Chapter 8 - THE TRAITOR IN THE SAFE HOUSE

“Everybody down!”

Paolo shouted into the phone.

Marco reacted instantly.

He pulled Elise away from the window as a shot shattered the glass.

Carmela screamed.

Talia dropped behind the sofa.

Another round slammed into the wall.

Marco dragged Elise toward the hallway.

“Back stairs!”

Darius turned the car around.

Paolo’s voice remained on speaker.

“Marco, talk to me.”

“Shooter across the street.”

“Can you see him?”

“No.”

“Get Elise out.”

“What about Carmela and Talia?”

Paolo hesitated.

Six hours earlier, he might have said leave them.

Now?

He hated what they had done.

But he would not become Renato.

“Take everyone.”

Marco moved.

Then the line went dead.

Paolo stared at his phone.

“Turn around,” he told Darius.

“Boss—”

“Turn around!”

They raced back toward the safe house.

Eight minutes later, they arrived.

Police sirens were approaching in the distance.

Paolo entered through the rear door.

“Elise!”

“In here!”

She was alive.

So were Carmela and Talia.

Marco stood beside a wounded guard.

Paolo grabbed Elise.

“You okay?”

“Yes.”

“Ava?”

Elise shook her head.

No news.

Carmela stood in the kitchen.

“This is my fault.”

Paolo looked at her.

“Yes.”

Talia snapped, “Enough!”

Everyone turned.

She pointed at Paolo.

“She admitted she was wrong.”

Paolo stared at his sister.

“You want me to thank her?”

“I want you to understand she’s not Renato.”

“No. She just helped Renato.”

“She didn’t know what he was doing.”

Paolo laughed.

“That defense is getting old.”

Talia’s eyes filled.

“You weren’t here.”

“Because I was lying in a hospital bed after being shot!”

“And we thought you were dead!”

“Because she made sure you did!”

Talia looked away.

Elise stepped between them.

“Stop.”

Paolo looked at her.

“Our daughter is missing.”

That ended the argument.

Marco entered.

“We caught somebody in the alley.”

“Who?”

“A driver.”

“Bring him.”

Two men dragged a nervous-looking security officer into the room.

Paolo recognized him immediately.

“Evan.”

Evan Pike had worked for the Ventrescas for five years.

He had guarded Ava’s birthday party.

Driven Elise to doctor appointments.

Eaten Christmas dinner with the security team.

Paolo’s expression hardened.

“You.”

Evan looked down.

Marco shoved him into a chair.

“He gave the sniper access to the roof.”

Paolo walked closer.

“How long?”

Evan said nothing.

Paolo grabbed his chin and forced him to look up.

“How long have you worked for Renato?”

“Two years.”

Elise gasped.

Paolo released him.

“Where is Ava?”

“I don’t know.”

Darius stepped closer.

Evan panicked.

“I swear!”

“Who does know?”

“Renato changes locations.”

“The cannery?”

Evan’s eyes moved.

There.

The smallest reaction.

Paolo saw it.

“So she’s there.”

Evan shook his head.

“No.”

“You just told me she was.”

“I didn’t!”

Paolo leaned closer.

“Who else inside my house works for him?”

Evan’s breathing changed.

“Nobody.”

Paolo smiled coldly.

“Wrong answer.”

Evan broke.

“Victor.”

“We know Victor.”

“Not him.”

Paolo frowned.

Evan swallowed.

“Someone closer.”

The room went quiet.

“Who?”

Evan looked at Marco.

Then at Darius.

Then at Elise.

Finally, his eyes settled on—

Talia.

Talia went pale.

“No.”

Evan whispered, “Ask her where she was the night Ava was taken.”

Paolo turned.

Talia stared at him.

“I was upstairs.”

Elise shook her head.

“No.”

Everyone looked at her.

Elise’s expression changed.

“You weren’t.”

Talia backed away.

“Yes, I was.”

Elise stared at her.

“I went looking for you.”

Paolo’s voice dropped.

“Talia.”

His sister started crying.

“Paolo, listen to me.”

“Where were you?”

She shook her head.

“Talia.”

May you like

THE MAID’S DAUGHTER

“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE,” HIS FIANCÉE TOLD THE MAID—THEN THE MAFIA BOSS LOOKED AT HER LITTLE GIRL“Get out of my house. And take that...

**MY HUSBAND CALLED ME A “BARREN LEECH”—HE DIDN’T KNOW MY MONEY WAS KEEP...

My husband threw his wedding ring at my feet and told security to remove the “barren leech” from the ballroom.He had no idea he wa...

MY DAUGHTER’S NOTE STOPPED MY WEDDING—AND EXPOSED MY BRIDE

MY DAUGHTER SLIPPED ME A NOTE BEFORE “I DO”—AND EXPOSED MY BRIDE’S PLANPART 1 — TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE VOWS“Daddy, if you marry he...

She whispered, “I was meeting Renato.”

And suddenly no one in the room knew which side she was on.