Chapter 7 - Room 17 was beneath an old courthouse.Marcus unlocked the door.
Sadie entered.
The smell hit her first.
Dust.
Mold.
Something metallic.
There was an old chair in the center.
A table.
A hanging lamp.
Bloodstains on the floor.
Sadie stopped.
“This is where he died?”
Marcus nodded.
“Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“Who killed him?”
Marcus looked at the corner.
“Dominic.”
Sadie turned sharply.
“No.”
“He was here.”
“You said you killed him.”
“I did.”
“Then why blame Dominic?”
“Because Dominic watched.”
Marcus turned on the lamp.
A mirror covered one wall.
Old surveillance equipment sat beneath it.
Marcus pressed a button.
A video appeared.
Grainy.
Black and white.
Daniel Bennett sat in the chair.
Blood stained his shirt.
A younger Dominic stood nearby.
His face was bruised.
A much older man stood behind him.
Vittorio Russo.
Dominic's father.
Sadie watched.
Vittorio placed a folder on the table.
“Tell me where the boy is.”
Daniel said nothing.
Vittorio slapped him.
Dominic moved.
His father stopped him.
“Don't.”
Daniel looked at Dominic.
“Protect her.”
Dominic whispered:
“I will.”
Vittorio smiled.
“You won't.”
The recording distorted.
Then Sadie saw something.
A little boy stood outside the door.
Blue bracelet.
Marcus.
He was watching.
Sadie's hands shook.
Marcus lowered his head.
“I saw everything.”
“Why didn't you stop them?”
“I was twelve.”
“You could have told someone.”
“Who?”
Sadie had no answer.
The video continued.
Vittorio placed another document on the table.
Daniel suddenly laughed.
“You're too late.”
Vittorio frowned.
“For what?”
“She's already gone.”
“Where?”
Daniel smiled through blood.
“Somewhere you'll never find her.”
Vittorio pulled a gun.
Dominic turned.
“Father.”
Bang.
Daniel fell.
Sadie covered her mouth.
She couldn't breathe.
The video ended.
Marcus stood motionless.
“He didn't die immediately.”
Sadie looked at him.
“What?”
“He was alive for thirty-eight seconds.”
“How do you know?”
“I was there.”
“What happened?”
Marcus looked at her.
“He saw me.”
Sadie whispered:
“What did he say?”
Marcus's eyes filled with something dangerously close to grief.
“He said, 'Protect your sister.'”
Sadie broke down.
“Then why did you become this?”
Marcus looked away.
“Because I failed.”
Footsteps sounded behind them.
Dominic entered.
His left shoulder was bandaged.
His revolver pointed at Marcus.
“Get away from her.”
Marcus laughed.
“You survived.”
“Barely.”
“You should have stayed dead.”
Dominic's eyes hardened.
“You're the one who sent the giant.”
“I sent Gabriel.”
“Why?”
“To scare you.”
“Three guards were shot.”
“Collateral.”
Sadie stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Both men looked at her.
She held up the surveillance drive.
“My father told Dominic to protect me.”
“Yes,” Marcus said.
“And he tried.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you spend twenty-two years hunting him?”
Marcus's voice cracked.
“Because I thought he chose them.”
“Chose who?”
Marcus looked at Dominic.
“The man who ordered Daniel's death.”
Dominic's face changed.
“Marcus.”
“What?”
“Your father wasn't killed by Vittorio.”
Marcus went still.
Sadie stared.
Dominic continued.
“Vittorio pulled the trigger.”
“I watched him.”
“No.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“I mean he wasn't acting alone.”
Marcus frowned.
“Then who?”
Dominic looked at Sadie.
Her stomach tightened.
“The order came from someone inside your family.”
Marcus slowly turned.
“Which person?”
May you like
Dominic's answer was barely audible.
“Your mother.”
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