Chapter 3 - The Photograph Behind the WallThe dead man who wasn't dead
The shouting downstairs stopped.
Too suddenly.
Dante's hand tightened around his weapon.
"Stay with Sophia."
I nodded.
He moved toward the door.
Then Sophia grabbed his wrist.
"Daddy."
Dante crouched.
"Stay here."
"Don't go."
His expression softened for exactly one second.
"I'm coming back."
He kissed her forehead.
Then he disappeared into the hallway.
I listened.
One second.
Two.
Five.
Then a gunshot exploded downstairs.
Sophia screamed.
I covered her ears.
"It's okay."
It wasn't.
Nothing about Dante Russo's house was okay.
The floor shook beneath us.
Footsteps thundered up the staircase.
I pulled Sophia behind me.
The bedroom door flew open.
A man stood there.
Black suit.
Silver hair.
A scar crossing his cheek.
His eyes landed on me.
He looked confused.
Then terrified.
"You're alive."
I whispered:
"Who are you?"
He stared at the necklace around my neck.
"Elena's daughter."
I felt sick.
"You know my mother?"
He stepped closer.
"Your mother was supposed to be dead."
I backed away.
Sophia clung to my leg.
Then another voice came from the hallway.
"Step away from them."
Dante.
He stood behind the man, blood on his shirt.
The stranger smiled.
"Still protecting the family, Dante?"
Dante raised his weapon.
"Victor."
The man's smile widened.
"My nephew."
Sophia whispered:
"Uncle Victor."
Victor Russo looked at her.
"Come here, sweetheart."
Sophia buried her face against me.
Victor's expression changed.
Something dark passed through his eyes.
"You've already poisoned her against us."
Dante stepped forward.
"You disappeared seven years ago."
"I had to."
"You were buried."
"That's what everyone needed to believe."
I looked at Dante.
"What's happening?"
Nobody answered.
Victor looked directly at me.
"Your mother knew."
"Knew what?"
"That Dante's father was murdered."
Dante's jaw clenched.
"Enough."
Victor laughed.
"Tell her."
"Shut up."
"Tell her why Lucia disappeared."
That word broke something in the room.
I stared at Dante.
He looked away.
"Why did Lucia disappear?"
Silence.
"Answer me."
Dante finally spoke.
"She discovered a ledger."
"What ledger?"
"A list of payments."
"To whom?"
"Police. Judges. Politicians."
Victor continued.
"And names inside the Russo organization."
I looked at Dante.
"Your own family?"
"Yes."
Victor moved toward me.
"Lucia was going to expose them."
"And you?"
"I tried to stop her from making the mistake."
I wanted to believe him.
I didn't.
"What does this have to do with my mother?"
Victor's face went pale.
"Elena kept the original ledger."
Dante turned sharply.
"What?"
Victor nodded.
"Your mother hid it before she was killed."
"My mother wasn't killed."
Victor looked at me.
"You really don't know."
"Know what?"
He stepped closer.
"The woman buried under your mother's name wasn't your mother."
My breath caught.
"What?"
Victor's eyes dropped to the necklace.
"Your mother vanished twenty-four years ago."
"That's impossible."
"Ask your mother."
"She's dead."
Victor whispered:
"No, Elina."
He looked at Dante.
"She's alive."
Dante's entire face changed.
And then someone fired a shot through the window.
Victor jerked backward.
Blood spread across his chest.
Sophia screamed.
Dante caught him.
Victor gasped.
"Basement."
"What?"
"The old bakery."
Dante stared at him.
Victor grabbed his collar.
"Your father hid everything beneath the bakery."
His eyes moved toward me.
"She's waiting for you."
Then he stopped breathing.
I stared at the dead man.
Dante stood frozen.
"Who's waiting?"
Victor's hand loosened.
Something small dropped onto the floor.
A brass key.
May you like
Engraved with one word.
VALDEZ.
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