Chapter 5 - The House on Chesapeake Bay
They reached the Caruso family property shortly before midnight.
It was not a mansion.
That surprised Nora.
The house stood quietly beside Chesapeake Bay, painted white with blue shutters.
Vincent entered first.
“Ma?”
No answer.
Then an elderly woman appeared from the kitchen.
“Vincent?”
His shoulders relaxed.
Nora watched something extraordinary happen.
The feared Vincent Caruso became someone’s son.
He hugged his mother.
“You’re okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
Then she noticed the armed men outside.
“Vincent.”
“I’ll explain later.”
Nora examined the living room.
Photographs covered the walls.
Vincent and Michael as children.
Their father.
Fishing boats.
Dockworkers.
Then she noticed one photograph.
Michael stood beside another man.
Nora stepped closer.
Vincent noticed.
“What?”
She pointed.
“Who is that?”
Vincent looked.
“My uncle Gabriel.”
Nora’s blood went cold.
She had seen the initials repeatedly in Michael’s ledger.
G.C.
But she had assumed they meant cargo classifications.
She suddenly understood.
“Vincent.”
He turned.
“The ledger wasn’t only tracking stolen shipments.”
“What else?”
“Payments.”
She looked toward the photograph.
“Your brother was following money.”
Vincent stared at Gabriel’s smiling face.
His expression slowly changed.
“My uncle helped build everything we have.”
Nora spoke carefully.
“Then he knew every route.”
Silence.
“And every warehouse.”
Vincent looked toward Marcus.
“Find Gabriel.”
Marcus checked his phone.
Then his expression hardened.
“He’s already here.”
Headlights swept across the windows.
May you like
A black sedan stopped outside.
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