Chapter 13 - BELLAMY’S CHOICE
“Sofia!”
Vincent dropped beside her.
Blood spread across her shoulder.
“I’m okay,” she gasped.
Bellamy aimed at Vincent.
“No, you’re not.”
Anthony slowly stood.
His lip was bleeding.
“You’re late, Charles.”
Bellamy laughed.
“I had trouble getting away.”
Grace stared.
“You planned all of this together.”
Bellamy shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed the gun toward Anthony.
“He planned to take the companies.”
Anthony’s smile disappeared.
Bellamy continued.
“I planned to take everything.”
Anthony stared at him.
“You little bastard.”
“Twenty-seven years I fixed your mistakes.”
Bellamy’s voice was suddenly full of rage.
“Bodies. Taxes. witnesses. girlfriends. shell corporations.”
He laughed.
“And both of you treated me like the man who carried folders.”
Vincent stayed beside Sofia.
“You forged the trust.”
“Yes.”
“You helped stage Anthony’s death.”
“Yes.”
“You killed Michael?”
Anthony snapped, “I killed Michael.”
Bellamy looked irritated.
“Congratulations.”
Vincent studied them.
They were turning on each other.
Good.
Bellamy continued.
“Anthony became unstable. Sofia became inconvenient. Isabella became frightened. Dominic became angry.”
He smiled.
“And Vincent became lonely.”
Sofia whispered, “He arranged Isabella.”
Vincent looked at Bellamy.
“You put her in my life.”
“I encouraged proximity.”
“You used her brother.”
“Everyone has something.”
Vincent stared.
“And Rafael?”
Bellamy’s expression tightened.
“He was supposed to die last year.”
Anthony looked at him.
“You told me Rafael was loyal.”
“To Sofia.”
Anthony’s face darkened.
Bellamy raised his gun again.
“Enough.”
Then Grace laughed.
Everyone looked at her.
Bellamy frowned.
“What?”
Grace looked toward the ceiling.
“You really think Vincent came in here without recording you?”
Bellamy froze.
Anthony looked around.
Vincent smiled.
“No Wi-Fi, Charles.”
Bellamy slowly turned toward him.
“But old hospitals have hard lines.”
Bellamy’s face changed.
Everything he had confessed was being transmitted outside.
To Rafael.
To Dominic.
And to federal investigators Sofia had quietly contacted months earlier.
Bellamy fired toward the communication box on the wall.
That was his mistake.
Vincent moved.
He slammed Bellamy into the operating table.
The gun fell.
Anthony ran for it.
Grace kicked the weapon away with both feet.
The door burst open.
Dominic entered.
He saw Anthony.
For one second, rage consumed his face.
Anthony smiled.
“Michael’s boy.”
Dominic raised his weapon.
Vincent said one word.
“Don’t.”
Dominic’s hand shook.
“He killed my father.”
“I know.”
“He let my mother die thinking Dad abandoned us.”
“I know.”
Anthony laughed.
“You don’t have the courage.”
Dominic stared at him.
Then lowered the weapon.
“No.”
Anthony smiled wider.
Dominic added:
“I have enough courage to let you live with everybody knowing what you are.”
Sirens sounded outside.
Anthony’s smile disappeared.
For the first time that night, he looked afraid.
Then a second shot rang out.
Grace gasped.
Anthony stumbled.
Bellamy stood behind him holding a small backup pistol.
Anthony collapsed.
Bellamy turned the gun toward Vincent.
Before he could fire again, Sofia slammed a metal tray into Bellamy’s wrist.
Dominic tackled him.
The gun skidded away.
Vincent grabbed it.
Bellamy looked up.
“Do it.”
Vincent aimed.
“You’d love that.”
Bellamy smiled.
“You’re still a Moretti.”
Vincent lowered the gun.
“That’s exactly why I’m not doing it.”
Then Grace whispered:
“Vincent…”
He turned.
Anthony was still alive.
And laughing.
“You think this ends with me?”
Vincent approached.
Anthony coughed blood.
“There’s one more document.”
“What document?”
May you like
Anthony smiled.
“The one that proves your precious Sofia signed the order that started all of this.”
