Chapter 12 - Two Children, One Father
Her name was Sofia.
Seven years old.
Matteo’s younger half-sister.
Elena had not seen her in four years.
“Luca took her when she was three,” Elena explained.
Salvatore stood beside the hospital window, trying not to destroy something.
“You never told Matteo?”
“He thinks she died.”
“Why?”
“Because I needed him to stop searching.”
Salvatore turned.
“You keep protecting children with lies.”
Elena flinched.
“I know.”
“Does it work?”
“No.”
The answer was immediate.
And full of shame.
Salvatore’s anger softened by one degree.
“Why did Luca take Sofia?”
“Insurance.”
“Against you?”
“Against anyone.”
Elena looked toward the photograph.
“The rabbit is hers. She called it Captain.”
Salvatore remembered Matteo arriving without a toy.
The picture meant Sofia was with Luca.
“Why trade Matteo for Crane?”
“He wants revenge.”
“Crane killed someone?”
“Luca’s first wife.”
Salvatore almost laughed from exhaustion.
“How many family secrets are left?”
“Too many.”
“Give me the short version.”
“Luca worked for Crane. Crane discovered Luca was stealing documents. Luca’s wife threatened to expose Crane. She disappeared.”
“And Luca blames him.”
“Yes.”
“So Luca wants Crane.”
“And he thinks you can deliver him.”
Salvatore smiled without humor.
“He’s right.”
Elena looked at him sharply.
“You can’t.”
“I can.”
“Crane is protected by federal agents, private security—”
“He also thinks I have the archive.”
“You don’t.”
“He doesn’t know that.”
Elena understood.
“You’ll bait him.”
“Yes.”
“You always did like dangerous plans.”
“You always did disappear before I could explain them.”
For one second they were twenty-five again.
Then the years returned.
At Moretti House, Isabella had taken control of the search.
Security footage showed Matteo leaving through the kitchen with Doctor Russo.
Salvatore watched the video twice.
Then a third time.
Russo held Matteo’s hand.
No force.
No struggle.
“Russo betrayed us?”
Carmine shook his head.
“Doesn’t fit.”
“Yet he walked my child out.”
Elena looked at the footage.
“Zoom.”
They enlarged the image.
Matteo’s face.
Calm.
Too calm.
Then his fingers.
He was making a shape.
Three fingers extended.
Two folded.
Elena gasped.
“What?”
“That’s our signal.”
“For?”
“Danger.”
Salvatore leaned closer.
Matteo had known he was being watched.
He had gone willingly to protect someone.
“Who was Russo protecting?”
Carmine answered.
“His granddaughter.”
A second camera showed a car outside the doctor’s home.
License plate stolen.
Russo had been coerced.
Carmine found him two hours later in an abandoned pharmacy.
Alive.
Beaten.
No Matteo.
“He said the kidnappers changed cars,” Carmine reported. “Luca never showed his face.”
Salvatore looked at Elena.
“Then we make the trade.”
“With Crane?”
“Yes.”
“How do you kidnap a billionaire without starting a national incident?”
Salvatore called Isabella.
“Your father still wants us married?”
She stared.
“This seems like an unusual time to ask.”
“Does he?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Why is that good?”
“Alexander Crane attends the Romano Foundation gala tomorrow.”
Isabella slowly understood.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You want to abduct him from my family’s charity gala.”
“Borrow.”
“That word has never survived a kidnapping charge.”
Salvatore hung up.
The following evening, Crane arrived at the gala surrounded by six guards.
He wore a tuxedo and smiled for cameras.
Salvatore waited on a private balcony.
Crane joined him alone.
“You asked to speak?”
Salvatore held up the bank key.
Crane’s eyes changed.
Only slightly.
Enough.
“I know what Elena found.”
Crane smiled.
“Do you?”
“I know where Antonio’s archive is.”
Crane’s gaze remained on the key.
“How much?”
“Not money.”
“Then what?”
“My son.”
Crane looked almost amused.
“Luca has him?”
“Yes.”
“And you think I care?”
“No.”
Salvatore stepped closer.
“I think you care about your reputation more than your life.”
Crane’s smile disappeared.
Salvatore continued.
“You’re coming with me.”
“Absolutely not.”
A click sounded.
Isabella stood behind Crane with a pistol pressed beneath his jacket where cameras could not see.
She smiled sweetly.
“Our engagement gift.”
Twenty minutes later, Crane sat inside a black SUV with his hands bound.
He looked at Salvatore.
“You have no idea what Luca is.”
Salvatore checked his weapon.
“You’re related to me.”
Crane smiled.
“That should answer your question.”
Then Crane leaned forward.
“There’s something Elena hasn’t told you.”
Salvatore’s eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“Luca isn’t trying to become head of the Moretti family.”
“What does he want?”
Crane looked out at the dark road.
“To erase it.”
May you like
“And?”
“And tonight he has enough explosives beneath your family estate to do exactly that.”
