Chapter 10 - The Snow Road
Erin was not kidnapped.
Not exactly.
That distinction mattered later.
At the time, Maeve heard only terror.
Detective Ward traced the call to Erin’s phone.
Security footage showed her leaving the clinic with Elliot Vale.
She walked beside him.
No struggle.
Roman said, “She may have gone willingly.”
Maeve rounded on him.
“He threatened me from her phone.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t say willingly.”
He nodded.
“You’re right.”
Gabriel pulled traffic cameras.
Vale’s SUV headed north.
Toward the Falcone mountain lodge.
Declan stared.
“Why there?”
Roman’s face darkened.
“Because Vittorio knows we won’t call police into that property easily.”
Maeve said, “You already called Ward.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
They moved in two vehicles.
Police followed at distance.
Snow thickened as they climbed.
Maeve sat in Roman’s SUV.
“You should be behind us,” he said.
“No.”
“I knew that answer before I asked.”
“Growth.”
The mountain road narrowed.
Wind pushed snow across the asphalt.
Then Gabriel’s voice came through the radio.
“Vehicle ahead.”
Vale’s SUV.
Stopped sideways.
Driver door open.
No one inside.
Maeve saw Erin’s scarf in the snow.
She opened the door.
Roman grabbed her sleeve.
“Wait.”
“My sister—”
“We look together.”
He stepped out first.
Maeve followed.
Wind stole sound.
Footprints led toward the tree line.
Then headlights appeared behind them.
Too fast.
Roman turned.
“Maeve!”
A dark pickup came around the bend.
Roman shoved her toward the snowbank.
The truck clipped the rear of their SUV.
Metal screamed.
Maeve fell hard.
Her head struck packed snow.
Everything flashed white.
Then silence.
When she opened her eyes, the world tilted.
Roman was shouting somewhere.
She tried to sit.
Pain tore through her shoulder.
Warmth spread beneath her cream sweater.
Blood.
Not much.
Enough to scare her.
She heard tires.
Another impact.
Then Roman was beside her.
Black coat covered in snow.
His hands hovered near her face.
“Maeve.”
She blinked.
“Erin.”
“We’re finding her.”
“Go.”
“No.”
“Roman.”
His voice broke.
“No.”
It was the first time she had heard fear overpower authority.
He slid one hand beneath her head and another across her ribs, careful not to move her shoulder.
“Look at me.”
“I am.”
“Stay awake.”
“You’re very bossy.”
His eyes closed for half a second.
“Good. Insult me.”
She almost smiled.
Behind him, Declan and Marco moved toward the damaged pickup.
The driver had fled into the trees.
Ward’s officers were arriving.
Maeve grabbed Roman’s wrist.
“Erin.”
He looked toward the road.
Then at Maeve.
Choice.
The old Roman would have decided for everyone.
This Roman said, “Ward can search. I’m staying with you.”
Maeve wanted to argue.
Then pain rolled through her.
She let him stay.
Paramedics arrived.
Her shoulder was dislocated.
Two ribs bruised.
A deep cut near her upper arm had soaked part of the sweater.
No internal bleeding.
No head injury beyond a mild concussion.
Roman rode in the ambulance.
Maeve opened one eye.
“You hate ambulances.”
“I hate you knowing that.”
“Gabriel told me.”
“Traitor.”
At the emergency department, Erin arrived twenty minutes later.
Alive.
Crying.
Maeve tried to sit up.
“Don’t,” three people said at once.
Erin rushed to the bed.
“I’m sorry.”
Maeve took her hand.
“What happened?”
“Vale said the clinic needed me to sign new trust papers.”
“You went with him?”
“He had hospital ID.”
Maeve closed her eyes.
Of course.
Ordinary authority.
Again.
Erin continued.
“Then he took my phone. I jumped out when he stopped at the lodge gate.”
Roman looked at Ward.
“She escaped?”
“Yes.”
“Where was she?”
“A caretaker found her in a maintenance shed.”
Maeve squeezed Erin’s hand.
“You’re okay.”
Erin nodded.
Then looked at Roman.
“He was asking about a ledger.”
Maeve and Roman exchanged a look.
“The red one?” Roman asked.
“Yes.”
“He doesn’t know we already copied it.”
Roman’s expression changed.
Good.
Evidence lived elsewhere.
Then Erin said, “He also said Uncle Vittorio never meant to kill Sofia.”
Declan looked up.
“What?”
“He said the dose was supposed to make her too sick to meet the lawyer.”
Roman went still.
“And Kathleen?”
Erin swallowed.
“He said Kathleen ruined everything by calling an ambulance.”
Maeve’s eyes filled.
Her mother.
Still saving people.
Still blamed for it.
Ward took the statement.
Hours later, snow pressed against the hospital windows.
Maeve woke and found Roman in a chair beside the bed.
Asleep.
His black coat still carried melted snow.
His hand rested near hers.
Not touching.
Waiting.
Maeve looked at him for a long time.
Then she moved her fingers the last inch.
Roman woke immediately.
He looked down at their hands.
Then at her.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Good answer.”
She smiled weakly.
Outside, the storm covered the mountain road.
Inside, something between them had changed.
May you like
Not because he saved her.
Because when he had the chance to decide what she needed, he finally stayed and asked.
