Chapter 4 - THE BOY
I nearly dropped the phone.
Matteo saw the picture.
His face turned white.
“What?”
“They have Alessandro.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Apparently not.”
The elevator continued downward.
B2.
B3.
I stared at the message.
BRING US THE BOY.
“Why Logan?”
Matteo didn’t answer.
I grabbed his jacket.
“Why do they want my son?”
“I don’t know.”
“You people keep saying that.”
“I’m telling you the truth.”
“Are you?”
The elevator doors opened.
Underground parking.
Empty except for rows of hospital vehicles.
Car seventeen was a black SUV.
Matteo unlocked it.
“Get in.”
“No.”
“Catherine.”
“They specifically asked for my child. Before I go anywhere with you, I need answers.”
Matteo looked around the garage.
“We stand here arguing, we die.”
“Then talk while we drive.”
I climbed into the back with Logan.
Matteo started the engine.
We shot toward the exit.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Who is this?”
A man laughed.
“Mrs. Winters.”
My skin crawled.
“Where’s Alessandro?”
“Still alive.”
“Who are you?”
“Someone who wants what your husband stole.”
“David?”
“So Alessandro told you.”
“Where is my husband?”
Silence.
Then:
“Closer than you think.”
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Matteo looked at me through the mirror.
“What did he say?”
“That David stole something.”
Matteo’s jaw tightened.
“Then it’s the ledger.”
“What ledger?”
He hesitated.
“Seven years of payments.”
“To whom?”
“Police. Judges. Port officials. Federal agents.”
I felt sick.
“You’re telling me David kept a list of corrupt officials?”
“Not a list. Records. Transfers. Dates. Account numbers.”
“And everyone wants it.”
“Yes.”
“Why would David have it?”
“Because he built the system that tracked it.”
I stared at him.
“You said he was a forensic accountant.”
“He was.”
“For Alessandro.”
“No.”
That got my attention.
Matteo took a hard turn.
“David came to us through someone else.”
“Who?”
“A federal task force.”
My stomach dropped.
“David worked for the government?”
“He worked with them.”
“Doing what?”
“Following Romano money.”
I looked at Logan, who had finally fallen quiet against my chest.
“So my husband was investigating Alessandro?”
“At first.”
“At first?”
“Then David found out the task force was dirty too.”
The SUV emerged onto a deserted Baltimore street.
Rain had started falling.
Matteo continued.
“Somebody inside the government was taking Romano money while helping a rival crew move weapons through the port.”
“Who?”
“We never knew the top name.”
“David did.”
“Yes.”
The phone rang again.
This time a different number.
I answered.
“Catherine?”
My heart stopped.
That voice.
Older.
Rougher.
But unmistakable.
“David?”
Matteo slammed on the brakes.
I grabbed the seat.
“David?”
Heavy breathing.
Then my husband spoke.
“Cat, listen to me.”
Tears filled my eyes instantly.
“Oh my God.”
“Listen.”
“Where are you?”
“Don’t go with Matteo.”
I looked toward the driver.
Matteo stared at me through the mirror.
David continued.
“He’ll take you to Alessandro’s safe house.”
“How do you know?”
“Because that’s what they want.”
“Who?”
“The people hunting me.”
My hands shook so badly I almost dropped the phone.
“You’re alive.”
“I know.”
“You let me bury you.”
“I know.”
“You let our son grow up without you.”
His voice broke.
“Catherine—”
“Don’t you dare Catherine me!”
Logan woke.
“Mommy?”
I lowered my voice.
“Where are you?”
David breathed heavily.
“I can’t tell you.”
“Then why call?”
“Because Logan is in danger.”
“Everybody keeps saying that!”
“Captain Bear.”
I looked at the stuffed bear in Logan’s arms.
“What about it?”
“Get rid of it.”
I frowned.
“That was your last gift to him.”
“I know.”
David’s voice became urgent.
“Cat, I need you to open the back seam.”
I pulled the bear from Logan.
“No! Captain!”
“One second, sweetheart.”
My fingers found the stitched seam.
Something hard was inside.
I tore the fabric.
A tiny black object dropped into my palm.
A memory card.
Matteo swore.
“What is that?”
David whispered through the phone.
May you like
“The reason they’re hunting our son.”
Then the call went dead.
