“She Ran From an Abusive Cop—Then the Most Feared Mob Boss in Boston Saw Her Bruises”

By dawn, Harper and Noah were no longer in Dorchester.

Gabriel moved them to a small brick house in Brookline owned by one of his legitimate companies. No chandeliers. No marble. No men in suits standing in every hallway.

Just locked windows, two guards outside, and a kitchen that smelled like coffee.

"We're prisoners," Harper said.

Gabriel stood at the counter. "You're alive."

"That's not the same thing."

"No. It isn't."

The answer surprised her.

"Do you kill people?"

Harper choked on her coffee.

Gabriel looked at Noah. "Sometimes people ask questions they shouldn't."

Noah's eyes widened.

Gabriel added, "That was a joke."

"Bad joke," Harper said.

"I've been told."

Then Gabriel's attorney arrived.

Rebecca Bell was sharp, fast, and unimpressed by everyone. She photographed Harper's injuries, copied Derek's messages, and listened to the recording Harper had made weeks earlier from behind their bedroom door.

"Wade takes the guns. O'Malley moves the cash. Vincent gives us the schedules. Nobody touches Ashford until we get the harbor books."

Gabriel stopped breathing.

"Play that again."

Rebecca did.

Vincent gives us the schedules.

Harper looked at Gabriel. "Who's Vincent?"

"Vincent Cole."

"That means nothing to me."

"It means something to me."

Gabriel walked to the window.

"He's been beside me since I was nineteen."

Rebecca closed her laptop. "If this recording is authentic, you have an internal leak and a police corruption case. Harper has domestic violence evidence, witness intimidation, and likely enough for federal protection."

"Likely?" Harper snapped.

"Derek is a decorated officer. Captain Wade controls half the paper trail. We need more than likely."

Noah's spoon stopped moving.

"Harper?"

She turned.

He was holding his green dinosaur.

"When Derek came to the apartment last week, he asked me where the red key was."

Harper frowned. "The key is brass."

"Not that key."

Noah opened the dinosaur's belly and shook it.

A tiny red memory card.

Harper stared at it.