Chapter 6 - The Second Fight
Three weeks later, Avery walked into Moretti Freight headquarters wearing a navy blazer Linda had insisted she buy.
She hated it.
“You look professional,” Linda had said.
“I look like I sell expensive apartments.”
“You look employed before midnight.”
“That part is nice.”
Avery’s first assignment was simple.
Review every contract connected to Salvatore.
By lunch, she found three suspicious vendors.
By Thursday, she found seven.
Dominic appeared beside her desk.
“You missed one.”
Avery looked up.
“Which?”
“Lunch.”
“I ate.”
“Coffee isn't lunch.”
“Are you my boss or my mother?”
“Technically?”
“Don't answer.”
He put a sandwich on her desk.
Their relationship changed slowly.
No dramatic declarations.
No impossible promises.
Just conversations.
Coffee.
Arguments.
Long evenings reviewing files.
One night Avery asked the question she had avoided.
“Were you really mafia?”
Dominic leaned back.
“Depends who's asking.”
“Your compliance investigator.”
“No.”
“A woman who kicked your fiancée.”
“Former fiancée.”
“Answer.”
Dominic sighed.
“My family built legitimate freight companies beside businesses that were not legitimate.”
“And you?”
“I spent years separating them.”
“Successfully?”
“Not enough.”
Avery nodded.
At least he hadn’t lied.
Then the elevator doors opened.
Marco hurried out.
“Dominic.”
Something in his voice changed the room.
“What?”
“Salvatore made bail.”
Avery stood.
“How?”
“Legal challenge over evidence handling.”
Dominic grabbed his coat.
“Where is he?”
“Unknown.”
Avery’s phone rang.
Linda.
She answered.
“Mom?”
A man's voice responded.
“Avery.”
Her blood went cold.
Salvatore.
“Where is she?”
“Safe.”
“If you hurt her—”
“I want the original recording your father made.”
“The police have copies.”
“I know. But Victor mentioned names that aren't on the manifests.”
Avery looked at Dominic.
He could hear every word.
Salvatore continued.
“Bring the original recorder to the old Cicero freight yard.”
Dominic shook his head.
Avery understood.
Don't go.
She answered Salvatore.
“Thirty minutes.”
She hung up.
“No,” Dominic said.
“He has my mother.”
“We call police.”
“And if he sees them?”
“We handle it.”
Avery stepped closer.
“Dominic, this isn't one of your warehouses.”
“No. It’s worse.”
“My mother.”
“And you think Linda wants you trading your life for hers?”
Avery said nothing.
Dominic lowered his voice.
“We do this intelligently.”
Thirty minutes later, Avery entered the abandoned freight yard alone.
At least she appeared alone.
Salvatore stood beneath an old loading canopy.
Linda sat nearby.
Unharmed.
“Avery,” Linda said.
“I'm okay.”
Salvatore held out his hand.
“The recorder.”
Avery raised it.
“You let her walk first.”
Salvatore smiled.
“You really are Victor’s daughter.”
“You murdered him.”
“He should have minded his business.”
Linda closed her eyes.
Avery’s hand tightened.
Salvatore noticed.
“Going to kick me?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because last time everyone was surprised.”
A voice came from behind him.
“This time we’re prepared.”
Dominic stepped from the darkness.
Salvatore spun.
Police lights suddenly illuminated the yard.
Officers moved in from both sides.
Salvatore stared at Avery.
“You set me up.”
Avery smiled.
“You spent seven weeks teaching me how useful distractions can be.”
Dominic reached Linda first and guided her away.
Officers surrounded Salvatore.
As he was taken past Avery, he whispered:
“Your father would hate what you've become.”
Avery looked directly at him.
“My father would recognize exactly what I became.”
Salvatore waited.
May you like
Avery finished.
“Someone who didn't walk away.”
