Chapter 9
The old pier was wrapped in fog.
Carlo stood beneath a broken lamp.
Vincent was beside him.
And Ellie sat on a wooden crate with tape around her wrists, crying softly into her shoulder.
My heart turned to iron.
“Let her go,” I said.
Carlo smiled.
“My nephew still gives orders like a king.”
I held up the metal box.
“You wanted this.”
“I wanted obedience. The box is just insurance.”
Vincent would not meet my eyes.
Ellie saw me and cried harder.
“Mr. Adrian.”
“I’m here, sweetheart.”
Carlo laughed.
“Sweetheart? Careful. You get attached to little girls and they burn.”
My vision narrowed.
He wanted me reckless.
I refused him that gift.
“Why Elena?” I asked.
Carlo’s smile faded.
“She was going to expose business she didn’t understand.”
“And Lily?”
“Collateral tragedy.”
The words left his mouth easily.
Too easily.
Behind him, Vincent flinched.
I pressed the button on the recorder hidden in my cuff.
Keep talking, uncle.
“Elena trusted you,” I said.
“Women trust too much.”
“And David Carter?”
Carlo glanced at Vincent.
“That was messy. Vincent should have handled the worker before he went to your wife.”
Vincent whispered, “He had a family.”
Carlo snapped, “Everyone has a family.”
Ellie sobbed.
My hand tightened around the box.
“You threatened Ellie to make Vincent poison me.”
Carlo smiled again.
“And he almost succeeded.”
That was enough.
A red laser dot appeared on Carlo’s chest.
Then another.
Then ten.
Tony’s voice came from the fog.
“Step away from the child.”
Carlo’s face changed.
He grabbed Ellie.
Vincent moved first.
For twenty years, he had bowed.
In that moment, he finally broke.
He slammed into Carlo and pulled Ellie away.
A shot cracked.
Vincent fell.
Tony’s men surged forward.
I ran to Ellie and cut the tape from her wrists.
She threw herself against me.
“I want Mommy.”
“I know.”
I held her close.
May you like
Behind me, Carlo was forced to the ground.
For the first time in my life, my uncle looked small.
