Chapter 3 - The Man in the PhotographLorenzo didn't sleep.
Neither did Nora.
At four in the morning, they sat inside a private office beneath the club.
The room had no windows.
No cameras.
No outside access.
Lorenzo placed two photographs on the desk.
One showed Leo.
The other showed Lorenzo's father.
They were standing together in front of a warehouse.
The date stamped on the corner was eleven years old.
Lorenzo stared at it.
“My father hated Leo.”
Nora frowned.
“You knew him?”
“Not personally.”
“Then how do you know?”
“Because my father mentioned his name once.”
“When?”
“The week before he died.”
Nora lowered her eyes.
“What did he say?”
Lorenzo leaned back.
“He told me never to trust a man who smiles when everyone else is afraid.”
Nora's face tightened.
“That sounds like Leo.”
“Yes.”
He tapped the photograph.
“But my father wouldn't have been standing beside him unless something was wrong.”
Nora nodded.
“There was another clue.”
She reached into her bag and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
Lorenzo opened it.
Three words were written in his father's handwriting.
THE NIGHT TRAIN.
His jaw tightened.
“What is this?”
“I found it behind Daniel's photograph.”
“Why didn't you show me earlier?”
“Because I didn't know if I could trust you.”
Lorenzo looked at her.
“And now?”
Nora held his gaze.
“I still don't know.”
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“Smart.”
For the first time, she almost smiled.
Then the office phone rang.
Lorenzo picked it up.
His security chief spoke quickly.
“Boss, we found something.”
“What?”
“Leo's car was abandoned three blocks away.”
“So?”
“There was blood inside.”
Nora stood.
“Whose?”
His chief hesitated.
“We don't know.”
Lorenzo looked at Nora.
“Where's Leo?”
“Missing.”
A cold silence filled the room.
Then the chief added:
“There's one more thing.”
“What?”
“They found a woman's necklace in the back seat.”
Nora touched her throat.
Her necklace was gone.
The necklace Daniel had given her.
She looked at Lorenzo.
“He has it.”
Lorenzo stood.
“Then we find him.”
Nora grabbed his arm.
“Wait.”
“What?”
“Don't go after Leo.”
“Why?”
“Because he wants you to.”
Lorenzo stared at her.
“What are you saying?”
Nora pointed to the photograph.
“Look at the warehouse.”
He studied it.
A faded sign hung above the entrance.
BLACK RIVER STORAGE.
Lorenzo knew the place.
Everyone in his world knew it.
The warehouse had been demolished eight years ago.
Or so he thought.
He pulled up a city map.
The location still existed.
But the records showed no ownership.
No building.
No registered property.
Nothing.
Nora whispered:
“My brother told me the warehouse wasn't really destroyed.”
Lorenzo looked at her.
“Where is it?”
“Under the city.”
His expression changed.
“Underground?”
She nodded.
“Daniel said the real warehouse was built beneath the old train station.”
Lorenzo stared at the map.
The train station.
The night train.
The key marked 17.
Suddenly the pieces began connecting.
Locker 17.
Black River.
His father.
Leo.
Daniel.
And whatever had been buried eleven years ago.
Lorenzo grabbed his coat.
Nora stood.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“You need me.”
“No.”
“You don't know what you're looking for.”
He stepped closer.
“Then tell me.”
Nora looked into his eyes.
“I know exactly what we're looking for.”
“What?”
May you like
She whispered:
“The reason your father had to die.”
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