Chapter 3 - The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Dante moved instantly.
“Anna, behind the counter.”
“No.”
“Now.”
She heard something in his voice that made arguing suddenly feel foolish.
Dante’s men entered from outside.
No shouting.
No chaos.
Just controlled movement.
The gray sedan pulled away.
Dante looked at one of his men.
“Plate.”
“Covered.”
“Find it.”
The man nodded and left.
Anna stared at Dante.
“You've done this before.”
“Yes.”
Dr. Voss lowered himself into a chair.
Dante turned toward him.
“Start talking.”
Voss looked at Anna.
“I found you two years ago.”
“You said hikers found me.”
“I lied.”
Anna’s expression went blank.
“Who brought me?”
“A man.”
“Name.”
Voss hesitated.
Dante spoke quietly.
“Doctor, choose your next words carefully.”
Anna glared at him.
“Don't threaten him.”
“I wasn't.”
“You absolutely were.”
Dante looked at Voss.
“Apparently I need to work on my tone.”
Despite everything, Anna almost smiled.
Voss didn't.
“Victor Salvi brought you.”
Dante’s expression turned cold.
Anna whispered, “The man from my memory.”
“Yes.”
Voss continued.
“You were unconscious. Severe head trauma. Your left hand was badly injured.”
“Why didn't you call police?”
“Victor threatened my family.”
Anna stared.
“He told me your name was Anna Reed. He supplied documents. He paid for treatment.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
Dante stepped closer.
“Where is Salvi?”
“I thought he was dead.”
“He isn't.”
“How do you know?”
Dante pointed toward the street.
“Because dead men don't send surveillance.”
Anna folded her arms.
“Why would he keep me alive?”
Dante looked at her.
“That’s what worries me.”
Voss suddenly stood.
“There’s more.”
He reached into his coat and removed an envelope.
“I kept this because I knew someday someone would come.”
Inside was a small memory card.
“What is it?” Anna asked.
“Victor left it accidentally after visiting you.”
Dante took it.
“Did you watch it?”
“No.”
They went to the chapel because Anna refused to enter Dante’s hotel.
Marcy brought a laptop.
“You realize,” Marcy said, “this is officially the strangest Tuesday Bellweather has ever had.”
“It’s Friday,” Anna said.
“Exactly. That's how strange it is.”
Dante inserted the card.
One video file.
Four years old.
He clicked.
A security camera recording appeared.
A parking garage.
Anna leaned toward the screen.
There she was.
Elena.
Walking beside Victor Salvi.
The audio crackled.
Elena’s recorded voice said:
“You've been stealing from Dante.”
Victor stopped.
“You don't understand what you've found.”
“I understand enough.”
“You tell him, people die.”
“I’m telling him tonight.”
Victor grabbed her arm.
Anna recoiled from the screen.
Dante paused the video.
“You okay?”
“Keep going.”
The recording resumed.
Victor said something inaudible.
Then Elena slapped him.
Marcy whispered, “Okay. I like old you.”
Anna almost laughed.
The video skipped.
Elena was running.
Victor followed.
Then the footage ended.
Dante stared at the frozen screen.
Anna looked at him.
“I found something.”
“Yes.”
“Something worth making me disappear.”
“Yes.”
“Did you know he was stealing from you?”
“No.”
She studied Dante.
“You trusted him.”
“He raised me after my father died.”
That explained the pain behind his anger.
Anna asked, “What was he stealing?”
Dante closed the laptop.
“Money wasn't Victor's real business.”
“What was?”
“Information.”
Dante stood.
“He sold information about my organization to anyone willing to pay.”
“And I discovered it.”
“Yes.”
A knock echoed through the chapel.
Everyone froze.
Three slow knocks.
Dante’s men moved toward the entrance.
A voice came through the door.
“Dante.”
Dante’s face became unreadable.
Anna whispered, “Who is that?”
He looked at her.
May you like
“Victor.”
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