Chapter 3 - The Evidence
Chloe woke at 7:12 a.m. on Luca’s sofa with a blanket over her.
She immediately checked the front door.
Unlocked.
Her bag sat on the table.
Nothing missing.
Luca stood in the kitchen, already dressed in a charcoal suit and black open-collar shirt. His tattoos remained visible above the collar and across one hand.
“You checked,” he said.
“Checked what?”
“The door.”
Chloe said nothing.
“Good.”
“Why is that good?”
“Because you shouldn’t trust me yet.”
She approached slowly.
“Yet?”
Luca handed her coffee.
“Tommy’s construction company has been moving money through businesses connected to Vincent D’Angelo.”
“The man you mentioned?”
“Yes.”
“And that matters because?”
“D’Angelo and I have an agreement. He stays away from my businesses. I stay away from his.”
Chloe understood.
“Tommy broke that agreement?”
“Possibly.”
She sat.
“Then this isn’t about helping me.”
“Not entirely.”
Again, truthful.
She almost preferred that.
Marco entered carrying a paper bag.
“Shoes. Clothes. Phone charger.”
Chloe looked at Luca.
“I’m paying you back.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“I’m not your charity case.”
Luca sighed.
“Fine. Twenty-eight dollars.”
“For all of it?”
“I negotiated aggressively.”
Marco coughed to hide a laugh.
Chloe pointed at him.
“I like him better.”
“Everyone does.”
Her temporary phone rang.
Only one person had the number.
Her younger sister, Mia.
Chloe answered immediately.
“Mia?”
A man’s voice replied.
“Morning, sweetheart.”
Chloe went white.
Luca was beside her instantly, but he didn’t touch her.
Tommy continued.
“You embarrassed me.”
“Where’s Mia?”
“Safe.”
“Let me speak to her.”
“She doesn’t want to speak to you.”
“You’re lying.”
Tommy laughed.
“Come home.”
“No.”
Luca’s eyes moved to Chloe.
Tommy’s voice hardened.
“Who are you with?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me.”
“It stopped mattering when I left.”
Silence.
Then Tommy said, “You took my files.”
“They weren’t yours.”
“Neither were you, apparently.”
Chloe’s hand trembled.
Luca quietly held out his palm.
She hesitated, then gave him the phone.
“Mercer.”
Silence.
Tommy’s voice changed.
“Who is this?”
“Luca Moretti.”
The line went completely quiet.
Luca continued.
“Mia Bennett walks into a public place within one hour. Alone and unharmed.”
“You don’t tell me—”
“One hour.”
“She stole from me.”
“Then hire an attorney.”
Marco almost smiled.
Tommy cursed.
Luca ended the call.
Chloe stared at him.
“You can’t provoke him.”
“I didn’t.”
“You threatened him.”
“I told him to release your sister.”
“He’ll come after you.”
Luca poured another coffee.
“Take a number.”
Chloe almost laughed.
Almost.
Then Marco’s phone rang.
He answered and listened.
“Luca, we found Mia.”
Chloe stood.
“Where?”
“Police station in Queens. Tommy dumped her nearby ten minutes ago.”
Chloe closed her eyes.
“Is she okay?”
“She’s talking to officers.”
Her knees nearly gave way.
Luca pulled out a chair but still didn’t touch her.
“Sit.”
She did.
Marco lowered his voice.
“There’s something else.”
Luca looked at him.
“D’Angelo wants a meeting.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
Chloe understood immediately.
“Because of me.”
Luca didn’t deny it.
“What does he want?”
“The files.”
“No.”
“Chloe—”
“No.”
She stood.
“I spent six months copying those records because Tommy ruined people. He used businesses, threatened employees, destroyed families. If I hand those files to another criminal, nothing changes.”
Luca watched her.
“What do you want done with them?”
“The authorities.”
Marco glanced at Luca.
Luca asked, “All of them?”
“All of them.”
“That could hurt people you don’t know.”
“So could hiding them.”
Silence stretched between them.
Then Luca nodded once.
“Okay.”
Chloe frowned.
“Okay?”
“You decide what happens to your evidence.”
“Just like that?”
“It was never mine.”
She stared at him.
Tommy had spent years teaching her that powerful men only gave choices when both answers benefited them.
Luca seemed different.
Not safe.
Not innocent.
But different.
His phone buzzed.
A photograph appeared.
Chloe’s abandoned apartment.
The front door stood open.
Written across the wall in black paint were five words.
COME BACK OR HE PAYS.
Chloe looked at Luca.
“He means you.”
Luca studied the photograph.
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Tommy still thinks this is about you running from him.”
May you like
Luca put the phone down.
“By tonight, he’ll understand it isn’t.”
