Chapter 10 - THE VAULT
The Russo Foundation gala began at eight.
Dominic arrived at eight-ten.
Black tuxedo.
Cold smile.
No visible weapon.
Everyone in Chicago believed the feud between Dominic and Victor had ended years ago.
That illusion lasted until Victor saw Chloe enter on Dominic’s arm.
Victor’s face changed.
Only for a second.
But Chloe saw it.
“Dominic.”
“Uncle.”
Victor kissed Chloe’s hand.
“So this is the famous nanny.”
Chloe forced a smile.
“You’ve heard of me?”
“Everyone has.”
Dominic’s eyes hardened.
“Careful.”
Victor laughed.
Music filled the ballroom.
Politicians drank champagne.
Judges shook hands.
Nobody realized half the room was about to become evidence.
Carlo slipped downstairs.
Rachel remained in a surveillance van.
Chloe and Dominic headed toward the private offices.
Victor followed.
“Where are you going?”
Dominic turned.
“Bathroom.”
“With the nanny?”
Dominic glanced at Chloe.
“She gets lost.”
Chloe smiled sweetly.
“Terrible sense of direction.”
Victor didn’t laugh.
They reached the elevator.
The doors closed.
Chloe exhaled.
“That was awful.”
Dominic almost smiled.
“You’re a terrible liar.”
“You’re the criminal.”
“Allegedly.”
She stared at him.
“Seriously?”
The elevator opened.
Carlo waited.
“Vault’s ahead.”
They reached a biometric door.
Chloe placed her thumb on the scanner.
Green light.
The door opened.
She stared.
Rows of files.
Cash.
Passports.
Hard drives.
Dominic whispered, “Jesus.”
Carlo began photographing everything.
Chloe found a ledger.
Victor’s handwritten accounts.
Payments.
Bribes.
Murder contracts.
Then she found Sofia’s name.
S. RUSSO — $250,000 — VEHICLE DEVICE.
Dominic saw it.
His face went blank.
Chloe took his hand.
“Stay with me.”
He looked at her.
“I am.”
Alarms suddenly screamed.
Carlo swore.
“He knows.”
The elevator locked.
Footsteps thundered down the hall.
Dominic pulled a pistol from beneath his jacket.
Chloe stared.
“You said no visible weapon.”
“It wasn’t visible.”
The vault door began closing automatically.
Carlo shouted.
“Move!”
They ran.
Gunfire erupted from the hallway.
Dominic returned fire.
Chloe ducked behind a pillar.
Carlo grabbed the ledger.
“Service stairs!”
They reached the emergency exit.
Locked.
Dominic kicked once.
Nothing.
Twice.
The door burst open.
Victor’s men appeared behind them.
Dominic fired.
Carlo fired.
Chloe ran downstairs.
Then someone grabbed her from the dark stairwell.
A hand covered her mouth.
A gun pressed against her ribs.
May you like
Victor’s voice whispered beside her ear.
“You look exactly like your mother did before she betrayed me.”
