Z

The invitation arrived by courier.

Cream paper.

Embossed initials.

A handwritten address.

Harper stared at it from across Gabriel’s conference table.

“That is psychotic.”

Dominic adjusted his glasses.

“Technically, it’s hospitality.”

“He poisoned a federal prisoner and sent us dinner plans.”

“We cannot prove he poisoned anyone.”

Harper glared.

“You’re becoming very irritating.”

“Law school.”

Gabriel had not touched the invitation.

Arthur Vale requested the pleasure of Gabriel Rossi’s company.

And Harper Monroe’s.

Seven o’clock.

Vale estate.

Lake Forest.

No security staff inside the residence.

Harper reread that line.

“He knows exactly what he’s doing.”

Gabriel stood at the window.

“Yes.”

“He wants us angry.”

“Yes.”

“He wants us afraid.”

“Yes.”

“And we’re going.”

“No.”

Harper looked up.

Gabriel turned.

“I’m going.”

She laughed once.

“There it is.”

“There what is?”

“The part where you forget the last year.”

“This is Arthur Vale.”

“And?”

“And he ordered my mother killed.”

Gabriel’s voice cracked against the room.

Silence followed.

Harper stood.

“I know.”

“No, you don’t.”

His eyes were darker than she had ever seen them.

“I spent twenty-two years wondering whether Victor was alive. Whether I failed to find him. Whether I failed her.”

“And now?”

“Now I know someone else ordered it.”

Harper walked closer.

“And you think that gives you the right to decide this alone?”

“He targeted you because of me.”

“He targeted me because my mother copied his books.”

Gabriel stopped.

“This started before either of us knew each other.”

Harper softened her voice.

“It isn’t your war.”

He looked at her.

“It isn’t mine either.”

She placed her hand on the invitation.

“It’s evidence.”

“What?”

“He invited us into his home.”

Dominic understood first.

“He’ll talk.”

Harper nodded.

“Men like him don’t hide when they think they’ve already won.”

Gabriel stared at the paper.

“We record him.”

“Exactly.”

“He’ll search us.”

“Probably.”

Marco spoke from the doorway.

“I can work around that.”

Gabriel looked at him.

“No weapons.”

“Obviously.”

“No rescue team five minutes away.”

Marco folded his arms.

“Three.”

Harper smiled faintly.

Gabriel did not.

The Vale estate sat above Lake Michigan behind stone walls and iron gates.

Arthur Vale greeted them personally.

He looked exactly like the photographs.

Silver hair.

Perfect posture.

Dark suit.

Old money made flesh.

“Gabriel.”

Gabriel did not shake his hand.

Vale smiled.

“I expected that.”

His eyes moved to Harper.

“Miss Monroe.”

Harper looked at him.

“Mr. Vale.”

“You resemble Diane.”

Her stomach turned.

Gabriel stepped forward.

Vale raised one hand.

“There it is.”

“What?”

“The famous temper.”

Gabriel’s voice remained calm.

“You haven’t seen my temper.”

Vale laughed.

“Come inside.”

Dinner was served in a room large enough to hold half of Harper’s first apartment.

Vale poured wine.

Neither Harper nor Gabriel drank.

“You think I poisoned Connor,” Vale said.

Harper looked at him.

“You brought it up.”

“Because I know Dominic Caruso.”

“He talks too much.”

“He always has.”

Gabriel stared at Vale.

“Why did you invite us?”

Arthur cut into his steak.

“Because both your mothers created a problem.”

Harper felt rage rise.

She held it.

“A problem?”

“They found something that did not concern them.”

Gabriel’s fingers tightened around his fork.

Vale noticed.

“You inherited Elena’s moral certainty.”

“You murdered her.”

Vale smiled faintly.

“No.”

Gabriel went still.

Harper watched Vale carefully.

“Connor said you ordered it.”

“Connor said whatever he thought would improve prison conditions.”

“Then tell us.”

Vale leaned back.

“Victor killed Elena.”

Gabriel’s face hardened.

“Connor said otherwise.”

“Victor loved her.”

“That means nothing.”

Vale nodded.

“True.”

He looked toward the window.

“But Elena recorded him.”

Harper thought of the cassette.

Vale’s eyes returned to her.

“Yes. I know about the tape.”

