Chapter 10 — The Night Tommy Came Back
Chapter 10 — The Night Tommy Came Back
Tommy came back at 2:13 in the morning.
I knew the exact time because the clock above Frank's counter was the only thing in the diner that hadn't stopped when the power went out.
One red digit blinked.
2:13.
Then the back door opened.
Frank looked up.
His face changed.
“Tommy.”
I had never heard fear in his voice before.
Not when we discovered the hidden room.
Not when Richard Caldwell arrived.
Not even when my mother's recorded voice accused someone close to Dom of betrayal.
But now Frank looked terrified.
Dom stepped in front of me.
“Stay behind me.”
I heard footsteps.
Slow.
Uneven.
Someone entered the kitchen.
Then Tommy appeared.
He looked nothing like the man from the first night.
His expensive jacket was gone.
His shirt was torn.
There was dried blood along his temple.
And he was carrying a gun.
He looked directly at me.
“You should have stayed a waitress.”
My stomach tightened.
Dom raised his weapon.
“Drop it.”
Tommy laughed.
“You still think you're in control.”
“Drop the gun.”
Tommy's eyes moved to me.
“She knows too much.”
Dom's voice became cold.
“She isn't your problem.”
“She became my problem the moment she saw the cup.”
I remembered that night.
The poisoned coffee.
The powder.
The way Tommy had stared at me after I exposed him.
I had thought the danger ended when Dom took me away.
I had been wrong.
Tommy hadn't forgotten.
He had been waiting.
“Who sent you?” Dom asked.
Tommy smiled.
“You already know.”
“Caldwell?”
Tommy shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Tommy's eyes remained on me.
“Ask her.”
I frowned.
“Ask me what?”
“Ask Nema who her mother really was.”
Dom's expression hardened.
“We know.”
Tommy laughed.
“No.”
He stepped farther into the room.
“You know what Maria wanted you to believe.”
My blood ran cold.
“How do you know my mother?”
Tommy ignored the question.
“She lied to you.”
“Everyone says that.”
“She lied about your father.”
I stared at him.
Dom moved forward.
“Enough.”
Tommy raised his gun.
“Take another step and she dies.”
Dom stopped.
Tommy smiled.
“That's better.”
Frank stood behind the counter.
“Tommy, think about what you're doing.”
Tommy looked at him.
“You should have stayed out of this, old man.”
Frank's jaw tightened.
“You're not the man I remember.”
“No.”
Tommy's expression darkened.
“I'm exactly the man I had to become.”
I stared at him.
“Why are you doing this?”
His eyes met mine.
“Because your family ruined mine.”
I didn't understand.
“My family?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Your grandfather destroyed everything.”
Dom stepped closer.
“Don't blame her for something she didn't do.”
Tommy laughed.
“She carries his blood.”
“So?”
“So she inherited the consequences.”
I looked at him.
“What did my grandfather do to your family?”
Tommy hesitated.
For the first time, anger replaced the confidence in his face.
“He took everything.”
“What?”
“My father owned a company.”
“What company?”
“Reyes Maritime.”
I froze.
“That was my grandfather's.”
“No.”
Tommy shook his head.
“It belonged to my father first.”
I looked at Frank.
He didn't deny it.
My stomach dropped.
“Frank?”
The old man lowered his eyes.
“Your grandfather took the company.”
“Why?”
“Because Tommy's father was working for the Caldwells.”
Tommy snapped:
“He was forced.”
Dom stared at him.
“By whom?”
“Your father.”
The room went silent.
Tommy pointed the gun at Dom.
“Your father ordered him to steal from Reyes.”
Dom's face changed.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“And your father?”
“Died because of it.”
Tommy's voice cracked.
“You think I wanted this?”
I didn't know what to say.
Tommy lowered the gun slightly.
“My father was framed.”
“By whom?”
He looked at me.
“Your mother.”
My heart stopped.
“No.”
“She gave the order.”
“That's a lie.”
“Ask Frank.”
I looked at Frank.
He said nothing.
“Frank?”
His face was full of pain.
“I don't know.”
Tommy laughed.
“That's what everyone says when they know the truth.”
Suddenly the lights came back on.
Everyone froze.
The security monitors above the counter activated.
One by one.
Camera feeds appeared.
The parking lot.
The street.
The alley.
The roof.
Then a final screen.
The basement entrance.
A man stood outside.
Richard Caldwell.
Tommy saw him.
His face drained of color.
“No.”
Dom noticed.
“You know him.”
Tommy backed away.
“He wasn't supposed to be here.”
Richard's voice came through the diner speakers.
“Neither were you.”
Tommy raised his gun toward the ceiling.
“Stay out of this.”
Richard smiled through the camera.
“You're making this difficult.”
I stared at the screen.
“You can hear us?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Frank's security system is mine.”
Frank turned pale.
“What?”
Richard continued:
“Everything installed in this building was designed by my company.”
Dom looked at Frank.
“You never knew?”
Frank shook his head.
“I thought your father installed it.”
Richard smiled.
“He did.”
Dom's face hardened.
“Your father worked for me.”
Silence.
Richard looked directly at the camera.
“And he still does.”
I felt cold.
