Chapter 14 - The Mansion Turned Against Them
Maya didn't sleep.
At six the next morning she was ready before anyone else.
Lorenzo found her standing beside the safe-house window.
"You should rest."
"You should stop saying things you know won't happen."
"Fair."
He handed her coffee.
"Above the sink?"
"I learned."
She almost smiled.
Leo remained with Dr. Grant, Sofia Rossi—who had flown in overnight—and six officers.
Maya liked Sofia immediately.
She looked nothing like Lorenzo except around the eyes.
"You must be Maya," Sofia said.
"You must be the normal Rossi."
Sofia laughed.
"My brother told you that?"
"He strongly implied it."
Lorenzo looked offended.
Sofia hugged him.
He stood awkwardly before eventually hugging back.
Watching them made Maya ache.
Family could be complicated.
Damaged.
Distant.
And still matter.
They reached Mercy General at seven.
The administrator met them in a private office.
She looked pale.
"We have a problem."
Maya already knew.
"The packet."
"It's missing."
Lorenzo's expression hardened.
"When?"
"Between eleven and midnight."
"Security footage?"
"We have someone entering the archive."
A screen displayed Matteo in maintenance clothes.
Maya closed her eyes.
"Always ahead."
Gabriel shook his head.
"Not this time."
"What do you mean?"
"He has the packet."
"Exactly."
"But we've been tracing the hospital's underground parking exits."
Gabriel showed a map.
"Vehicle left at 11:44. Traffic cameras followed it."
"Where?"
"Back toward the city."
Lorenzo frowned.
"Why?"
Gabriel zoomed in.
The route ended near the Rossi mansion.
Maya stared.
"He went back."
"Why?"
Lorenzo understood.
"The packet isn't complete."
"What?"
"Elena said the drive was the map."
They had the drive.
Matteo had Lily's packet.
Each contained part of the path.
He needed both.
But the drive remained with federal investigators.
Unless—
"There's another copy of the drive at the mansion," Lorenzo said.
Gabriel's face changed.
"Where?"
"Elena backed up everything on a private server."
"You told me it was wiped."
"I thought it was."
"Where is the server?"
"Basement office."
Gabriel called security.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
The mansion's system was offline.
For the third time.
But this time Matteo didn't need to infiltrate quietly.
Most Rossi security had been reassigned during the investigation.
The house stood half empty.
They returned with police.
The gates were open.
No guards.
Inside, the mansion looked untouched.
Too untouched.
Maya hated it.
"This place keeps getting creepier."
Lorenzo almost smiled.
"Wait until Christmas."
They moved toward the basement.
Police first.
Then Gabriel.
Lorenzo and Maya behind.
"You shouldn't be here," he whispered.
"Neither should you."
"It's my house."
"Apparently that's not the defense you think it is."
At the basement office they found the server cabinet open.
Hard drives removed.
Matteo had what he wanted.
Then a voice came from the hallway.
Mrs. Bell.
"He's going to burn it."
They turned.
She stood behind them.
Bruised.
Exhausted.
Alive.
Police raised weapons.
Bell lifted her hands.
"I'm not armed."
Lorenzo stared.
"How did you get here?"
"He brought me."
"Where is he?"
"Garage."
Police moved.
Bell shook her head.
"Too late."
Outside, an engine roared.
A car accelerated through the rear gate.
Gabriel cursed.
"Track it."
Officers ran.
Maya stayed focused on Bell.
"Why did he bring you?"
"He needed me to show him the server."
"You helped."
Bell's face collapsed.
"I spent my whole life helping the wrong people."
Lorenzo stepped closer.
"Why?"
Mrs. Bell looked at him.
For the first time, Maya saw not the intimidating household manager but an elderly woman whose entire identity had crumbled.
"Your father saved my family."
"How?"
"My brother owed money to men who would have killed him. Your father settled it."
"So you became his servant."
"I became useful."
"By spying on people."
"Yes."
"Recruiting vulnerable employees."
"Yes."
"Helping Matteo hurt my son."
Bell's eyes filled.
"I believed Leo would only be uncomfortable. Never endangered."
Maya's anger rose.
"He was starving."
"I know."
"You watched it happen."
"I know."
"Why didn't you stop?"
Bell looked at Maya.
"Because admitting I was wrong meant admitting my entire life had been built around the wrong idea of loyalty."
Maya felt no sympathy.
Not yet.
Maybe never.
But she understood the sentence.
People stayed in terrible situations because leaving forced them to admit what they'd already lost.
Daniel.
Bell.
Maybe Lorenzo too.
Bell continued.
"Matteo has the hospital packet and Elena's server drives."
"Where is he going?" Lorenzo asked.
"The harbor."
Gabriel looked up.
"Which harbor?"
"Rossi shipping warehouse twelve."
Lorenzo's expression darkened.
That building belonged to one of the companies under investigation.
Bell continued.
"He'll destroy everything and leave by boat."
"Why tell us?"
"Because I finally listened to Elena."
Lorenzo stared.
"Too late."
Bell nodded.
"I know."
Police took her into custody.
She didn't resist.
As they led her away, she stopped beside Maya.
"I'm sorry about your daughter."
Maya stiffened.
Bell continued.
"I knew what Daniel was doing and didn't warn you."
Maya's eyes filled.
"You could have saved her."
Bell closed her eyes.
"Maybe."
The word hurt more than denial would have.
Maya turned away.
Lorenzo stepped beside her.
"You don't have to forgive her."
"I know."
"Ever."
"I know."
Maya wiped her face.
"Let's finish it."
They headed toward the harbor.
Halfway there Gabriel received an alert.
Matteo's car reached warehouse twelve.
Police established a perimeter.
But another message arrived on Maya's phone.
A photograph.
Not of Bell.
Not of Daniel.
Of Leo.
Sleeping in the safe house.
Maya's heart stopped.
"What?"
Lorenzo grabbed the phone.
Below the photo:
You really thought I only had one man left?
Lorenzo called Sofia.
No answer.
Dr. Grant.
No answer.
Gabriel contacted officers at the safe house.
Static.
Then one voice.
"Intruder inside."
Lorenzo's face drained of color.
He ordered the driver to turn around.
The harbor disappeared behind them.
Matteo had done it again.
Made them choose between evidence and Leo.
But this time something was different.
Maya stared at the photograph.
Then zoomed in.
The blanket beside Leo was yellow.
At the safe house that morning, Maya had covered him with blue.
She looked at Lorenzo.
"This isn't current."
"What?"
"The blanket."
He stared.
Maya enlarged the photo.
On the bedside table sat a newspaper.
Yesterday's date.
"He's bluffing."
Gabriel immediately called the safe house again.
This time Sofia answered.
"We're fine."
Lorenzo shut his eyes.
Relief.
Then rage.
Maya grabbed his hand before he could act on it.
"Don't let him pull you away."
Lorenzo looked at her fingers around his.
Then at her face.
Elena's request.
Choose differently.
He turned toward the driver.
"Harbor."
May you like
And for the first time, Matteo's manipulation failed.
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