Chapter 7 - THE GRAVE OF THE FIRST MARQUETTIThey reached the cemetery before dawn.
Rain fell steadily.
The old church stood abandoned.
Salvatore walked through the gate.
Tessa followed.
They stopped at a marble tomb.
The Marquetti family name was carved across it.
Salvatore knelt.
His fingers brushed the stone.
“He hated this place.”
“Your father?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he knew he didn't deserve to be buried here.”
Tessa looked at him.
“How do you know?”
“Your father told me.”
He found a loose stone beneath the grave.
Under it was a metal box.
Tessa's heart raced.
Salvatore opened it.
Inside was a leather book.
Black.
Old.
Heavy.
The Black Ledger.
Tessa reached for it.
A voice spoke behind them.
“You should have left it buried.”
They turned.
Victor Hale stood beneath an umbrella.
Around him were armed men.
Salvatore moved in front of Tessa.
Victor smiled.
“You really are predictable.”
“You killed my father.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at Tessa.
“Your father killed himself.”
Tessa froze.
“What?”
Victor continued.
“He knew they were coming.”
“He knew his family would be hunted.”
“He knew he could not protect you.”
“So he made a bargain.”
Tessa shook her head.
“What bargain?”
Victor looked at Salvatore.
“With him.”
Salvatore's jaw clenched.
Tessa turned.
“Did you know?”
Salvatore said nothing.
Her heart sank.
“You knew.”
“I knew part of it.”
“What part?”
“That your father wanted me to protect you.”
Victor laughed.
“For fourteen years.”
He looked at Tessa.
“You've been protected by the very man your father wanted you to trust.”
Tessa stared.
“What are you saying?”
Victor took out a gun.
“Ask him who really killed your father.”
Tessa turned toward Salvatore.
He looked exhausted.
Then he spoke.
“I did.”
Silence.
Tessa's world shattered.
“What?”
“I killed your father.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You said you didn't.”
“I said I wasn't the one who wanted him dead.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“He asked me to do it.”
Tessa stared in disbelief.
“Why?”
“He was dying.”
“From what?”
“A bullet.”
Salvatore looked at her.
“He knew they would torture him. He knew he'd reveal the location of the ledger.”
“He asked me to finish it.”
Tessa stepped backward.
“You killed him.”
“Yes.”
“Did you kill my mother?”
“No.”
“Did you kill anyone else?”
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“What a beautiful story.”
He lifted his weapon.
“But there's one part Salvatore forgot.”
“What?”
Victor looked at Tessa.
“Your father wasn't the only one who made a deal.”
Salvatore's face changed.
Victor fired.
Salvatore shoved Tessa aside.
The bullet struck him.
He fell.
Tessa screamed.
Victor stepped forward.
“Give me the ledger.”
Tessa clutched it.
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“Then your brother dies.”
A gunshot sounded behind him.
Victor staggered.
Evan stood holding a weapon.
Everyone froze.
Evan's face was calm.
He lowered the gun.
Then looked at Tessa.
May you like
And spoke clearly.
“I remember everything.”
