Chapter 5 - THE SECRET BEHIND HIS SILENCETessa called Evan immediately.
He answered on video.
His face was pale.
Tessa signed.
Tell me.
Evan looked at her.
Then slowly signed back.
I'm sorry.
Tessa's eyes filled with tears.
How long?
Evan hesitated.
Since I was nine.
She stared.
You can hear?
He shook his head.
Then pointed to his ear.
Not like you think.
Tessa frowned.
Evan typed instead.
I can read lips.
She remembered.
Every family dinner.
Every argument.
Every time Evan had seemed to know what someone said before she signed.
She had thought he was simply good at reading expressions.
Her voice broke.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Evan typed:
Because Dad made me promise.
Tessa felt sick.
“Promise what?”
Evan's hands moved.
Never tell anyone I saw the man who killed him.
Her heart stopped.
“Who?”
Evan looked away.
Then typed one name.
Salvatore.
Tessa stared.
Salvatore stepped toward the screen.
Evan immediately began signing.
He was there.
Salvatore nodded.
“I know.”
Evan shook his head.
No. You don't understand.
His hands moved faster.
He wasn't the killer.
Tessa stared.
“Then who?”
Evan's face changed.
He whispered the words this time.
“Dad's killer was wearing Salvatore's face.”
Tessa stopped breathing.
“What?”
Evan looked terrified.
Someone was impersonating him.
Salvatore's expression became lethal.
Victor.
It had to be Victor.
But Evan shook his head.
Not Victor.
Tessa looked at him.
“Who?”
Evan's fingers trembled.
Someone inside Salvatore's organization.
Salvatore went completely still.
His men immediately began checking the room.
Tessa noticed the change.
“Who?”
Salvatore's eyes hardened.
“My lieutenant.”
“Who is that?”
Before he could answer, the lights in the safehouse went out.
A gunshot cracked from upstairs.
Then another.
Salvatore pushed Tessa behind him.
His men rushed toward the stairs.
A scream echoed through the building.
Then silence.
Salvatore looked at Tessa.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Tessa.”
“I won't lose another person.”
He stared at her.
For one impossible second, neither moved.
Then he reached for her hand.
His fingers formed a sign.
Trust me.
She nodded.
They climbed together.
At the top floor, they found one of Salvatore's men dead.
Another was missing.
A door stood open.
Behind it was Evan.
Alive.
But standing beside him was Brett.
Tessa's manager.
Brett held a gun to Evan's head.
Tessa froze.
“Brett?”
He smiled.
“You really thought I was just a restaurant manager?”
Salvatore's gun came up.
Brett laughed.
“You can't shoot.”
“Try me.”
“You'll kill your brother.”
Tessa stepped forward.
“Why?”
Brett looked at her.
“Because your father stole something from us.”
“What?”
Brett smiled.
“The Black Ledger.”
Salvatore's face changed.
Everyone in the room noticed.
Tessa stared at him.
“What is the Black Ledger?”
Salvatore's voice was barely audible.
“The document that can destroy half of Chicago.”
Brett nodded.
“And your father hid it before he died.”
“Where?”
Brett looked at Tessa.
“That's what I've been trying to find out.”
He raised the gun.
“Your father left the clue with one person.”
Tessa's mouth went dry.
“Who?”
May you like
Brett smiled.
“You.”
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