitated.
Dominic leaned closer.
“That’s all?”
“No.”
Anthony’s voice became weaker.
“Camera access.”
Natalie stood several feet away.
“What camera?”
Anthony looked toward her.
“The cottage.”
Her face turned white.
Dominic stared at him.
“You disabled Catherine’s cottage cameras?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Tuesday night.”
The night the jewelry vault was opened.
Dominic’s hands curled into fists.
Anthony continued.
“But I didn’t know why.”
“I swear.”
“I thought Brooke wanted privacy.”
Victor scoffed.
“For burglary?”
Anthony looked ashamed.
“There’s more.”
Dominic waited.
Anthony whispered.
“Elliot said if anything went wrong, he had evidence against Harrington.”
“Where?”
“Old boat house.”
“What evidence?”
“I don’t know.”
Anthony’s eyes began closing.
Paramedics moved in.
Dominic stood.
Victor followed him outside.
Rain had stopped.
The ocean beyond the cliffs was gray.
Dominic looked toward the old boat house at the edge of the estate.
It had not been used since Catherine died.
“Secure it.”
Victor nodded.
“Dominic.”
Dominic turned.
Victor looked troubled.
“If Elliot hid evidence there, Brooke’s father may know.”
Dominic stared at the distant building.
“Then we get there first.”
They did.
Barely.
Because when Victor’s men reached the boat house, smoke was already coming through the roof.
May you like
Someone had set it on fire.
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