Chapter 14 - The Second Disappearance
Elliot Mercer had spent thirty years becoming invisible.
Gabriel Ashford’s branch of the family had been erased from company records after Gabriel accused Dorian’s father, Conrad, of stealing his ownership share.
According to archived lawsuits, Gabriel disappeared during the legal battle.
Police suspected suicide.
No body was recovered.
His son Elliot was placed with relatives under his mother’s surname.
Mercer.
At eighteen he disappeared from public records too.
“Until now,” Audrey said.
Dorian sat across from her.
“He built an entire network.”
“Nolan.”
“His half brother.”
“Victor?”
“Gabriel’s former bodyguard.”
“Martin Bell?”
Dorian looked grim.
“Apparently helping move stolen funds for Elliot.”
Audrey thought of Elena.
“She discovered the network.”
“Yes.”
“And they killed her.”
“Likely.”
“Why wait four years before targeting Caleb?”
Dorian looked toward the window.
“Because I was restructuring the company.”
“What happens if you succeed?”
“The last assets tied to my father’s old businesses disappear.”
“So Elliot loses whatever he thinks belongs to him.”
“Yes.”
“Then Caleb wasn’t only revenge.”
“No.”
“He was supposed to stop you.”
Dorian nodded.
Audrey felt the terrible logic of it.
Elliot wanted Dorian frightened.
Distracted.
Enraged.
Maybe dead.
But most of all, he wanted the Ashford empire destabilized.
Dorian’s phone rang.
Security.
His face changed instantly.
“What?”
Audrey stood.
Dorian ran upstairs.
Caleb’s bedroom was empty.
The window was open.
Arthur Junior lay on the floor.
Audrey’s stomach dropped.
“No.”
Security footage showed Caleb leaving through a side corridor at 2:17 p.m.
Alone.
No struggle.
He carried his backpack.
“Why would he leave?” Dorian demanded.
Audrey searched the room.
On Caleb’s desk was a note.
Not threatening.
Three words.
WE HAVE ADRIAN.
Beneath it was a photograph.
Adrian alive.
Caleb had gone to save his uncle.
Dorian looked like he might destroy the entire city.
Audrey grabbed his arm.
“Think.”
“My son is gone.”
“I know.”
“I am done thinking.”
“That’s exactly what Elliot wants.”
Dorian turned on her.
“My eight-year-old walked out of this house to meet the man who tried to drown him.”
“And if you charge into every warehouse in Louisiana, you might get him killed.”
Silence.
Dorian’s breathing slowed.
Audrey held the photograph.
“There’s something in the background.”
A wall.
Rust.
A yellow number.
4B.
Dorian recognized it.
“Riverport terminal.”
“How many buildings?”
“Six.”
“Building four?”
“Decommissioned.”
They moved.
This time Audrey refused to stay behind.
Dorian argued for exactly thirty seconds.
Then stopped.
“You stay in the vehicle.”
“No promises.”
He stared.
“Audrey.”
“Find Caleb first. Fight with me later.”
Police were contacted quietly.
Mateo DeLuca sent two men familiar with old river tunnels.
Dorian hated accepting the help.
Audrey reminded him that pride was less important than Caleb.
At Riverport, they found Caleb’s backpack beside a loading dock.
Inside was his inhaler.
A flashlight.
And Arthur Junior.
Audrey picked up the stuffed wolf.
Something was inside.
A phone.
Caleb had taken one of Dorian’s spare security phones.
Smart boy.
The location history showed his route.
Across the terminal.
Through Building 4.
Toward the river warehouses.
Then stopped.
Dorian’s face hardened.
“He knew we could track him.”
“He wanted us to.”
They followed.
Inside Building 4B, the air smelled of rust and oil.
They heard voices.
A child crying.
Dorian moved forward.
Audrey followed despite his look.
Behind stacked crates, Caleb sat tied to a chair.
Adrian was beside him.
Alive.
Bruised badly.
A man stood behind them.
Nolan.
He held a gun.
Dorian stopped.
“Nathan.”
Nolan smiled.
“Haven’t heard that name in years.”
“Where is Elliot?”
Nolan’s smile widened.
“Always asking the wrong question.”
“Release them.”
“Can’t.”
“Then take me.”
“That was the plan.”
Dorian moved one step forward.
Nolan raised the gun.
Audrey saw Caleb watching her.
Not Nolan.
Something behind Audrey.
She turned.
A second man stepped from the shadows.
Gray coat.
Silver wolf ring.
Scar near the eyebrow.
Elliot Mercer.
He looked enough like Dorian’s father to make the resemblance disturbing.
“Hello, cousin.”
Dorian stared.
Elliot smiled.
“Your father spent thirty years pretending I didn’t exist.”
His gaze moved to Caleb.
“So I thought I’d introduce myself to the next generation.”
Caleb began shaking.
Audrey stepped toward him.
Elliot raised a weapon.
“Stay.”
She stopped.
Adrian lifted his head.
“Don’t listen to him, Dorian.”
Elliot struck Adrian across the face.
Caleb screamed.
Something snapped inside Dorian’s expression.
Elliot smiled.
“There.”
He whispered.
“That’s the man I came to see.”
Audrey understood.
Elliot didn’t merely want Dorian’s money.
He wanted the old Ashford violence.
He wanted proof that Dorian was exactly like Conrad.
Because then everything Elliot believed about the family would be justified.
Dorian’s hand moved away from his weapon.
Slowly.
He placed it on the ground.
Elliot’s smile disappeared.
“What are you doing?”
“Ending this.”
“That isn’t how Ashfords end things.”
Dorian looked at Caleb.
“Maybe it should be.”
Sirens suddenly sounded outside.
Elliot’s face changed.
Caleb smiled through his tears.
“I called them.”
The spare phone had transmitted an emergency signal before he hid it inside Arthur Junior.
Nolan turned toward the door.
Adrian launched himself sideways, knocking the gun from Nolan’s hand.
Chaos erupted.
Dorian tackled Elliot.
Audrey ran to Caleb.
Gunfire struck metal overhead.
Police entered from both ends.
Nolan fled through a rear passage.
Elliot disappeared with him.
But Caleb and Adrian were free.
Dorian grabbed his son.
Caleb clung to him.
“I’m sorry.”
“No.”
Dorian’s voice broke.
“Never apologize for surviving.”
Audrey untied Adrian.
He looked at her.
“Took you long enough.”
She almost laughed.
Then Adrian saw Caleb.
His expression softened.
“You okay, champ?”
Caleb nodded.
Dorian looked at his brother.
“I thought—”
“I know.”
“I’m sorry.”
Adrian smiled weakly.
“You can buy me dinner.”
Audrey laughed despite herself.
For one brief moment, they had won.
Then Dorian’s phone rang.
Elliot.
“You saved the boy again.”
Dorian’s expression darkened.
“You lost.”
“No.”
Elliot sounded almost amused.
“You still haven’t found what Elena discovered.”
The line went silent.
Dorian looked at Audrey.
May you like
There was one final secret.
And Elliot was willing to risk everything to keep it buried.
