Chapter 4 - The Men at the Door
Luca moved first.
“Claire.
Take Noah upstairs.”
Vanessa stood so fast she hit the coffee table.
“No.
Don’t let them—”
“Who are they?”
“My father’s people.”
A knock landed on the front door.
Three hard blows.
Sal stepped away from the window.
“Two men.
Driver’s still inside.”
Luca looked at me.
“Stay with them.”
I followed Claire upstairs.
Noah kept turning around.
“Did I do something?”
“No.”
“Then why’s everybody whispering?”
I knelt in front of him.
“Because the grown-ups need to sort something out.
You don’t have to fix it.”
Downstairs, the door opened.
A man spoke with the confidence of someone used to being obeyed.
“We’re here for the boy.”
“By whose authority?” Luca asked.
“His grandfather arranged transportation.”
“His grandfather isn’t his mother.”
Papers rustled.
I couldn’t see what the man handed over.
Then Vanessa said, “That isn’t my signature.”
My stomach tightened.
Claire pulled Noah into her bedroom.
I stayed near the landing.
“You can discuss paperwork with Mr. Bellini,” the man said.
“We have a flight to catch.”
Footsteps entered the hall.
Luca’s voice changed.
“Take one more step.”
The footsteps stopped.
For a moment, nobody said anything.
Then my phone rang.
The same unknown number.
I answered and put it on speaker.
Victor Bellini’s voice was smooth enough to sell you the knife he had already put against your back.
“Miss Reed.
You’ve had an exciting evening.”
Luca held out his hand.
I hurried downstairs and gave him the phone.
“Your men are leaving,” he said.
A pause.
“Luca.
This is a private family arrangement.”
“You sent strangers to collect a child with a forged signature.”
“Vanessa gets emotional.”
“She said no.”
“Put my daughter on.”
Luca looked at Vanessa.
She shook her head.
“No,” he told Victor.
The man in the doorway glanced toward his partner.
Whatever he heard in Luca’s voice convinced him.
They backed out.
Sal shut the door and locked it.
Through the curtains, I watched the van pull away.
My knees finally remembered they were supposed to shake.
Luca ended the call.
“Everybody’s coming back with us.”
Claire grabbed her coat.
Vanessa stayed where she was.
“What?” Luca asked.
She looked at Sal.
“He’ll come after you first.”
Sal’s face had turned gray.
“Why?” Luca asked.
May you like
The old driver rubbed one hand over his mouth.
“Because I know what Adrian found.”
