THE KEY
Roman placed a small envelope on the table.
I stared at it.
“What’s inside?”
“The key.”
I opened the envelope carefully.
A small brass key fell into my palm.
I recognized it immediately.
“My father had this.”
Roman nodded.
“Where did you find it?”
“It was hidden inside the folder.”
I turned it over.
There was a tiny number engraved on the metal.
“Twenty-seven.”
Roman looked at it.
“Exactly.”
“Exactly what?”
“Twenty-seven is the number of the storage unit.”
I stared at him.
“My father had a storage unit?”
“Apparently.”
“Why didn’t I know?”
“Because Julian made sure you didn’t.”
The realization hit me.
Julian hadn’t simply stolen my money.
He had been searching for whatever my father had hidden.
“What does he think is inside?”
Roman’s eyes hardened.
“Evidence.”
“Evidence against Victor Kane?”
“Yes.”
I looked at the key.
“Then why didn’t Julian take it?”
“Because he didn’t know we had found it.”
“Does Victor know?”
Roman didn’t answer.
That was enough.
He knew.
“Then we can’t go there.”
“We have to.”
I shook my head.
“You said these people are dangerous.”
“They are.”
“And you’re telling me we should walk into a storage facility they might already be watching?”
Roman looked at me.
“I’m telling you that if we don’t get there first, someone else will.”
I looked at my daughter sleeping peacefully.
“I can’t risk her.”
“You won’t.”
“How can you promise that?”
“Because I won’t let anything happen to either of you.”
I looked into his eyes.
There was no hesitation.
No uncertainty.
Just determination.
For the first time, I realized something.
Roman wasn’t helping me because he felt sorry for me.
He had his own reasons.
“What do you want from me?”
He stared at me.
“The truth.”
“About what?”
“Your father.”
I frowned.
“My father?”
Roman nodded.
“Your father once saved my life.”
I froze.
“What?”
He looked away.
“Years ago, before you ever met Julian.”
I stared at him.
“You knew my father?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Roman’s expression became distant.
“That story is complicated.”
“Tell me.”
He looked at my daughter.
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
He stood.
“Tomorrow.”
“Where are we going?”
Roman looked back at me.
“To the place your father died.”
