Chapter 5 - The Second Bullet
Martha hit the floor.
Damian fired almost simultaneously.
Carlo’s gun flew from his hand.
He collapsed against the table, clutching his wounded shoulder.
Damian crossed the room.
“Move again.”
Carlo stared at him.
“You shot your own uncle.”
“You tried to shoot her.”
Victor lunged for the discarded weapon.
Martha kicked it beneath a cabinet.
Victor grabbed her.
His arm locked around her throat.
Damian aimed.
Victor dragged Martha backward.
“Put it down.”
“Victor.”
“Gun down!”
Damian slowly lowered his weapon.
Martha struggled to breathe.
Victor whispered near her ear.
“Your brother made the same mistake.”
She stopped struggling.
“What mistake?”
“Thinking Damian could protect him.”
Damian’s eyes sharpened.
Victor continued.
“Andrew begged me to let him call you.”
Martha’s face changed.
Victor smiled.
“He died believing you were coming.”
Damian’s jaw tightened.
Martha whispered, “You talk too much.”
She drove her heel backward into Victor’s knee.
He stumbled.
Damian crossed the distance in two strides.
His fist hit Victor’s jaw.
Martha dropped free.
Victor reached for a knife.
Damian caught his wrist.
They slammed into the dining table.
Carlo crawled toward the hallway.
Martha saw him.
“Damian!”
Carlo grabbed the fallen pistol.
Before he could turn, Detective Lena Ortiz entered with two officers.
“Drop it!”
Carlo froze.
Ortiz stepped closer.
“Carlo Falcone, put the gun down.”
He looked at Damian.
“You would let them arrest me?”
Damian’s breathing was heavy.
“Yes.”
“You’re a disgrace to this family.”
Damian looked around at the broken glass, blood and terrified staff.
“No. This is what disgraced it.”
Carlo dropped the gun.
Officers restrained him.
Victor was arrested seconds later.
Ortiz looked toward Martha.
“You Martha Bellini?”
“Yes.”
“You have the memory card?”
Martha glanced at Damian.
He nodded.
She handed it over.
Ortiz studied them.
“You understand what’s on this could dismantle half the organization surrounding Carlo?”
“That’s the idea,” Damian said.
“And possibly create problems for you.”
“I’m aware.”
Ortiz raised an eyebrow.
“That sounds almost responsible.”
“Don’t ruin my reputation.”
She almost smiled.
Then Martha remembered something.
“Detective.”
“Yes?”
“My brother’s death.”
Ortiz’s expression softened.
“We’ll reopen it.”
“No.”
Martha stepped closer.
“I don’t want it reopened. I want it solved.”
Ortiz nodded.
“Then help me solve it.”
For the next six hours, Martha told investigators everything.
The false identity.
The forged references.
The lighter.
Andrew’s message.
The sniper.
The recordings.
Damian told them everything too.
At sunrise, Martha sat alone on the mansion steps.
Damian came outside.
His ribs were bandaged. A cut ran across his cheek.
“You should be in a hospital,” she said.
“So should you.”
“I hate hospitals.”
“So do I.”
He sat beside her.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then Martha said, “You knew who I was before tonight.”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Four days.”
She turned sharply.
“Four days?”
“Your forged reference in Worcester listed a restaurant that closed six years ago.”
Martha groaned.
“I paid someone three hundred dollars for those references.”
“You were robbed.”
“Apparently.”
“Why didn’t you fire me?”
Damian looked toward the sunrise.
“Because you watched me.”
“That’s usually a reason to fire someone.”
“You weren’t watching my money. You weren’t watching the safes. You watched Victor. My office. The photographs of Andrew.”
“You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“And you let me stay?”
“I wanted to know what you were looking for.”
Martha stared at him.
“You could have just asked.”
“You would have lied.”
“That is insulting.”
“You lied about your name.”
“Fair.”
He looked at her shoulder.
“How’s the cut?”
“Hurts.”
“You saved my life.”
“Twice.”
“Twice?”
“The vapor.”
“Fine. Twice.”
She almost smiled.
Then her expression became serious.
“Did Andrew suffer?”
Damian did not answer immediately.
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t lie to protect me.”
“I won’t.”
She nodded.
Damian reached into his pocket.
The silver lighter.
He placed it in her palm.
“This belongs to you.”
Martha closed her fingers around it.
“Thank you.”
Damian stood.
“Martha.”
“Yes?”
“You’re fired.”
She stared at him.
“What?”
“You falsified your application, entered restricted rooms, carried a weapon through my house and repeatedly ignored direct orders.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“I’m also technically your employer.”
“Was.”
“Correct.”
He walked toward the door.
Martha stood.
“Damian Falcone!”
He turned.
“What am I supposed to do now?”
“For the next few days?”
“Yes.”
“Stay alive.”
“And after that?”
His expression softened.
“Whatever you want.”
Martha looked at the mansion.
For the first time since Andrew’s death, revenge was no longer deciding her next move.
But the story was not over.
Because when Ortiz examined the memory card that afternoon, she discovered one final encrypted document.
It contained a list of twelve names.
May you like
Eleven were associates of Carlo Falcone.
The twelfth was Martha Bellini.
