Chapter 12 - THE BROTHER WHO STAYED BEHIND
Michael fired first.
His bullet hit Delaney’s shoulder.
Delaney spun.
Domenico pulled Camilla through the rear corridor.
Giuseppe followed.
Marco stayed on the floor.
“Marco!”
Domenico stopped.
Camilla grabbed him.
“Dad!”
He couldn’t leave his brother.
Not like that.
Not after Isabella.
Not after his father.
Not after eleven years of lies and funerals.
Domenico turned back.
Delaney’s men were scrambling in the darkness.
He ran to Marco.
Blood covered Marco’s side.
“You’re an idiot,” Domenico said.
Marco coughed.
“Yeah.”
Domenico lifted him.
“You’ve always been an idiot.”
“Also true.”
They staggered toward the exit.
Outside, sirens echoed in the distance.
Delaney heard them.
His expression changed.
“You called police?”
Michael shook his head.
Giuseppe smiled.
“I did.”
Delaney laughed.
“You think police help you?”
“Not Newark police.”
Giuseppe looked toward the sound.
“Federal.”
Delaney ran.
Two of his men followed.
Michael pursued.
Domenico shouted.
“Let him go!”
Michael ignored him.
Domenico helped Marco outside.
Camilla pressed both hands against Marco’s wound.
“Stay awake.”
Marco looked at her.
“Sorry about your boyfriend.”
She laughed through tears.
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Good.”
“You liked him.”
“I lied.”
Despite everything, Domenico almost smiled.
Then Marco’s eyes rolled.
“Marco.”
No response.
“MARCO!”
Federal vehicles flooded the parking lot.
Agents poured out.
Paramedics followed.
Domenico watched them carry his brother away.
Then a woman in an FBI jacket approached.
“Domenico Russo?”
“Yes.”
“Special Agent Rachel Kim.”
“Daniel Mercer?”
Her face changed.
“You know he’s alive.”
“Yes.”
She glanced toward Giuseppe.
“We’ve been trying to locate him for six months.”
“Michael has him.”
“No.”
Domenico frowned.
“What?”
“Michael doesn’t have his father.”
Camilla froze.
“He sent me photographs.”
Agent Kim pulled out a tablet.
She showed them another image.
Daniel Mercer, restrained in a chair.
Same room.
Same newspaper.
But wider angle.
A man stood behind the camera reflection in a mirror.
Frank Delaney.
Camilla stared.
“Michael thought he had him?”
Kim nodded.
“Delaney was feeding Michael information, making him believe the Russo family was responsible.”
Domenico understood.
“He turned Michael against us.”
“And used him to find the ledger.”
“Where is Michael?”
Gunshots echoed from behind the church.
Camilla ran before anyone could stop her.
“Michael!”
Domenico chased her.
They rounded the building.
Michael was kneeling beside a black SUV.
Delaney had a gun pressed to his head.
“Stop!”
Delaney looked at Domenico.
Blood soaked his shoulder.
His expression was pure hatred.
“Ledger.”
Domenico held it up.
Michael shouted.
“Don’t give it to him!”
Delaney pressed the gun harder.
Domenico took one step.
“Let him go.”
“Ledger first.”
Camilla cried.
“Dad…”
Domenico tossed the ledger.
Delaney caught it.
Michael closed his eyes.
Delaney smiled.
May you like
“Thank you.”
Then he shot Michael.
