Chapter 9 - The Woman in the Locked WardDominic refused to go alone.
He took Matteo.
Frank.
Norah.
And Elena.
They followed the coordinates found in Victor's message to an abandoned warehouse on the edge of the city.
Inside, an old radio played static.
Then Victor's voice.
“You brought everyone.”
Dominic shouted.
“Where is my father?”
“He's alive.”
“Show me.”
A light turned on above a metal chair.
Salvatore sat there.
Bound.
But alive.
Victor stood behind him.
Older.
Elegant.
A black coat.
Silver hair.
The face of a man who had spent thirty years making other people afraid.
“Hello, Dominic.”
Dominic raised his weapon.
Victor smiled.
“Do it.”
Dominic's finger tightened around the trigger.
Victor leaned toward Salvatore.
“One bullet.”
“You die.”
“And your father dies three seconds later.”
Norah stepped forward.
“Then why bring us?”
Victor looked at her.
His smile disappeared.
“Because of you.”
He studied her face.
“You look exactly like Rosa.”
Norah's heartbeat accelerated.
“You knew my grandmother.”
“I knew everything about her.”
“You tried to kill her.”
Victor shrugged.
“She was inconvenient.”
Rosa's voice echoed in Norah's memory.
If anything happens to me, Dominic's daughter will be proof that this family can still be saved.
Norah stared at Victor.
“You were scared of me before I even knew who I was.”
Victor's eyes hardened.
“Your grandmother had one weakness.”
“What?”
“You.”
Victor motioned to Salvatore.
“He loved the family more than he loved himself.”
“He doesn't anymore.”
Victor laughed.
“You don't understand men like your grandfather.”
Norah stepped closer.
“No.”
“I understand fear.”
She held up the silver pendant.
Victor's face changed.
Just slightly.
But Dominic noticed.
“You recognize it.”
Victor said nothing.
Norah stared.
“You've seen this before.”
Victor looked at her.
“Your mother wore one.”
Norah froze.
“My mother?”
Victor smiled.
“The night she died.”
The room went silent.
Dominic's face turned white.
“What did you do to her?”
Victor didn't answer.
Instead, he spoke to Salvatore.
“Tell them.”
Salvatore closed his eyes.
Victor leaned closer.
“Tell them what happened at Blackwater Bridge.”
Salvatore's breathing became shallow.
He whispered:
“Matteo.”
Dominic turned.
“What?”
Salvatore looked at his younger son.
“Your brother was there.”
Matteo's expression changed.
“I wasn't.”
“You were.”
“I was already gone.”
Salvatore shook his head.
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“This is why I kept Matteo alive.”
Norah looked between them.
“What happened?”
Matteo finally spoke.
“I was there.”
Dominic stared at him.
“You watched?”
“I tried to stop it.”
“Who killed my wife?”
Matteo looked at the floor.
Dominic's voice became a whisper.
“My wife was Norah's mother.”
Matteo closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
The air seemed to disappear.
Dominic stepped toward him.
“You knew?”
“I was too late.”
“Who killed her?”
Matteo whispered:
“I saw the car.”
“Whose car?”
Matteo looked up.
“Yours.”
Dominic froze.
“What?”
“Victor switched the plates.”
Dominic stared.
Matteo continued.
“You were supposed to be blamed.”
Victor laughed.
“You see?”
Dominic's hand trembled.
Victor leaned close to Salvatore.
“One last secret.”
He looked at Norah.
“Your mother didn't die at Blackwater Bridge.”
Norah's heart stopped.
Victor smiled.
May you like
“She survived.”
Then the warehouse doors exploded inward.
Related Stories
