Chapter 3 - The Lighter Was a Message
The man waiting at Dante's office was named Cole Mercer.
He was terrified.
Norah could see it from across the enormous conference table.
Dante stood behind her.
“Talk.”
Cole glanced at Norah.
“Who's she?”
“The reason you're still breathing long enough to answer me.”
Norah turned.
“Could you stop introducing me like that?”
Dante ignored her.
Cole swallowed.
“The hit wasn't supposed to happen in the street.”
Dante's jaw tightened.
“Who ordered it?”
“I don't know.”
Dante stepped forward.
Cole quickly added, “But I know who paid us.”
“Name.”
“Marcus Vale.”
One of Dante's guards reacted.
Dante didn't.
Norah noticed.
“Who's Marcus?” she asked.
Dante answered without looking at her.
“My godfather.”
Cole continued.
“He paid half upfront.”
“Why?”
“He said Caruso had become weak.”
Dante's voice dropped.
“Did he?”
“He said you were trying to make the organization legitimate. Said you'd forgotten what built it.”
Norah looked at Dante.
“So your godfather tried to kill you because you're getting out of crime?”
“Essentially.”
“That's incredibly dysfunctional.”
Cole stared at her.
“Who is this woman?”
“I ask myself that daily,” Dante said.
Norah folded her arms.
“You've known me twenty-four hours.”
“It has been a long twenty-four hours.”
Cole suddenly looked toward the door.
Nervous.
Too nervous.
Norah saw it.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“Why does he keep looking at the hallway?”
Cole's face changed.
Dante turned.
The lights went out.
“Down!”
Dante grabbed Norah.
Glass shattered somewhere outside.
His guards moved immediately.
Norah hit the floor beside the conference table.
Emergency lights flickered on.
Dante crouched beside her.
“You hurt?”
“No.”
“Stay here.”
“Where are you going?”
“To solve a problem.”
“That phrase is extremely concerning coming from you.”
He almost answered.
Then Cole ran.
Straight toward the emergency exit.
Dante's guard caught him before he reached it.
Cole screamed.
“I didn't have a choice!”
Dante walked toward him.
“Who?”
“Marcus!”
“You already told me Marcus.”
“No. You don't understand.”
Cole looked directly at Norah.
“He wanted the girl here.”
Silence.
Dante slowly turned.
Norah's stomach dropped.
“Me?”
Cole nodded frantically.
“The lighter. Marcus knows about it.”
Dante grabbed Cole's jacket.
“How?”
“I don't know!”
“You've got three seconds.”
“Your house!”
Dante froze.
Cole gasped.
“Someone inside your house told him.”
Dante released him.
That was worse than rage.
Because now Norah saw fear.
Not for himself.
For what the betrayal meant.
Dante turned to his lieutenant.
“Lock down the estate.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Everyone.”
“What about Marcus?”
“Especially Marcus.”
Norah stood.
“Dante.”
He looked at her.
“You're coming with me.”
“I'm beginning to hate those words.”
“You'll hate dying more.”
Thirty minutes later, Norah entered a mansion overlooking the Hudson.
She expected luxury.
She didn't expect the photograph.
A woman.
Beautiful.
Dark hair.
Smiling beside a younger Dante.
Norah stopped.
“Your wife?”
Dante looked at the picture.
“My sister.”
“Where is she?”
“Dead.”
Norah regretted asking.
Dante continued before she could apologize.
“Marcus raised us after our father died.”
Norah understood.
“So this isn't just business.”
“No.”
“He's family.”
“He was.”
A voice came from the doorway.
“Still am.”
Marcus Vale stood there.
Late sixties.
Silver hair.
Elegant suit.
Warm smile.
Two guards immediately reached beneath their jackets.
Marcus ignored them.
His eyes settled on Norah.
“So.”
He smiled.
“This is the girl from the coffee shop.”
Norah felt Dante move closer.
Marcus noticed.
His smile widened.
“That was quick.”
Dante's voice hardened.
“Choose your next words carefully.”
Marcus laughed softly.
“There he is.”
He approached the table.
“The boy I raised.”
“You ordered my death.”
Marcus stopped smiling.
“I built everything you inherited.”
“You stole from it.”
“I protected it.”
“You murdered Anthony.”
Marcus shrugged.
“He made a choice.”
Dante's fist tightened.
Norah saw it.
Marcus saw it too.
“Do it,” Marcus said. “Prove you're still the man I raised.”
Dante stared at him.
Then slowly relaxed his hand.
“No.”
Marcus looked disappointed.
Dante nodded toward his guards.
“Take him downstairs.”
Marcus laughed as they grabbed him.
“You think this ends with me?”
Dante said nothing.
Marcus looked directly at Norah.
“He hasn't told you, has he?”
Norah frowned.
“Told me what?”
May you like
Marcus smiled.
“Ask him why he chose your table.”
