Chapter 10 - A Knock at the Door
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The rain intensified later that evening, drumming against the living room windows. Evelyn and Lily were in the study, debating the ethical implications of publishing unverified financial records. I was in the living room, adding wood to the fireplace, when the doorbell rang.
It was a sharp, rhythmic sequence. Two short rings, a pause, then one long ring.
A code I hadn’t heard in months.
I walked to the door, checking the security monitor before twisting the deadbolt. Vincent stood on the porch, holding a dripping umbrella. He wore a dark trench coat, his face partially obscured by the shadows of the streetlamps.
"I know it’s late," Vincent said, stepping inside as I held the door open.
"You don't use the old code unless it's important," I noted, closing the door and locking it.
Vincent took off his coat, hanging it carefully on the rack.
"I debated coming here at all. You earned your retirement, Dominic. But I also know you'd want to be warned if the fire started spreading toward your house."
"In my study," I said, guiding him down the hall, away from where Evelyn and Lily were working.
Once the door was shut, I poured two glasses of scotch and handed one to him.
"Talk to me, Vincent."
"You remember Marcus Thorne?" Vincent asked, taking a slow sip.
The name dragged a heavy memory to the surface. Thorne had been a mid-level enforcer in my organization over a decade ago. I had exiled him from the city because he lacked discipline and enjoyed cruelty too much.
"I remember him. He was a liability."
"He’s back," Vincent said grimly. "And he’s not mid-level anymore. He spent the last ten years building a cartel down south. When Jonathan Hale went to prison and you officially vanished, Thorne saw an empty throne. He’s the one backing Obsidian Holdings."
I stared at the amber liquid in my glass.
"Lily is investigating Obsidian. She’s already pulling at the financial threads."
Vincent sighed, running a hand over his face.
"That’s why I’m here. Thorne’s people have been asking around about the journalist who took down the Hale network. They know who she is, Dominic. And Thorne has a very long memory. He hasn't forgotten that you were the one who banished him."
"Does he know I'm alive?"
"Not yet. He thinks Lily is just a civilian with a knack for causing trouble."
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"She is a civilian," I said, my voice hardening. "And she is my daughter."
"Then you need to convince her to drop the story. Because if Thorne realizes she’s looking into him, he won't hesitate to use violence."
