Chapter 6 - The Door Beneath the Library
Mara knew something was wrong three blocks after leaving the Romano residence.
The driver had introduced himself as Daniel.
Dante had supposedly sent him.
That alone should have made her suspicious.
Dante did not "supposedly" do anything.
He issued instructions with irritating precision.
Still, Mara had received a message from what appeared to be Luca's number.
Vincent wants to speak to you. Dante requested you come separately.
She had gone.
Now the SUV traveled south instead of toward St. Catherine's.
Mara looked at the driver.
"Hospital is west."
"Road closure."
"No."
He glanced in the mirror.
"Excuse me?"
"I checked traffic before leaving."
Silence.
Mara reached for the door.
Locked.
Her pulse increased.
Then a voice came from behind her.
"Trying to jump out of moving vehicles must be contagious around the Romano family."
She turned.
A man sat in the rear-facing seat she had assumed was empty beneath a dark coat.
Gabriel Moretti.
She recognized him from photographs in Dante's home.
Tall.
Handsome.
Early forties.
The sort of face designed to make people trust him.
"Arya's godfather."
Gabriel smiled.
"I prefer Gabriel."
Mara held the cardboard star box tighter.
"What do you want?"
"Conversation."
"You could have called."
"You wouldn't have answered."
"Correct."
He laughed.
"I understand why Arya likes you."
"Let me out."
"Can't."
Mara's hands shook.
She hid them beneath the box.
"What happens now?"
"Depends on you."
"That's reassuring."
"I need something Vivien left."
"I don't have anything."
Gabriel looked at the box.
Mara followed his gaze.
"These are paper stars."
"I know."
"Then you also know Dante has already read them."
"Not all."
Mara said nothing.
Gabriel leaned forward.
"My cousin is emotional where Vivien is concerned."
"Dante? Emotional?"
"You've known him one day."
"I've seen enough."
"You haven't."
Gabriel's smile disappeared.
"Dante is dangerous because he thinks control makes him moral."
Mara looked out the window.
"Are you trying to convince me you're the good guy?"
"No."
That answer surprised her.
"I'm trying to convince you there aren't any."
The SUV entered an industrial district.
Warehouses appeared beyond snowbanks.
Mara's breathing became faster.
She focused.
One.
Two.
Three.
Just breathe while I fold.
Emily's voice.
She reached into the star box.
Gabriel watched.
"What are you doing?"
"Trying not to panic."
She removed a piece of paper.
Folded one corner.
Then the other.
Her hands steadied.
Gabriel's expression changed.
"Vivien did that."
"So did Emily."
He stared at her.
"You remember your sister?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"You were younger than I expected when this started."
Mara stopped folding.
"When what started?"
Gabriel leaned back.
"Emily wasn't investigating random children."
"I know."
"She was trying to find one child."
"Who?"
"A girl named Sofia Reyes."
The name meant nothing to Mara.
"Why?"
"Because Sofia witnessed something."
"What?"
"One of our drivers killing a social worker who refused to approve falsified transfer paperwork."
Mara felt sick.
"Your driver."
Gabriel smiled faintly.
"Careful with pronouns."
"Was Emily trying to protect Sofia?"
"Yes."
"What happened?"
"She moved Sofia."
"Where?"
"Nobody knew."
"Then you killed Emily."
Gabriel's eyes hardened.
"No."
"Who did?"
"I don't know."
"Liar."
"Believe whatever makes this easier."
Mara looked at the paper star in her hand.
Emily had died protecting a child.
That sounded exactly like her.
"What does Vivien's archive have to do with Sofia?"
Gabriel's smile returned.
"Archive?"
Mara realized her mistake.
Too late.
"You found it."
He leaned forward.
"Where?"
She said nothing.
His voice hardened.
"Where, Mara?"
She looked directly at him.
"Apparently Dante was right."
"About?"
"You're less intelligent than you think."
Gabriel grabbed her wrist.
The driver flinched.
Mara did not.
"Careful," she whispered.
"Why?"
"Because if Dante finds bruises on me, I suspect your remaining life will become inconvenient."
Gabriel stared at her.
Then laughed.
"You're using his reputation after twenty-four hours?"
"I'm adaptable."
He released her.
The SUV stopped.
Gabriel opened the door.
A warehouse stood beside the frozen river.
"Walk."
Mara stepped into the snow.
Meanwhile Dante's convoy tore south through traffic.
Luca tracked Gabriel's vehicle from toll-camera footage.
"He turned toward Calumet."
"Warehouse?"
"Could be."
Dante called Gabriel repeatedly.
