Chapter 5 - The Warehouse at 10:17
Rain hammered the abandoned freight yard.
Dante stepped from the SUV.
Nora followed.
Three trusted men spread out behind them.
The warehouse stood dark except for one light on the second floor.
Dante checked his watch.
10:09 p.m.
Nora noticed.
“You always check the time this much?”
“Tonight.”
They entered.
Inside, Vincent waited beside an old steel desk.
He was alone.
At least he appeared to be.
“Dante.”
“Where are your men?”
Vincent smiled.
“You brought yours.”
“Answer me.”
“I don’t need them.”
Nora stepped beside Dante.
Vincent looked at her.
“Sam asked too many questions.”
Nora’s body stiffened.
“You killed him?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Vincent sighed.
“Your husband saw trucks leaving here under Luca’s authorization.”
Dante frowned.
“Luca would never authorize Bellano cargo.”
“He didn’t.”
Vincent tossed a folder onto the desk.
“Look.”
Dante opened it.
Signatures.
Luca’s name.
Clearly forged.
Nora whispered, “You framed him.”
Vincent nodded.
“I needed Dante to believe Luca was careless.”
Dante’s voice became dangerously calm.
“Why kill him?”
“Because he discovered I was moving money.”
“You could have run.”
Vincent laughed.
“Run from what? We were building an empire.”
“We?”
“You and me.”
Dante stared at him.
“There was never a we without Luca.”
Vincent’s face hardened.
“That was always the problem.”
Dante finally understood.
“This wasn’t just money.”
“No.”
“You hated him.”
“I hated that he could ruin everything and you’d forgive him.”
Vincent stepped closer.
“I handled your wars. Your politicians. Your enemies. Luca played guitar, told jokes and somehow remained your favorite.”
Dante’s eyes turned cold.
“He was my brother.”
“So was I.”
“No.”
Vincent flinched.
Dante continued.
“You were trusted.”
That cut deeper.
Vincent’s face twisted.
He reached toward his coat.
Dante’s gun rose instantly.
“Don’t.”
Vincent stopped.
Then smiled.
“You still haven’t asked about Sam.”
Nora stepped forward.
“What happened?”
Vincent glanced at the clock mounted high on the wall.
10:15.
“Sam found the forged manifests.”
Nora swallowed.
“He tried calling someone.”
“Luca.”
Dante stared.
Vincent nodded.
“Sam and Luca had met twice. Luca knew someone was stealing from the organization. Your husband had proof.”
Nora’s eyes filled but she kept her voice steady.
“So you burned the warehouse.”
Vincent said nothing.
Nora understood.
“You killed him.”
“He wasn’t supposed to be inside.”
Her face changed.
Dante moved between them.
Vincent laughed.
“Still protecting people, Dante?”
Dante didn’t answer.
The warehouse lights went out.
Gunfire cracked somewhere outside.
Dante grabbed Nora and pulled her behind the desk.
“Stay down.”
Men shouted.
Glass broke.
Vincent ran toward a side exit.
Dante followed.
Outside, rain covered the yard.
Vincent reached a car.
Dante caught him.
They slammed into the hood.
Vincent threw a punch.
Dante blocked it.
“Luca begged me to stop,” Vincent hissed.
Dante froze.
Vincent smiled.
“His last words were your name.”
Dante hit him once.
Then stopped.
He could have continued.
Nine years earlier, he would have.
Instead, he stepped back.
Vincent laughed.
“What are you doing?”
Dante heard Nora behind him.
“Dante.”
Just his name.
Nothing more.
Dante looked at Vincent.
“No more graves.”
Sirens approached.
Vincent’s smile vanished.
Dante had called federal investigators before arriving.
Nora stepped beside him.
Vincent looked between them.
“You’re giving me to the police?”
Dante said quietly—
“No.”
Vincent almost smiled.
Then Dante added—
“I’m giving them everything.”
Accounts.
Bribes.
Routes.
Murders.
Every record connected to Vincent.
Everything.
Vincent’s face collapsed.
The clock inside the warehouse clicked to 10:17.
Dante heard it.
May you like
For the first time in nine years—
he did not reach for the metronome.
