Chapter 6 - I Was Not a Prize Between Men
Lena refused protection from Vincent.
At least, his personal protection.
That surprised him.
“I already have police safety planning.”
“For now.”
“And a domestic-violence advocate.”
He nodded.
“And a lawyer who works for me.”
Another nod.
“I don’t need men in suits outside my door.”
Vincent almost smiled.
“No.”
She narrowed eyes.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because Michael said you would say exactly that.”
That irritated her more.
“Stop talking about me like you knew me before I knew myself.”
The smile disappeared.
“Fair.”
Then Vincent offered one practical thing.
A temporary apartment owned by a legitimate charitable housing foundation he supported.
Priya investigated foundation.
Independent board.
No strings.
Still Lena declined.
She chose confidential survivor housing coordinated through advocate for first weeks, then planned own apartment.
She needed somewhere no Serra/Moretti/Walsh man selected.
Important.
Then surgery.
Plates and screws stabilized arm.
Pain.
Occupational therapy later.
No instant recovery.
Derek remained detained initially; bail hearing set.
Protective order.
At hearing, prosecutor presented broken arm, prior documented bruises from medical records? Lena had never reported. Photos from texts maybe. Neighbor testimony about shouting.
Derek’s attorney argued no prior convictions, job, local ties.
Judge set restrictive conditions and substantial bail; eventually family posted? Could be, but no-contact and GPS.
Lena hated knowing he might leave jail.
Safety plan tightened.
Then Derek’s parents contacted her.
His mother:
“He’s sick over what happened.”
Lena did not answer.
His sister:
“You know he drinks.”
No.
No excuses.
Priya sent no-contact notice.
Then Michael search.
Federal agents located motel.
Empty.
But room had been occupied under alias.
Security video showed Michael leaving six days earlier with one backpack.
Alone.
No visible coercion.
He entered bus station.
Then vanished again.
Good: alive likely.
Why not contact Lena?
Fear.
Then red ledger review.
Old crimes.
Vincent implicated in bribery at age twenty-eight.
Statute issues perhaps expired, but reputational/regulatory exposure.
He did not ask ledger returned.
He cooperated through attorney when subpoenaed.
This suggested changed behavior or strategy.
Both possible.
Then Bernard Kane.
Federal investigators interviewed.
He denied seeking Michael.
Messages linked his number? B. Kane burner maybe not direct. Derek’s device showed cash exchanges tied to Kane trucking employees.
Could support conspiracy to locate/threaten witness depending intent.
No arrest yet.
Then Garrison disclosed Derek’s business.
He found people for debt collectors.
Sometimes spouses.
Sometimes estranged family.
No license.
Used DMV leaks? Could be illegal data access. Better he paid a corrupt clerk for records. That widens case but not needed.
Police found he paid an employee at vehicle-insurance call center for address data.
Criminal privacy/fraud angle.
Michael was one target.
Other women in notebook were search subjects, not necessarily abused.
Some named were women hiding from abusive partners.
Derek had located them for men claiming family rights.
That was horrifying.
He may have endangered survivors.
Now investigators contacted those women.
One, Tasha Reed, said Derek gave her address to ex despite protective order.
Ex later appeared outside job.
No physical attack but terror.
Derek accepted $1,800.
This showed pattern: monetizing access to vulnerable people.
Lena’s $14,600 line? Payment total from Kane/Garrison related to monitoring her father connection.
Not her money.
Then financial abuse separately showed Derek stole about $9,300 from Lena over years via cash/debit misuse.
Both.
Then Lena’s anger changed.
The broken arm was not isolated culmination of temper.
Derek’s worldview treated people as addresses, leverage, access.
He saw boundaries as obstacles with price.
Then therapy.
Lena said:
“I called Vincent because I thought I needed a more dangerous man to defeat Derek.”
Therapist:
“And what do you think now?”
“I needed a phone.”
Then:
“And people who answered properly.”
Building security.
Doctors.
Advocate.
Police.
Attorney.
Not one savior.
Network.
That reframed.
Vincent had helped.
He was not her rescue story’s owner.
Then Michael finally called Anna.
Alive.
He had moved to Vermont? Maybe too far. He called from Albany bus station.
Anna put federal agent on.
He agreed enter protective contact temporarily.
Then he asked for Lena.
She declined immediate call.
Everyone was surprised.
“Why?”
“Because he disappeared thirteen years. He can wait one day while I decide.”
Good.
Next day, she agreed.
Phone.
“Lena.”
His voice older than memory.
She said nothing.
Then:
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t start there.”
Silence.
“Start with why Derek knew enough about you to make me useful.”
Michael explained.
Years earlier he kept one safe-deposit box in Lena’s name as contingency, containing old records and money.
Derek discovered reference while going through Lena’s mother’s papers after death? But Derek met Lena after mother died maybe she had boxes. He snooped.
He found Michael Serra name and safe deposit receipt.
Searched.
Connected to Moretti case.
Then built side deal.
Michael learned too late.
Then Lena asked:
“Why didn’t you come tell me?”
“Because I thought being near you would make it worse.”
“You had thirteen years to test another theory.”
He cried.
No excuses.
Then:
“I was a coward after danger ended.”
There.
Then Lena asked if he wanted relationship.
“Yes.”
“Then you start with truth. No disappearing because you decide it protects me.”
“I understand.”
“Do you?”
“I’m trying.”
Then Michael said something she did not expect.
“Vincent saved me once too.”
How?
When Kane associates discovered cooperation, Vincent secretly warned Michael before an attack.
So debt between them ran both directions.
Complex.
Then:
“Don’t trust him because of me.”
Good.
“Trust what he does now.”
Lena almost laughed.
Same principle.
Then Michael said Derek had contacted him directly two weeks before assault.
What did he want?
$500,000.
For silence.
And promise to leave Lena alone.
Michael refused.
Then Derek responded:
May you like
“She’s the only address you still care about.”
Cliffhanger: Derek had directly blackmailed Michael before breaking Lena’s arm, threatening her as the one person Michael still cared about—meaning the assault may have escalated because Derek’s extortion plan had just failed.
