Chapter 3 - The Men Who Came for Sofia
Sofia had never seen a house with gates before.
Luciano's estate had three.
She and Elena were taken to a guesthouse surrounded by gardens and security cameras.
Elena hated everything about it.
“I want to go home.”
Luciano stood across the living room.
“You can't.”
“Watch me.”
“Elena.”
“Don't Elena me.”
Sofia sat quietly on the sofa.
Luciano exhaled.
“The officer at your door is Detective Mason Rourke.”
Elena crossed her arms.
“And?”
“He has been on the department sixteen years.”
“That sounds respectable.”
“It isn't.”
Luciano placed a photograph on the table.
Rourke was shaking hands with a man Sofia recognized.
She pointed.
“Him.”
Luciano immediately looked at her.
“You've seen him?”
“At the yard.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Luciano's lieutenant, Daniel Cruz, stepped forward.
“That is Patrick Vale.”
Elena frowned.
“Who?”
Luciano answered.
“A man who wants what belongs to me.”
Sofia looked confused.
“Your watch?”
Daniel almost laughed.
Luciano didn't.
“My organization.”
Elena stared at him.
“You're discussing mafia politics with a nine-year-old.”
“She became involved when she saved my life.”
“She became involved because adults failed to behave like adults.”
Luciano had no response to that.
Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression immediately changed.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“Someone entered Elena's apartment.”
Sofia stood.
“What?”
“We had surveillance.”
“Who?”
“Two men.”
Luciano's jaw tightened.
“What did they take?”
Daniel listened.
“Nothing.”
Luciano understood instantly.
“They weren't looking for something.”
Sofia whispered, “They were waiting for us.”
“Yes.”
Elena slowly sat down.
For the first time, she looked frightened.
Luciano noticed.
“No one gets near you here.”
Elena looked at him.
“You can't promise that.”
“Yes, I can.”
“You couldn't protect yourself.”
The words landed hard.
Luciano nodded.
“No. I couldn't.”
He looked at Sofia.
“But she did.”
That evening, Sofia found Luciano alone on the terrace.
His arm was in a sling.
“You're supposed to rest.”
“So are you.”
“I'm nine.”
“I've heard.”
She stood beside him.
“Are you really mafia?”
Luciano looked toward the mountains.
“Yes.”
“Do you hurt people?”
A long silence.
“Sometimes.”
“Bad people?”
“Sometimes.”
Sofia frowned.
“That means sometimes not bad people.”
Luciano looked at her.
“You ask difficult questions.”
“Grandma says people only say that when they don't like the answers.”
He smiled faintly.
“Your grandmother is becoming inconvenient.”
“She likes you.”
“No, she doesn't.”
“She yelled at you less during dinner.”
Luciano laughed.
Then Sofia noticed something.
“You're scared again.”
His smile disappeared.
“What makes you think I'm scared?”
“You get quieter.”
Luciano stared at her.
“You notice too much.”
“My grandma says—”
“I know. Your grandmother says everything.”
Sofia smiled.
Then headlights appeared beyond the outer gate.
Luciano's expression changed.
His phone rang.
Daniel.
“Boss, Rourke is here.”
“Why?”
“He says he has a warrant.”
Luciano stood.
“At eleven at night?”
“He brought twelve officers.”
Luciano looked toward Sofia.
“Take her inside.”
Sofia didn't move.
“What do they want?”
Luciano answered quietly.
“You.”
---
Rourke entered five minutes later.
“You're obstructing an investigation, Whitaker.”
Luciano stood in the foyer.
“Which investigation?”
“The attempted murder committed against you.”
“Interesting. Usually victims aren't searched.”
Rourke smiled.
“We need the girl's statement.”
“No.”
“She witnessed a crime.”
“She witnessed you working beside Patrick Vale's men.”
Rourke's smile disappeared.
Luciano continued.
“You have a warrant?”
Rourke produced one.
Luciano read it.
Then handed it to Daniel.
Daniel smiled.
“This address is wrong.”
Rourke's jaw tightened.
“Technicality.”
“Constitution,” Luciano replied.
“You suddenly care about laws?”
“Tonight I do.”
Rourke stepped closer.
“That kid belongs with family, not a criminal.”
Elena appeared behind Luciano.
“I am her family.”
Rourke's eyes shifted.
“Elena Ramirez?”
“Yes.”
“We can provide protective custody.”
“No.”
“Ma'am—”
“I've already seen your version of protection.”
Rourke's face hardened.
Sofia appeared at the staircase.
Rourke saw her.
“Sofia.”
Luciano immediately moved between them.
Rourke smiled.
“You really think he's protecting you?”
Sofia said nothing.
“He's a criminal.”
Still nothing.
“He'll eventually use you like everyone else.”
Sofia looked at Luciano.
Then at Rourke.
“He didn't ask me to lie.”
Rourke's expression shifted.
“You did.”
Silence.
Sofia continued.
“At the yard you asked if I'd seen him, but you already knew he was there.”
Luciano looked at Rourke.
Rourke's hand moved slightly toward his belt.
Every Whitaker guard in the foyer tensed.
Luciano's voice became quiet.
“Don't.”
Rourke stopped.
Luciano smiled without warmth.
“You just made a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“You frightened the only witness you needed alive.”
Rourke stared at him.
Luciano continued.
May you like
“And now I know exactly who betrayed me.”
---
