Chapter 9 - SOFIA
Vincent couldn’t speak.
Rafael said, “There’s a warehouse near Pier 17. Come alone.”
“No.”
“Vincent.”
“If Sofia is really there, put her on.”
Silence.
Then breathing.
A woman said:
“You still hate being told what to do.”
Vincent closed his eyes.
Three years disappeared.
“Sofia.”
“You sound older.”
“You sound alive.”
“That’s usually how surviving works.”
His knees nearly gave out.
“Where are you?”
“Do what Rafael said.”
“Why didn’t you come home?”
Sofia went quiet.
“Because I didn’t know who inside that house was still working for Anthony.”
“You knew Grace was there.”
“I knew.”
“You let her carry this alone?”
“I tried to protect her.”
“You let me think you abandoned me.”
Sofia’s voice broke.
“You think I wanted that?”
Vincent gripped the phone.
“Three years, Sofia.”
“I know.”
“I buried you without a body.”
“I know.”
“I hated you because it hurt less than missing you.”
There was silence between them.
Then Sofia whispered:
“I know.”
Vincent’s anger collapsed for one second.
“Are you hurt?”
“Not anymore.”
“Grace?”
A pause.
“She’s alive.”
Vincent opened his eyes.
“You have her?”
“No. Anthony does.”
“Then why the hell are we talking?”
“Because Anthony wants you angry enough to walk into his trap.”
Vincent looked at Dominic.
“Where is he?”
“We don’t know yet.”
“Rafael betrayed Bellamy?”
“Yes.”
Vincent glanced toward Isabella.
“So Rafael was working with you.”
“For fourteen months.”
“Why not tell me?”
“Because the first time Rafael suggested it, somebody tried to kill him twelve hours later.”
Vincent understood.
The house was still compromised.
Sofia continued.
“Anthony has been monitoring your phones, your security feeds, your vehicles. Everything.”
“Through who?”
“We still don’t know.”
Vincent looked around his own bedroom.
Suddenly every wall felt hostile.
“Come home.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because Anthony has Grace.”
“That doesn’t answer me.”
“Yes, it does.”
Sofia’s voice changed.
“I won’t let another woman die because she helped me.”
Vincent heard movement.
Then Rafael spoke.
“We traced Anthony’s last signal.”
“Where?”
“Old Hudson Valley Medical Center.”
Vincent frowned.
“It closed eight years ago.”
“That’s why he chose it.”
Sofia came back on.
“Vince, there’s one more thing you need to know before you come.”
“What?”
“Anthony didn’t keep me alive because he wanted information.”
Vincent waited.
“He kept me alive because I saw something the night Michael died.”
“What?”
Sofia breathed slowly.
“Your father was there.”
Vincent froze.
“My father died fifteen years ago.”
“I know.”
“He couldn’t have been there.”
“That’s what I thought too.”
Vincent’s stomach turned.
May you like
Sofia whispered:
“Vince… I don’t think your father died when they told you he did.”
