Chapter 19 - THE MAN WHO STAYED
Hannah stepped between them.
“For what?”
Dominic raised a hand. “It’s all right.”
Detective Chen looked uncomfortable. “Federal indictment. Conspiracy, unlawful payments, racketeering-related financial charges from the old port contracts.”
Hannah stared at Dominic.
“You agreed to this.”
“I agreed to tell the truth.”
Chen cuffed him.
Hannah hated the sound.
“You saved my daughter.”
“That doesn’t erase what I did before you knew me.”
Vincent stepped forward. “Dom—”
Dominic looked at his oldest friend.
“Take care of her.”
Hannah’s eyes burned.
“I don’t need anyone to take care of me.”
A faint smile touched Dominic’s mouth.
“No. You don’t.”
He was led away.
Three months later, Bradley pleaded guilty to conspiracy, kidnapping, fraud, identity theft, and falsifying medical documents. Britney testified against him and Victor. Richard Bennett was arrested after new evidence linked him to Hannah’s mother’s poisoning.
The trust and townhouse were restored to Hannah. She sold the house anyway. Too many walls remembered Bradley.
Noah and Lily came home after seven weeks in the NICU.
Claire moved into the apartment downstairs “temporarily.” Vincent rented nearby. Rebuilding seventeen missing years was awkward and sometimes beautiful.
One rainy afternoon, Hannah received a letter from a federal detention center.
Dominic’s handwriting was surprisingly neat.
He wrote only three paragraphs.
He did not ask forgiveness.
He did not ask to see the twins.
He simply told her that cooperating prosecutors had reached a plea agreement and that he would serve time.
At the bottom he wrote:
The night you were bleeding, I thought I was keeping a promise to your father. I understand now that I was finally keeping one to myself.
Hannah folded the letter.
Then Noah began crying.
She picked him up.
A knock came at the door.
Vincent stood outside, white-faced.
“Hannah.”
“What?”
May you like
He held up his phone.
“Bradley escaped during a hospital transfer.”