“Your father is alive.”
Richard nodded.
“He is.”
Dom's jaw tightened.
“Where?”
Richard ignored him.
“Nema, you need to leave.”
I stared at the screen.
“Why?”
“Because Tommy wasn't sent here to kill you.”
Tommy looked at Richard.
“Don't.”
Richard continued.
“He was sent here to retrieve something.”
“What?”
“The ledger.”
My stomach dropped.
Tommy's face changed.
“Where is it?”
Richard smiled.
“That's what I want you to tell me.”
Tommy looked toward me.
“I don't have it.”
Richard laughed.
“Then you have become useless.”
Tommy's expression turned terrified.
“Wait.”
The speakers went silent.
Tommy looked at the door.
“No.”
Dom noticed.
“What?”
Tommy whispered:
“He's going to kill me.”
A shot came through the window.
Tommy collapsed.
I screamed.
Dom pulled me behind the counter.
Frank dropped to the floor.
Another shot shattered the neon sign.
Glass rained across the street.
Dom fired toward the window.
“Stay down!”
Tommy was on the floor.
Blood spread across his shirt.
I crawled toward him.
Dom grabbed my arm.
“No.”
“He's dying.”
“He's dangerous.”
“He knows something.”
Dom hesitated.
Then released me.
I reached Tommy.
His breathing was shallow.
I pressed my hand against his wound.
“Stay awake.”
He looked at me.
His eyes were full of fear.
“Your mother…”
“What?”
“She didn't betray you.”
I leaned closer.
“What did she do?”
Tommy coughed.
“She tried to save you.”
“From whom?”
His eyes moved toward the camera.
“Caldwell.”
I looked at the monitor.
Richard was gone.
Tommy grabbed my wrist.
“Listen.”
I bent closer.
“The man you think is your father…”
He struggled to breathe.
“He isn't.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
Tommy's eyes widened.
“Richard Caldwell isn't your father.”
“Then who is?”
He whispered:
“Your father…”
A pause.
“…was the man who tried to kill him.”
Tommy's eyes closed.
“Tommy?”
Nothing.
I shook his shoulder.
“Tommy!”
Dom pulled me away.
“He's unconscious.”
I stared at the blood on my hands.
The answer had been within reach.
And then it was gone.
Police arrived twenty minutes later.
But Richard was already gone.
So was the shooter.
The diner became a crime scene.
Frank sat on the steps outside, staring at the broken neon sign.
Dom stood beside me.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, I said:
“Tommy tried to kill me.”
“Yes.”
“But before he passed out, he tried to protect me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Dom looked at the street.
“Maybe guilt.”
“Or fear.”
“Probably both.”
I stared at him.
“Do you believe what he said?”
“Which part?”
“That Richard isn't my father.”
Dom was silent.
“Dom.”
“I don't know.”
I laughed bitterly.
“That's becoming your favorite phrase.”
He looked at me.
“But there's one thing I do know.”
“What?”
“My father had a relationship with your mother.”
I frowned.
“What kind?”
“I don't know.”
“Romantic?”
“I don't know.”
“Then how can you say that?”
“Because there are records.”
“What records?”
Dom pulled out his phone.
He showed me a photograph.
My mother.
Miguel.
And a baby.
I stared.
The photograph was old.
The baby was wrapped in a white blanket.
On the back was a date.
My birthday.
My breath caught.
“That's me.”
Dom nodded.
“Probably.”
I looked closer.
My mother was smiling.
Miguel was holding the baby.
But someone had scratched the baby's face out.
“Why would someone do that?”
Dom didn't answer.
I turned the photograph over.
There was another message.
THE CHILD MUST NEVER KNOW WHO HER FATHER IS.
My hands began to shake.
“Who wrote this?”
Dom looked at the handwriting.
“Your grandfather.”
I stared.
“So he knew.”
“Yes.”
“Then why hide it?”
Dom's voice became quiet.
“Because whoever your father was…”
He paused.
“…was dangerous enough to make your grandfather afraid.”
I looked toward the dark street.
Richard Caldwell had escaped.
Tommy was barely alive.
My mother was still missing.
Miguel Vasquez was alive.
And somewhere in the shadows, the real identity of my father was being protected by people willing to kill for it.
Then my phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
One message.
TOMMY DIDN'T TELL YOU THE WHOLE TRUTH.
Another message arrived.
YOUR FATHER IS ALREADY WATCHING YOU.
Then a photograph appeared.
It showed me standing outside Frank's Diner.
Taken only minutes earlier.
I looked around.
No one.
Then a final message appeared.
COME TO THE RIVER ALONE.
2:00 A.M.
BRING THE PHOTOGRAPH.
I showed Dom.
His expression changed immediately.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because whoever sent this knows exactly where you are.”
“Then they know you are here.”
“Yes.”
“Which means they want me alone.”
“Exactly.”
I looked at the photograph.
Then at the dark river beyond the street.
“I think I know who it is.”
Dom frowned.
“Who?”
I whispered:
“My father.”
And somewhere in the distance, a car engine started.
Someone had been waiting for us.
May you like
And this time, I wasn't sure whether they wanted to save me…
or finally finish what Tommy had started.
