Chapter 7 - THE WAREHOUSE
At 3:47 p.m., we entered the coal tunnel.
Grace walked between Evelyn and me.
I hated every second.
The air smelled of rust, wet concrete, and river water.
“How far?” Grace whispered.
“Two hundred feet.”
“Three people ahead.”
Evelyn stopped.
I heard nothing.
Grace held up three fingers.
“One heavy.”
She listened.
“One dragging his left foot.”
Evelyn looked impressed.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
We moved forward.
Thirty seconds later, three armed men appeared around the corner.
Grace had been right.
One limped.
Evelyn took the first man down before he raised his gun.
I drove the second into the wall.
The third reached for Grace.
She stepped sideways.
His hand caught air.
She struck his wrist with the baton.
His gun hit the floor.
Then she drove the end of the baton into his stomach.
He collapsed.
Grace stood over him, breathing hard.
“Did I hit him?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
I almost laughed.
Then I realized how terrifying that sentence was coming from my twelve-year-old.
We reached the warehouse floor.
Daniel sat beneath a hanging light.
Vittorio stood beside him.
Six armed men surrounded them.
We were outnumbered.
Vittorio smiled.
“Right on time.”
Evelyn moved toward Daniel.
A man blocked her.
“Not yet.”
Vittorio held out his hand.
“The chip.”
I took it from my pocket.
“Daniel first.”
“No.”
“Then we have nothing to discuss.”
“Dominic, you were always terrible at patience.”
“And you were always better at pretending to be family.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Give me the chip.”
Grace stepped forward.
“I have it.”
My head snapped toward her.
She reached beneath her shirt and pulled out Sofia’s pendant.
Vittorio smiled.
“There you are.”
I whispered, “Grace, what are you doing?”
“Trusting myself.”
She walked forward.
Vittorio crouched slightly.
“You know I never wanted to hurt you.”
Grace stopped.
“That’s funny.”
“What is?”
“You smell different.”
Vittorio blinked.
She continued.
“You used to smell like cedar and coffee.”
His smile disappeared.
“Now you smell like Grandpa’s basement.”
Vittorio looked confused.
Grace turned slightly toward me.
“Dad. Gasoline.”
My stomach dropped.
I looked toward the walls.
Red fuel cans.
All around us.
Vittorio had wired the building to burn.
He didn’t plan to let anyone leave.
“You were going to kill all of us,” I said.
Vittorio sighed.
“You were never supposed to find Sofia’s recording.”
Grace suddenly threw the pendant.
Not to Vittorio.
To Evelyn.
Chaos erupted.
Daniel kicked backward.
Evelyn caught the pendant.
I drew my gun.
Vittorio’s men fired.
We dove behind steel crates.
Grace crawled beside me.
“Stay down!”
“I am down!”
Gunfire tore through the warehouse.
Evelyn reached Daniel.
Then Vittorio grabbed Grace by the back of her jacket.
I turned.
His pistol pressed against my daughter’s temple.
“Drop it, Dominic.”
I froze.
“Dad,” Grace whispered.
May you like
Vittorio smiled.
“Now we find out whether Sofia taught you anything at all.”
