Chapter 7 - EMMA’S HIDING PLACE
The private medical wing was dark.
Emergency lights glowed red.
Two guards were unconscious near the elevator.
Marco checked them.
“Alive.”
Alessandro ran toward Sophia’s room.
Empty.
The bed had been stripped.
The bathroom door was locked.
“Emma?”
Silence.
Alessandro knocked softly.
“It’s me.”
The lock clicked.
Emma opened the door.
She threw herself against him.
Alessandro lifted her.
“Where’s Mom?”
Emma pointed toward the hall.
“A doctor took her.”
“What doctor?”
“The shiny-shoe man.”
Alessandro’s face hardened.
Marco checked security.
A vehicle had left nine minutes earlier.
Daniel traced it.
Warehouse district.
Brooklyn.
Emma grabbed Alessandro’s lapel.
“Bring Mom back.”
“I will.”
“You promised.”
“I remember.”
He left Emma with Rosa under armed protection.
Then he went hunting.
The vehicle was found abandoned.
Sophia wasn’t inside.
But her hospital bracelet was.
And beneath it was a message.
BRING THE LEDGER.
Alessandro understood.
Carlo knew they had found it.
Marco asked,
“What now?”
Alessandro looked toward Brooklyn’s dark skyline.
“Now we stop reacting.”
He called Daniel.
“Leak that I’m moving the ledger to federal custody tomorrow morning.”
Marco understood immediately.
“Bait.”
“Yes.”
“And Sophia?”
Alessandro’s eyes hardened.
“Carlo won’t hurt her until he has the ledger.”
“How can you know?”
“Because Sophia is the only person who can publicly connect Mateo to Vittorio.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You’re gambling.”
Alessandro answered quietly.
May you like
“No.”
“I’m making Carlo think he still controls the table.”
