Chapter 2 - The Man With the Snake
By sunrise, my mansion had become an investigation room.
Marco entered my office carrying a tablet.
“Got him.”
I looked up.
“Snake tattoo?”
He placed the tablet before me.
Security footage showed Emma walking beneath an awning.
Two men followed.
One grabbed her.
The image was grainy, but when he raised his hand, the tattoo was visible.
A black snake wrapped around his wrist.
Marco tapped the screen.
“Anton Varek.”
“Kolov’s man?”
“Used to be.”
I looked at him.
“Used to?”
“Kolov threw him out six months ago.”
That complicated things.
“Why?”
“Stealing.”
“Where is he?”
“We found the bar he uses.”
I stood.
Marco blocked the door.
“No.”
I stared at him.
He swallowed.
“Boss, respectfully, you going personally is exactly what whoever planned this wants.”
“Move.”
“Dominic.”
Only Marco used my first name when he believed I was about to make a mistake.
I stopped.
“What?”
“Emma remembered something else.”
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
I immediately headed upstairs.
Emma had been moved into a guest room.
Machines stood beside the bed. Her face was bruised, but she was awake.
Lucia sat beside her.
When I entered, Emma frowned.
“You look worse than I do.”
Lucia laughed.
I didn’t.
“What did you remember?”
Emma’s expression became serious.
“The second man called the tattooed one Anton.”
“We know.”
“And Anton said something after he hit me.”
“What?”
She looked directly at me.
“He said, ‘Castellano will blame Kolov before midnight.’”
Marco folded his arms.
“There it is.”
I pulled a chair beside the bed.
“Did you recognize either man?”
“No.”
“Any voices?”
“No.”
“Cars?”
“A black sedan.”
“Plate?”
Emma stared at me.
“I was being punched.”
Lucia shot me an annoyed look.
“Dominic.”
“Right.”
Emma almost smiled.
Then she said, “There was one thing.”
“What?”
“They kept checking the street.”
“For police?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Then what?”
“Like someone was watching them.”
Marco leaned forward.
“From where?”
“Across the street.”
“What did you see?”
“A car.”
“What kind?”
“Dark SUV.”
“Driver?”
Emma shook her head.
“Couldn’t see.”
I stood.
“Marco, check every camera within six blocks.”
He left immediately.
Emma watched me.
“You’re going after them.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t.”
I looked at her.
She surprised me again.
“If they wanted you angry,” she said, “why give them exactly what they wanted?”
“Because they hurt you.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It’s enough of one.”
“No, it isn’t.”
Lucia quietly stood.
“I suddenly need coffee.”
She left.
Emma waited until the door closed.
“You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough.”
“What do you know?”
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came.
Emma nodded.
“Exactly.”
I disliked that.
“You have a brother named Danny.”
“Lucia told you.”
“Your mother is sick.”
“Lucia.”
“You work three jobs.”
“Also Lucia.”
I leaned back.
“You put exactly three sugars in your coffee.”
Emma blinked.
“You hate lilies because you say they smell like funerals.”
Her expression changed.
“You reorganize every bookshelf you clean even though you pretend you don’t.”
“How do you know that?”
“And every Thursday you steal one chocolate from the bowl outside my office.”
Her mouth opened.
“I don’t steal them.”
“They’re mine.”
“They’re for guests.”
“They were.”
For the first time since she had been carried through my gates, Emma laughed.
Then pain hit her ribs.
She grabbed her side.
I immediately stood.
“I’m calling the doctor.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re clearly not.”
She caught my wrist.
“Dominic.”
It was the first time she had used my name.
I looked down at her hand.
She released me.
“Find the truth,” she said. “Not revenge.”
Before I could answer, Marco appeared.
His face told me everything.
“We found the SUV.”
“Who owns it?”
Marco looked toward Emma, then back at me.
“You’re not going to like this.”
“Who?”
He handed me his phone.
Registration information filled the screen.
The vehicle belonged to a company I knew.
A company controlled by someone who had eaten at my table for twelve years.
I looked at Marco.
“Bring him downstairs.”
Emma whispered, “Who is it?”
I turned toward the door.
May you like
“My cousin.”
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