No answer.
Vincent had insisted on leaving the hospital despite medical orders and now sat in the third SUV surrounded by guards.
Dante had initially refused.
Vincent told him one sentence.
"If Gabriel has Mara, he'll take her where your father stored the old ledgers."
Dante let him come.
Arya remained with Mrs. Alvarez and six guards Dante personally chose.
For the first time since Vivien's death, he kissed his daughter goodbye before leaving.
Not her forehead.
Both cheeks.
Then he said the thing he usually avoided because promises created weaknesses.
"I'll come back."
Arya had looked at him.
"And Mara?"
Dante hesitated.
"Her too."
Now those words echoed inside his head.
Her too.
Luca looked across the SUV.
"She's smart."
"I know."
"Gabriel won't kill her until he has what he wants."
"I know."
"Dante."
"What?"
"This isn't your fault."
Dante turned slowly.
"Never say that to me again."
Luca understood.
Because whether or not Dante had caused this particular betrayal, his family had created the world in which it happened.
And Dante was finished pretending inheritance absolved him.
At the warehouse, Gabriel led Mara through a narrow office.
There were no children.
No prisoners.
Only crates and old records.
That gave her small relief.
Gabriel placed a laptop on a table.
"Call Dante."
"No."
"Tell him to bring Vivien's archive."
"No."
Gabriel sighed.
"You're making this dramatic."
"You kidnapped me."
"I borrowed you."
"That sounds even worse."
His patience faded.
"Mara."
"No."
He approached.
"Do you know what happens if Dante finds those ledgers?"
"Hopefully prison."
"To who?"
"You."
"Maybe."
Gabriel smiled.
"But also him."
Mara frowned.
"Dante wasn't involved."
"Are you sure?"
"You wouldn't be trying this hard if he was."
Gabriel's smile vanished.
Mara had guessed correctly.
The records could expose crimes committed under Romano companies—but not necessarily by Dante.
Gabriel needed them destroyed because Dante could survive them.
He couldn't.
Mara's phone suddenly vibrated.
Gabriel glanced down.
A message from Dante.
Look at the star you folded in the car.
Mara froze.
How could he know?
Then she realized.
The star box contained a tracker.
Perhaps Dante had placed it after the fire.
Gabriel hadn't noticed the message.
Mara reached into her pocket as though nervous.
She unfolded the paper.
There was nothing written inside.
But when she held it toward the window, something appeared faintly beneath the light.
Emily had taught her this.
Pressure writing.
Indentations from another sheet.
Mara tilted the paper.
Four numbers.
3-1-4-7.
A code.
She looked around.
The warehouse office had several locked cabinets.
One digital safe.
Four-digit keypad.
3147.
Mara waited until Gabriel turned toward the driver.
Then crossed quietly toward the safe.
Entered the code.
Green light.
The door opened.
Inside was an envelope.
Her name was written across it.
MARA.
She stared.
"What are you doing?"
Gabriel turned.
His face changed.
"No."
Mara grabbed the envelope.
Gabriel lunged.
She ran.
The warehouse erupted.
Outside, engines roared.
Black SUVs crashed through the front gates.
Dante had arrived.
Gunshots struck metal somewhere outside.
Mara ducked behind crates.
Gabriel followed.
"Give me the envelope!"
"No!"
He grabbed her hoodie.
Mara twisted away.
A door exploded inward.
Dante entered with Luca.
Gabriel pulled a gun.
Dante already had his raised.
The two cousins faced each other across twenty feet of warehouse floor.
Mara crouched behind a crate clutching the envelope.
Dante's voice was terrifyingly calm.
"Put it down."
Gabriel laughed.
"For her?"
"For yourself."
"You think this woman matters?"
Dante did not answer.
Gabriel saw the answer anyway.
His eyes moved toward Mara.
Then back.
"Oh."
A smile formed.
"This is interesting."
Dante's jaw tightened.
"Gun."
Gabriel backed toward another exit.
"Ask her what's in the envelope."
Dante didn't look away from him.
"Mara?"
She opened it.
Inside were three photographs and a letter.
The first photograph showed Emily.
The second showed Vivien.
The third showed a little girl.
Sofia Reyes.
Mara turned the photograph over.
A sentence was written across the back.
Sofia is alive. She knows who ordered both murders.
Mara looked up.
Gabriel had seen her expression.
He smiled.
"You finally understand."
Then the warehouse lights went out.
A gunshot cracked through darkness.
When emergency lighting returned, Gabriel was gone.
And Dante was on the floor.
May you like
Blood spread across his white shirt.
---
