Chapter 5 - Trevor’s Last Lie
Victor Hale was arrested before midnight.
Trevor began negotiating by morning.
Sophia hated that part.
“He gets a deal?” she asked.
Detective Walsh sat across from her.
“If he gives us everyone above him.”
“He helped destroy my life.”
“I know.”
“He helped kill Anthony.”
Dominic stood beside the window.
Walsh replied, “And if his testimony puts six other people away?”
Sophia looked at Dominic.
“What do you think?”
“I think what I want and what helps you are two different things.”
“Which one are you choosing?”
“You.”
The answer came too quickly.
Sophia looked away.
Walsh noticed.
So did Marco.
Neither commented.
Three days later, Sophia testified before a grand jury.
When she left the courthouse, Dominic waited beside the black sedan.
The same one.
Sophia stopped.
“No.”
Dominic looked confused.
“What?”
“I am never getting into that trunk again.”
For the first time, she heard Dominic Moretti laugh.
Not a polite smile.
An actual laugh.
He opened the rear door.
“Seats only.”
“Good.”
She climbed inside.
Dominic sat beside her.
For several blocks, neither spoke.
Then Sophia asked, “What happens to me now?”
“What do you want to happen?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then don’t decide today.”
“I need somewhere to live.”
“I own buildings.”
“I’m not accepting a penthouse.”
“I didn’t offer one.”
“You were about to.”
“I was.”
She smiled.
Dominic watched her.
Sophia noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re staring.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Dominic looked out the window.
Sophia waited.
Finally he said, “Because you’re different.”
“That is dangerously close to a terrible pickup line.”
“I’m not very good at this.”
“At what?”
He looked back.
“Normal conversation.”
Sophia laughed.
“You terrify half of Chicago and normal conversation defeats you?”
“Apparently.”
The car stopped at a red light.
Sophia’s smile slowly faded.
“Dominic.”
“Yes?”
“Why did you really help me?”
His expression became serious.
“At first?”
“Yes.”
“Because I saw your face when Trevor approached the car.”
“And after?”
“Because of Anthony.”
“And now?”
Dominic hesitated.
Sophia raised an eyebrow.
“Normal conversation again?”
“Yes.”
“Try.”
He looked directly at her.
“Now I help you because I care what happens to you.”
Sophia said nothing.
Dominic continued.
“That doesn’t mean you owe me anything.”
Her expression softened.
“That might be the first decent thing a man has said to me in years.”
His phone rang.
Marco.
Dominic answered.
“What?”
His expression changed.
Sophia immediately noticed.
“What happened?”
Dominic ended the call.
“Trevor escaped transport.”
Sophia went cold.
“How?”
“Renner.”
“The detective?”
Dominic nodded.
Sophia stared through the windshield.
“Where will Trevor go?”
Dominic answered immediately.
“To you.”
Sophia shook her head.
“No.”
“Sophia—”
“No more hiding.”
“This isn’t the time to prove something.”
“I’m not proving anything.”
She turned toward him.
“I know Trevor better than anyone.”
Dominic studied her.
“What are you thinking?”
Sophia reached into her bag.
She removed her mother’s photograph.
Then the lipstick tube.
Empty now.
“Trevor thinks I kept another copy.”
“Did you?”
Sophia looked at him.
“Yes.”
Dominic stared.
“Where?”
May you like
“My mother’s old apartment.”
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