Chapter 4 - THE HOUSE WASN’T SAFE
“Back door,” Marco said.
Domenico didn’t move.
“You expect me to trust you?”
“No. I expect you to want your daughter alive.”
The front door handle moved.
Locked.
Then someone knocked.
Three calm taps.
Camilla whispered, “Dad…”
Domenico looked around.
The house had a security system, cameras and reinforced doors.
But the men outside didn’t look worried.
Marco said, “They have somebody inside your security company.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I’ve been paying them for nine years.”
Domenico stared at him.
“What?”
The knocking stopped.
A voice came from outside.
“Mr. Russo? We only want the envelope.”
Marco grabbed Camilla.
“Move.”
Domenico’s instincts finally overruled his anger.
He led them through the kitchen.
Behind the pantry was a service entrance installed during a renovation.
They reached the mudroom as glass shattered in the front of the house.
Camilla screamed.
“Go!”
They ran.
The rear door opened into a stone courtyard.
Domenico pushed Camilla ahead of him.
Marco followed.
A man came around the side of the house.
Black coat.
Gloves.
“Stop!”
Domenico didn’t.
The man reached inside his jacket.
Marco slammed a patio chair into him.
The man went down.
“Car!”
They ran toward Domenico’s SUV.
He hit the unlock button.
Another man appeared at the gate.
A gun flashed in his hand.
Domenico shoved Camilla behind the vehicle.
A shot cracked.
The rear window exploded.
“GET IN!”
Camilla climbed into the back.
Marco dove into the passenger side.
Domenico started the engine.
The SUV tore out of the driveway as another bullet hit the tailgate.
Camilla was sobbing.
“Who are these people?”
Neither man answered.
“WHO ARE THEY?”
Marco looked back.
“People your mother tried to expose.”
“You said she was investigating Dad!”
“She was.”
Domenico gripped the steering wheel.
“Make sense.”
Marco stared ahead.
“Your wife discovered money moving through Russo Development.”
“That’s what the letter said.”
“She assumed it was me.”
“Was it?”
“Yes.”
Domenico’s jaw tightened.
Marco continued quickly.
“But it wasn’t my money.”
“Whose?”
“I was moving it for other people.”
“What people?”
“Politicians. Developers. Contractors. Guys who needed cash cleaned without questions.”
Camilla stared at him.
“You laundered money through Dad’s company?”
“I kept it away from the legitimate books.”
“You used my company.”
Marco looked at Domenico.
“Yes.”
Domenico wanted to hit him again.
Instead he drove faster.
“Why did Isabella meet Mercer?”
“She went to the FBI.”
The road seemed to narrow.
“She was going to testify?”
“Eventually.”
“About you.”
“And you.”
Domenico snapped his head toward him.
“I didn’t know anything.”
“I know that now.”
“Now?”
Marco looked out the window.
“Back then, I wasn’t sure.”
Domenico understood.
“You thought I’d turn on you.”
“I thought you already had.”
“So you threatened my wife.”
Marco said nothing.
“Did you kill her?”
Camilla closed her eyes.
Marco’s jaw tightened.
“No.”
Domenico stared at him.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
They reached an intersection.
Marco pointed.
“Turn left.”
“The garage is right.”
“Don’t go to the garage.”
“That letter—”
“They’ll expect it.”
“Then where?”
Marco looked at the rearview mirror.
“To the man Isabella trusted more than either of us.”
“Mercer?”
“No.”
Domenico felt something cold twist in his stomach.
Marco spoke quietly.
“Your father.”
Domenico nearly missed the turn.
“My father has been dead for eleven years.”
May you like
Marco looked at him.
“That’s what you were told.”
