Chapter 4: The Carbone Truth
The first thing Jillian noticed about Emmett Carbone was that he did not ask her to trust him.
Everyone else in her life had.
Patrick had asked her to trust his silence.
Malcolm had asked her to trust his authority.
The Bannon family had asked her to trust their name.
Emmett Carbone simply handed her a handkerchief and asked questions.
That made him more dangerous.
The black Lincoln Navigator moved through the quiet streets while rain began tapping against the windows.
Jillian kept her eyes on the road behind them.
“You’re expecting someone to follow us,” Emmett said.
It was not a question.
She looked at him.
“How did you know?””
“Because you’ve checked that window seventeen times in six minutes.””
She frowned.
“You count everything?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because people reveal the truth when they think nobody is watching.””
The answer unsettled her.
The driver turned into a private underground garage beneath a tall brick building.
Jillian immediately sat straighter.
“Where are we?””
“My office.””
“I’m not staying here.””
Emmett looked at her.
“You have nowhere else to go.””
“I can find somewhere.””
“You can.””
A pause.
“But Malcolm Bannon will find you first.””
The words landed heavily.
Jillian hated that he was right.
The elevator opened directly into a quiet office.
It was nothing like she imagined.
No luxury decorations.
No intimidating portraits.
No obvious signs of power.
Just bookshelves, old photographs, and a large wooden desk covered with documents.
A woman in her forties stood from a chair near the window.
“Emmett.””
Her eyes moved to Jillian.
“What happened?””
“Bannon estate.””
The woman’s expression changed.
“Again?””
Jillian noticed.
Again.
“What does that mean?””
The woman looked at Emmett.
He nodded.
“Tell her.””
The woman approached slowly.
“My name is Sofia Carbone.””
Jillian froze.
“Your daughter?””
“Yes.””
The Carbone family had always been described like a storm. Dangerous. Unpredictable. Powerful.
But standing there, Jillian saw something else.
A tired daughter worried about her father.
Sofia placed a folder on the desk.
“You need to see this.””
Jillian opened it.
Inside were newspaper clippings.
Photos.
Documents.
All about Shawn Bannon.
She looked up.
“What is this?””
“Your brother-in-law was investigating his own family,” Emmett said.
Jillian stared at him.
“Shawn?””
“Yes.””
“That’s impossible.””
“No.””
Emmett walked toward the desk.
“That is exactly what Malcolm wants everyone to believe.””
Sofia opened another document.
“Three months before Shawn died, he contacted us.””
Jillian’s fingers tightened around the folder.
“Why would Shawn contact the Carbones?””
“Because he discovered something.””
“What?””
Emmett looked at her.
“The Bannon family fortune was built on a lie.””
The room became silent.
Jillian shook her head.
“No.””
“You don’t know your husband’s family as well as you think.””
“I know Patrick.””
Emmett’s expression softened slightly.
“Do you?””
The question hurt because she did not have an answer.
Sofia looked away.
“Shawn found financial records showing money moving through companies that didn’t exist.””
“Fraud?””
“More than fraud.””
Jillian looked at the papers.
“What does this have to do with Cody?””
Emmett leaned against the desk.
“Shawn left something behind.””
“A document?””
“No.””
“Then what?””
“A person.””
Jillian frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Before Emmett could answer, the office door opened.
A young man entered carrying a tablet.
“Mr. Carbone.””
He stopped when he saw Jillian.
“We have a problem.””
Emmett turned.
“What?””
“The Bannons know she’s here.””
Jillian felt her stomach drop.
“How?””
The young man looked at her.
“Because someone inside the Bannon family told them.””
Everyone went quiet.
Jillian thought of Patrick.
The apology.
The fear.
The way he refused to answer her questions.
“No,” she whispered.
Emmett watched her.
“You already know who.””
She shook her head.
“I don’t.””
But her voice betrayed her.
Emmett walked to the window.
“Jillian, the hardest betrayal is never from an enemy.””
He looked back.
“It’s from someone who knows exactly where to hurt you.””
Her phone suddenly vibrated.
Everyone turned.
A message.
From Patrick.
Her hands trembled as she opened it.
I know where Cody is.
Her heart stopped.
May you like
Then another message appeared.
And if you want him alive, you need to come alone.
