Chapter 4 - THE DECOY AT THE STATION
"Why is my husband's name on that ticket?" Sophia cried, staring at the crumpled paper. "He died three years ago! He was a good man!"
"Someone is framing you," Dominic said, his mind racing. "They want me to think you orchestrated this. That you used your own daughter to disrupt the poisoning and cast suspicion away from yourself."
"I would never!" Sophia shouted. "I love Ethan! I love this family!"
"I know," Dominic said softly. And he meant it. He looked at the brass key. He looked at the train ticket.
"Marco, lock down the estate. Nobody leaves. Sophia, take the kids to my private office. Lock the door from the inside."
"Where are you going?" Sophia asked.
"To catch a train."
The rain was pouring in sheets as Dominic's black SUV skidded to a halt outside the central train station. He didn't bring an army. Just Marco and two trusted men.
They moved silently through the crowded terminal. Platform 4. The Chicago express.
The train was boarding.
Dominic spotted a man in a heavy trench coat, pulling a black duffel bag. His left hand was shoved deep into his pocket.
"There," Dominic whispered.
Marco flanked the man. Dominic grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, slamming him against a concrete pillar.
The man gasped in terror. He was young, trembling, and completely ordinary.
Dominic ripped the man's left hand from his pocket.
No scars.
"Who are you?" Dominic growled. "Where did you get that coat?"
"A guy paid me!" the young man cried. "Five hundred bucks to wear this coat and walk to Platform 4! He said it was a prank!"
Dominic checked the pockets of the trench coat. He pulled out a heavy, gold Rolex watch.
The exact watch Dominic had given his brother, Vincent, for his fortieth birthday.
"It's Vincent," Marco said, pulling his weapon. "He orchestrated the poisoning, framed Sophia, and sent a decoy to lure you out of the house."
Dominic's phone vibrated violently. It was Sophia.
"Dominic!" she screamed over the line. "They broke into the office! Vincent is here! He has a gun!"
Before Dominic could speak, a deafening gunshot rang out through the phone.
May you like
Then, dead silence.
Dominic stared at his phone, his heart stopping in his chest.