Neither reacted.

Vale smiled.

“Diane was always sentimental.”

Gabriel’s voice became cold.

“How do you know we found it?”

Vale took another bite.

“That is the right question.”

Harper’s pulse increased.

Someone had followed them.

Or someone at the bank talked.

Or both.

“Who told you?” Harper asked.

Vale ignored her.

Instead he looked at Gabriel.

“Your mother believed Victor would help expose me.”

Gabriel stared.

“Would he?”

“For approximately twelve hours.”

Vale laughed softly.

“Then someone offered him a better arrangement.”

“Who?”

Vale’s expression changed.

For the first time, amusement disappeared.

“My son.”

Harper frowned.

Arthur Vale had one publicly known son.

Nathaniel Vale.

Dead at thirty-four in 2003.

Plane crash.

Gabriel saw her confusion.

“Your son died.”

Arthur smiled.

“Nathaniel did.”

Harper felt cold.

Gabriel understood faster.

“You had another.”

Vale lifted his wine glass.

“Very good.”

“Who?”

Vale said nothing.

Gabriel leaned forward.

“Who?”

Arthur looked at Harper.

“You’ve met him.”

The room became completely still.

Harper’s mind moved through every man connected to the case.

Mitchell.

Connor.

Felix.

Pike.

Leon.

Arthur smiled.

“Victor never knew.”

Harper’s stomach dropped.

“Victor Sorrento?”

“Yes.”

Arthur looked at Gabriel.

“My second son grew up believing Victor was his father.”

Gabriel’s face changed.

“Who?”

Arthur took a slow drink.

Then said the name.

“Felix Ward.”

Harper stopped breathing.

Felix.

The broker.

The man who entered Gabriel’s penthouse.

The man now cooperating with federal prosecutors.

Gabriel stood.

Arthur remained seated.

“You put your own son inside Sorrento’s network?”

“I placed him where he could learn.”

“You used him.”

“I educated him.”

Harper felt sick.

“And now?”

Arthur smiled.

“Now he runs what I built.”

Gabriel stared.

“Felix is in federal custody.”

“For the moment.”

Harper thought of Connor.

Poisoned.

Walls not mattering.

Arthur looked at her.

“You really should leave Chicago.”

Harper smiled coldly.

“You sound like Connor.”

“Connor was smarter at the end.”

Gabriel pushed his chair back.

“We’re done.”

Arthur sighed.

“I had hoped dinner would be more pleasant.”

Gabriel stepped around the table.

Harper stood.

Then Arthur spoke.

“Gabriel.”

He stopped.

Vale’s voice softened.

“Your mother begged Victor not to tell you.”

Gabriel turned.

Arthur smiled.

“She knew what you would become if you learned the truth.”

Something dangerous passed through Gabriel’s eyes.

Harper moved beside him.

Not behind.

Beside.

Vale watched.

“Interesting.”

Harper looked at him.

“What?”

“You think you calm him.”

“No.”

“What, then?”

“I remind him he has a choice.”

Arthur’s expression changed slightly.

Harper continued.

“That’s something men like you never understand.”

Vale’s smile disappeared.

Outside, Marco opened the car door.

Harper and Gabriel got in.

Only after they reached the gates did Gabriel speak.

“Did it transmit?”

Harper removed an earring.

Inside it was a microphone.

Marco checked the receiver.

“Every word.”

Dominic’s voice came through the speaker from another vehicle.

“We have him admitting knowledge, not murder.”

Gabriel looked back toward the estate.

Harper touched his hand.

Then Marco’s phone rang.

He answered.

His face changed.

“Say that again.”

Harper’s stomach tightened.

“What?”

Marco looked at Gabriel.

“Federal transport carrying Felix Ward was attacked twenty minutes ago.”

Gabriel’s eyes hardened.

“Felix?”

“Gone.”

Harper whispered, “Arthur knew.”

Gabriel looked toward the black road ahead.

“Yes.”

Then Marco added the part that changed everything.

“The transport team says Felix wasn’t rescued.”

Harper frowned.

“What do you mean?”

Marco swallowed.

“He was taken by men who killed two of Arthur Vale’s people.”

Gabriel turned.

“So who has him?”

Marco looked down at the message.

“We don’t know.”