Chapter 6 - THE BLACK LEDGERWhen the lights returned, Marcus was gone.
Tony had disappeared.
Elena had vanished.
I was alone.
A small black book sat on the chapel altar.
The Black Ledger.
I opened it.
Names.
Thousands of them.
Political figures.
Lawyers.
Judges.
Police.
Businessmen.
People I had never met.
Then I saw one name.
My own.
VINCENT MORETTI
Below it was written:
ROLE: SUCCESSOR
And beneath that:
STATUS: UNTRUSTED
I turned the page.
There was another entry.
MARCUS MORETTI
ROLE: EXECUTIONER
My hands went cold.
Then another.
ELENA CRUZ
ROLE: WITNESS
Next page.
TONY BELLINI
ROLE: TRAITOR
And then the final entry.
ADRIAN MORETTI
ROLE: ARCHITECT
I heard footsteps behind me.
Adrian entered.
“You weren't supposed to find that yet.”
I turned.
“Who wrote it?”
“Father.”
“You betrayed him?”
“No.”
“He tried to kill you.”
“He tried to kill everyone.”
Adrian took the ledger.
“This book isn't a record.”
“What is it?”
“A weapon.”
He opened a hidden compartment.
Inside was a USB drive.
“You want to know why I disappeared?”
“Yes.”
“Because our father didn't die naturally.”
I stared at him.
“He was murdered.”
“By who?”
Adrian looked toward the door.
Then whispered:
“By the person who raised you after I disappeared.”
My heart stopped.
Marcus.
But Marcus hadn't been old enough.
I turned back.
Adrian was gone.
Only the USB remained.
May you like
And a note.
THE KILLER IS ALREADY INSIDE YOUR HOUSE.
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