Chapter 7 - The Woman Who Knew Too MuchIvy spent the next day inside Carmine’s private suite.
She hated it.
The windows had armed guards outside.
The doors had electronic locks.
She was protected.
And imprisoned.
Carmine entered with a tablet.
“We found the footage.”
“And?”
“Fake.”
“How?”
“Your face was digitally inserted.”
Ivy frowned.
“Who can do that?”
“Someone with access to our internal systems.”
“Gideon.”
“Maybe.”
“You keep saying maybe.”
“Because every time we get close to him, he disappears.”
Carmine placed the tablet down.
“He called me.”
“When?”
“Five minutes ago.”
Ivy stared.
“What did he say?”
“He wants to exchange something.”
“What?”
“You.”
Her blood froze.
“No.”
“He claims he can prove your father’s killer was inside my family.”
“What does he want?”
“You.”
She laughed nervously.
“This is insane.”
“Yes.”
Carmine leaned closer.
“Which is why I’m going.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
His eyebrows rose.
“Ivy.”
“You need me.”
“That is exactly what he wants you to believe.”
She shook her head.
“No. He wants to use me. That means I’m part of whatever this is.”
Carmine studied her.
Then he made a decision.
“You come with me.”
The exchange location was an abandoned train station.
Gideon stood on the platform.
He looked terrified.
“Boss.”
“Talk.”
Gideon raised both hands.
“I never touched the money.”
Carmine stared.
“Then why did you run?”
“Because they threatened my daughter.”
Silence.
Ivy whispered:
“Who?”
Gideon looked at her.
“The woman from the church.”
Carmine’s face darkened.
“She has a name.”
Gideon nodded.
“Maria Bellini.”
Carmine’s breathing changed.
“You know her.”
“Yes.”
“Who is she?”
Gideon looked at Ivy.
“Your father’s wife.”
Ivy staggered.
“My father remarried?”
“No.”
Gideon’s voice shook.
“She was your father’s killer.”
A gunshot cracked.
Gideon dropped.
Carmine pulled Ivy behind a concrete pillar.
Bullets tore through the station.
Carmine fired back.
Then another voice echoed through the darkness.
“You should have listened to me, Carmine.”
Ivy knew that voice.
The woman from the church.
Maria Bellini.
“Your father knew the truth.”
She laughed.
“And now his daughter is going to finish what he started.”
Carmine shouted:
“Why Ivy?”
Silence.
Then Maria answered:
“Because she has something her father died protecting.”
Ivy looked at Carmine.
“What?”
May you like
Maria laughed again.
“A memory.”
