Chapter 4 - The Woman in the Costa House
Leonardo's house wasn't a house.
It was a stone fortress overlooking Lake Michigan.
Dora stood in the entrance hall.
“You live here alone?”
“Mostly.”
“This place has its own zip code.”
“It doesn't.”
“You checked?”
Leonardo removed his coat.
His sleeves pulled back, revealing more dark tattoos across his forearms.
Dora noticed fresh bandaging at his side.
“You reopened it.”
“I'm fine.”
“You mafia men have a very strange definition of fine.”
Dante entered.
“Boss.”
Leonardo looked at him.
“We found Anthony.”
“And?”
“He was working for Raymond.”
Dora interrupted.
“Was?”
Both men looked at her.
“Careful with verbs around civilians.”
Dante almost smiled.
“He's alive.”
“Thank you.”
Leonardo walked toward his office.
Dora followed.
“No.”
He turned.
“No?”
“You're injured.”
“I have work.”
“You have stitches.”
“Dora.”
She pointed toward a chair.
“Sit.”
Dante stared at the ceiling.
Leonardo's jaw tightened.
“Are you giving me orders in my own home?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because apparently everyone around you is too scared to tell you when you're being stupid.”
Dante suddenly became very interested in his phone.
Leonardo sat.
Dora changed his bandage.
For several minutes neither spoke.
Then Leonardo said, “You aren't afraid of me.”
“Yes, I am.”
He looked surprised.
Dora taped the bandage.
“I'm afraid of you. I'm afraid of your friends. I'm afraid of whoever followed me.”
“Then why do you talk to me like that?”
“Because being afraid doesn't make you automatically right.”
Leonardo stared at her.
That sentence stayed with him.
Later, Dante entered the office carrying a folder.
“Raymond wasn't acting alone.”
Leonardo opened it.
His expression hardened.
“Who?”
“Victor Costa.”
Dora saw Leonardo freeze.
“Your brother?”
Leonardo looked at her.
“My cousin.”
Dante nodded.
“He leaked your route.”
“Why?”
“He's been moving money through Raymond's clubs. You found the accounts.”
Leonardo closed the folder.
“He wanted me dead before I could confront him.”
Dora leaned against the desk.
“And now?”
“Now he knows he failed.”
Leonardo stood.
Dora caught his sleeve.
“Where are you going?”
“To finish this.”
“No.”
His eyes dropped to her hand.
Dora released him.
“Sorry. Permission.”
Something softened in his expression.
“You can't come.”
“I wasn't volunteering.”
“Good.”
“But you're injured.”
“I've survived worse.”
Dora shook her head.
“That's not the same as living well.”
Leonardo went quiet.
Dante looked between them.
“Boss, we should move.”
Leonardo nodded.
He walked toward the door.
Then stopped beside Dora.
“If I don't return—”
“Don't.”
“Dora.”
“No dramatic mafia goodbye.”
His mouth twitched.
“You really are exhausting.”
“So I've been told.”
Leonardo looked at her for another moment.
Then left.
Two hours passed.
Then three.
At 7:42 a.m., Dora heard engines.
She ran toward the entrance.
Leonardo entered.
Alive.
Dante followed.
Dora stopped herself from running to him.
Barely.
“Well?”
Leonardo loosened his tie.
“Victor confessed.”
“That's it?”
“He'll never bother you again.”
Dora stared.
“Alive?”
Leonardo sighed.
“Yes, Dora.”
“Good.”
He stepped closer.
“Why does that matter to you?”
“Because I don't want people dying because somebody followed me home.”
“They wouldn't be dying because of you.”
Dora met his eyes.
“Then promise me something.”
“What?”
“If you're going to keep showing up in my life, don't make me become someone I don't recognize.”
Leonardo's expression changed.
“You're asking a great deal from a man like me.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“I'm asking whether you want to remain a man like you.”
May you like
For once, Leonardo Costa had no answer.
---
