Chapter 5 - The Safehouse
My hands shook violently as the burner phone continued to ring in my palm.
My mother was supposed to be living in a secure dementia care facility in upstate New York.
Mr. Cross snatched the phone from my hand and crushed it completely beneath his heavy boot.
"We cannot let them track the cellular signal," he grunted, pushing through the elevator doors.
He led me to a different unmarked vehicle hidden in the corner of the garage.
We drove in tense, suffocating silence until we reached a secluded luxury penthouse overlooking the harbor.
It was a highly classified syndicate safehouse.
I grabbed the emergency medical kit from the bathroom and began cleaning Mr. Cross's gunshot wound.
"My mother has severe dementia," I whispered as I wrapped a tight bandage around his shoulder.
"She doesn't even remember my name on most days."
"Why would she be calling a cartel assassin?"
Mr. Cross looked at me with an expression of profound, devastating pity.
"Your mother does not have dementia, Giana."
"Tyler forced her into that facility using expertly forged medical records."
"He isolated her so he could slowly steal your family's hidden wealth without any interference."
I felt entirely sick to my stomach as the horrific truth washed over me.
My entire marriage was a meticulously planned, long-term financial heist.
Tyler had destroyed my family piece by piece while kissing me goodnight.
"I need to call the facility and get her out of there right now," I panicked.
I grabbed the landline phone on the desk and dialed the care center's emergency number.
The night nurse answered on the second ring with a tired voice.
I demanded to speak to Eleanor Vance immediately.
The nurse sounded extremely confused by my request.
"Mrs. Vance was discharged three weeks ago," the nurse explained.
"Her husband came and picked her up."
I dropped the phone receiver onto the desk in absolute shock.
My father had been dead for ten long years.
Suddenly, my own cell phone vibrated deep inside my purse.
It was a restricted number calling me.
I answered it slowly, pressing the phone to my ear.
Tyler's terrified, desperate voice echoed loudly through the speaker.
"Giana, please listen to me before you do something stupid."
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"Cross is lying to you about everything."
"He is the man who murdered your father, and now he is going to kill you."
