Chapter 3 - The Safe House Wasn't Safe
The safe house was burning when they arrived.
Maya stopped the Honda half a block away.
Vincent stared through the windshield.
Flames climbed from the second-floor windows.
Firefighters hadn't arrived yet.
"That's your safe house?"
"Was."
"Your night keeps getting better."
Vincent didn't answer.
Someone had known.
Not guessed.
Known.
Maya looked at him.
"Who knew this address?"
"Three people."
"And?"
"Two are dead."
Maya slowly turned toward him.
"So number three betrayed you."
Vincent's jaw tightened.
"Apparently."
His phone was dead.
His security detail had been separated from him after the ambush.
His primary safe house had been compromised.
The Bellanos knew his routes.
Someone inside his organization was feeding them information.
Maya suddenly opened her door.
"Where are you going?"
"Getting something."
"Stay in the car."
She stopped.
Turned.
And stared at him.
Vincent sighed.
"Right. Boundaries."
"You're improving."
She opened the trunk.
Vincent followed.
Inside were jumper cables, two reusable grocery bags, a tire iron, an old blanket, and a first-aid kit.
Maya grabbed the kit.
"Sit."
"I'm fine."
"Sit."
Vincent looked at her.
She pointed toward the curb.
For reasons he could not explain, Vincent Moretti sat.
Maya lifted his shirt enough to examine the wound.
He caught her wrist.
She looked at his hand.
Then his face.
"Remember the grabbing rule?"
Vincent released her.
"Sorry."
That word felt strange in his mouth.
Maya opened the kit.
"The bullet grazed you."
"You've treated gunshots before?"
"No."
Vincent frowned.
"Then how do you know?"
"Because there's no bullet in you."
"Comforting."
"Hold still."
She cleaned the wound.
Vincent's jaw tightened.
"Does that hurt?"
"No."
She pressed harder.
His eyes narrowed.
"That?"
"No."
Maya smiled.
"Liar."
Vincent watched her.
Nobody spoke to him like this.
Nobody touched him without fear.
Nobody looked into his eyes and saw a man instead of a reputation.
It was becoming dangerously distracting.
Maya taped the dressing into place.
"There."
"Thank you."
She froze.
"What?"
"You said thank you."
"I know how manners work."
"I wasn't sure."
Vincent stood.
"We need somewhere else."
"My apartment."
"No."
"You don't know where I live."
"Doesn't matter."
"Why?"
"Because they saw you."
Maya's humor disappeared.
Vincent continued.
"Until I find the traitor, anywhere connected to either of us is dangerous."
"So where?"
Vincent thought.
Then looked at her uniform.
"Benny's."
Maya blinked.
"The restaurant they already searched?"
"Exactly."
"That's your brilliant mafia strategy?"
"They won't expect us to return."
Maya considered it.
"That's actually not terrible."
"Thank you."
"Don't get excited."
They drove back.
The restaurant was dark.
Broken glass covered the entrance.
Maya stared at it.
"My manager is going to kill me."
Vincent stepped out.
"I'll buy the restaurant."
She looked at him.
"What?"
"Then you won't have a manager."
"That is not how normal people solve problems."
"It works surprisingly often."
They entered through the kitchen.
Vincent checked every room.
Empty.
Maya locked the back door.
"So what now?"
"We wait."
"For?"
Vincent found the restaurant's landline.
He dialed a number from memory.
Someone answered.
"Speak."
Vincent said only four words.
"Saint Michael. Bring Luca."
Silence.
Then:
"Boss?"
"Thirty minutes."
Vincent hung up.
Maya leaned against the counter.
"Saint Michael?"
"Code phrase."
"For what?"
"Emergency."
She nodded.
"Very dramatic."
Vincent ignored her.
Twenty-eight minutes later, someone knocked three times on the rear door.
Vincent drew his weapon.
Maya grabbed a frying pan.
He looked at her.
"Seriously?"
"It's heavy."
"Stay behind me."
"That's technically an order."
"Maya."
"Fine."
Vincent opened the door.
A large man in a dark suit entered.
"Luca."
The man stopped when he saw Vincent.
"Jesus, boss."
Then he noticed Maya holding the frying pan.
"Who's she?"
Maya answered,
"The person who kept your boss alive."
Luca looked at Vincent.
Vincent nodded.
"She's telling the truth."
Luca stared at her with new respect.
"We've got a problem," Luca said.
"I know."
"No. Bigger."
Vincent's expression changed.
"Talk."
"Someone emptied the Moretti accounts used for emergency operations."
Vincent went still.
"Who authorized it?"
Luca swallowed.
"Your signature."
Maya looked between them.
Vincent's voice became cold.
"I didn't sign anything."
"I know."
"Who had access?"
Luca hesitated.
Vincent stepped closer.
"Who?"
"Anthony."
Vincent stopped.
Maya saw something change in his face.
Not anger.
Something worse.
Betrayal.
"Who's Anthony?" she asked.
Vincent didn't answer.
Luca did.
May you like
"His brother."
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