Chapter 1: The Woman in the Security Footage
For several seconds, nobody moved.
On Ricardo Moretti’s phone, Sarah stood beside his private safe, wearing a black coat and holding a folder against her chest. Antonio Moretti stood beside her, casually pouring himself a glass of Ricardo’s most expensive whiskey.
The woman Ricardo had mourned for fourteen months was alive.
And she was apparently conspiring with his own brother.
Ricardo replayed the audio.
“Once Ricardo discovers Leo isn't his biological son, he'll finally understand why we had to fake my death.””
The recording ended with a faint metallic click.
Ricardo's fingers tightened around his phone.
“Get me Antonio.””
Marco swallowed.
“Boss, perhaps we should discuss this somewhere private.””
Ricardo slowly turned his head.
“Did I ask for your opinion?””
“No, sir.””
“Then keep your mouth shut.””
Leo clung to my uniform, his little fingers twisting the fabric. I could feel his heartbeat racing against my chest.
I had spent fourteen months believing my sister was missing. Now I was standing in front of the most dangerous man in Brooklyn, learning that my sister had apparently married him, faked her death, and left her three-year-old son in the middle of something I couldn't begin to understand.
“Ricardo,” I said carefully.
“We need to find Sarah before someone hurts her.””
He looked at me.
“She's standing inside my house.””
“Then why isn't she here?””
His jaw tightened.
“Because she knows I'm watching.””
He tapped his phone and switched to another camera.
The office appeared again.
Sarah was gone.
Antonio was still there, but he was no longer drinking whiskey. He was searching through the drawers of Ricardo's desk.
Then he pulled out a small photograph.
Ricardo zoomed in.
It was a picture of Leo.
My stomach turned.
“Why would your brother be looking for a photograph of your son?””
Ricardo didn't answer.
Instead, he called someone.
“Dante. Lock down the mansion. Nobody enters or leaves. Find Antonio.””
A voice responded immediately.
“Understood, boss.””
Ricardo ended the call and looked at Marco.
“Your gun. On the table.””
Marco hesitated.
“Boss—”
“NOW.””
The bodyguard slowly removed his weapon and placed it on the table.
Ricardo stepped toward him.
“You took my son to see Sarah?””
Marco's eyes flickered toward Leo.
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Yesterday afternoon.””
“Why?””
Marco rubbed his forehead.
“Because she asked to see him.””
Ricardo grabbed his collar.
“You let my supposedly dead wife visit my son without telling me?””
“Because she said she'd explain everything when the time was right!””
Ricardo shoved him against the wall.
“Fourteen months, Marco. Fourteen months I buried an empty coffin. Fourteen months I sat beside my son's bed while he cried for a mother I thought was gone.””
Marco's voice cracked.
“She told me you'd kill her if you found her.””
Ricardo released him.
For the first time that evening, I saw something other than anger in his eyes.
Fear.
I shifted Leo higher on my hip.
“There's something else,” I said.
Ricardo turned.
“Leo told me his mother came yesterday. He also said she gave him that number.””
I repeated the six digits.
Ricardo stared at me.
“That code opens a safe nobody outside my family knows about.””
“Then perhaps Sarah wanted us to find something.””
He looked at me for a long moment.
“Why would you help me?””
I almost laughed.
“Because she's my sister.””
“And if she has betrayed me?””
“Then I'll ask her why.””
Ricardo nodded toward the exit.
“Bring my son. We're going home.””
I hesitated.
“I'm coming too?””
“Your sister's name is on this mess. You're coming.””
As we approached the restaurant entrance, Leo suddenly lifted his head.
“Auntie Clara?””
“Yes, sweetheart?””
He pointed at Marco.
“Uncle Marco said Mommy was going to take me away forever.””
Marco went completely still.
Ricardo turned slowly.
“What exactly did you tell my son?””
Marco's lips parted.
But before he could answer, my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
One message.
*CLARA, DON'T LET RICARDO TAKE YOU TO HIS HOUSE. HE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR PARENTS.*
My blood ran cold.
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Because Sarah was the only person who knew my parents hadn't died in the accident everyone believed had killed them.
And whoever had sent that message knew it too.
