I had thought it was just one of his quirks.
Now I understood.
“The fifth name was changed.”
Dominic nodded.
“Exactly.”
I looked at the list.
There were twelve names.
I counted.
The fifth was a man named Anton Belov.
A European logistics executive.
I recognized the name.
He had been mentioned in international news several times.
“What is wrong with him?”
Victor answered.
“He doesn't exist.”
I looked up.
“Anton Belov is a constructed identity.”
I stared at the page.
“So the fifth name isn't a person.”
“No,” Natalia said.
“It is a position.”
My stomach tightened.
“What position?”
Natalia looked at Dominic.
“The person controlling the American side of the operation.”
Dominic's face darkened.
“And that person has been inside my company for years.”
I suddenly understood why he had been watching me so closely.
My father hadn't merely discovered a criminal network.
He had discovered a person connected to Dominic.
I pushed back from the table.
“I want to go home.”
Dominic nodded.
He added quietly,
“But don't go alone.”
I stopped.
“Because whoever killed your father now knows you understand Russian.”
I looked at him.
“You think they're watching me?”
“I know they are.”
Natalia's expression changed.
She looked toward the restaurant entrance.
A man in a dark coat had just entered.
He didn't look at us.
He walked directly to the host stand.
But on his wrist was a black leather watch.
Natalia whispered something in Russian.
I understood immediately.
“That's him.”
Dominic looked at me.
“The man my father was afraid of.”
The stranger turned.
His eyes met mine.
Then he smiled.
He raised his hand.
In it was a photograph.
My photograph.
The one from my employee file.
He placed it on the host stand.
Then he walked out.
Dominic rushed after him.
I grabbed the photograph.
On the back was a handwritten sentence.
YOUR FATHER WASN'T THE LAST TRANSLATOR THEY SILENCED.
Below it was an address.
I CAUGHT MY BILLIONAIRE HUSBAND PRACTICING HOW TO CRY WHEN HE APOLOGIZED...
PLEASE DON'T DIVORCE HIM!” MY HUSBAND'S MISTRESS SCREAMED, DROPPING TO H...
MY BILLIONAIRE HUSBAND HUNG UP ON MY MOTHER WHILE SHE WAS SAYING “I LOVE...
And a time.
MIDNIGHT. PIER 17.
Dominic returned less than a minute later.
The stranger was gone.
The restaurant security team had seen nothing.
No license plate.
No useful footage.
Only the photograph remained.
I held it between my fingers.
“Pier 17.”
Dominic shook his head.
“Because that's exactly where they want us to go.”
I looked at him.
“You said I shouldn't go alone.”
“I meant it.”
“So you're coming?”
Victor stood.
“So am I.”
Dominic looked at him.
“You have no reason to.”
Victor's expression was calm.
“I have several.”
Natalia folded her arms.
“And I have more.”
Dominic looked annoyed.
“This is becoming a group project.”
Nobody smiled.
Then Simon approached.
He looked terrified.
“Mr. Pierce?”
Dominic turned.
Simon handed him an envelope.
“This was left in the office.”
Dominic opened it.