Chapter 3 - Eight Years of Silence
“Daniel?”
Sarah reached for the phone.
Vincent handed it over.
“Daniel, where are you?”
Breathing.
A muffled struggle.
Then Carlo returned.
“Family matters should stay inside the family.”
“Let me hear him again!”
The call ended.
Sarah stared at the screen.
Eight years of birthdays.
Eight years of explaining why other children had fathers at school pickup.
Eight years of catching herself listening for his key.
“He’s alive.”
Vincent looked at Luca.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
It came too fast.
Vincent’s eyes hardened.
Before he could press him, two officers entered.
Sarah rushed toward them.
“That man threatened me. He had a gun.”
She pointed at the stranger.
The younger officer moved to secure him.
The second stayed near the doorway.
Deputy Alan Voss.
Vincent knew him.
That was the problem.
Voss looked around the kitchen.
“What happened here?”
Sarah explained.
Voss glanced at the papers, then at the gun wrapped in Vincent’s handkerchief.
“This sounds like a tenant dispute that got out of hand.”
“He brought a gun into my home.”
“We’ll sort that out.”
Voss reached for the transfer documents.
Sarah pulled them away.
“These concern my missing husband.”
“Ma’am, don’t interfere.”
Vincent stepped forward.
“Give her an evidence receipt.”
Voss’s expression changed.
“You don’t run this department.”
“No. Apparently Carlo does.”
The younger officer stopped writing.
Voss lowered his voice.
“Careful.”
Sarah looked from one man to the other.
Then she made her choice.
She photographed every page before surrendering anything.
Voss noticed.
“Delete those.”
“Why?”
“They’re part of an investigation.”
“Then you should be happy I preserved them.”
The younger officer looked down to hide his expression.
Voss took the stranger into the hallway.
Before leaving, the man turned toward Emily’s bedroom.
“Cute kid.”
Marco blocked his view.
Sarah locked the door after them.
Then she faced Vincent.
“If your uncle has Daniel, you’re getting him back.”
“Yes.”
“And if you’re lying, I’m going to make sure everybody knows what you did.”
Vincent nodded.
A crash sounded downstairs.
Then another.
Marco went to the window.
A dark SUV waited at the curb.
Two men were pushing through the building’s front entrance.
Luca reached beneath his coat.
Vincent caught his wrist.
“No shooting in here.”
Sarah ran to Emily.
May you like
The hallway lights went out.
Through the door came the sharp smell of gasoline.
