Chapter 2 - The Man Everyone Feared
The hospital had an entrance I had never seen before.
Two SUVs pulled underground while the third remained outside.
The moment Mr. Valenti stepped from the vehicle carrying Leo, doctors were already waiting.
“Mr. Valenti.”
“His left leg.”
“We’ll take him.”
Leo screamed when a doctor reached for him.
“No!”
His father stopped.
“Leo.”
“I want Willa!”
Everyone looked at me.
I was still wearing my pink diner uniform.
Wet hair.
Ruined shoes.
No coat.
Completely out of place.
A doctor glanced at Mr. Valenti.
He nodded.
“Let her stay.”
I walked beside Leo’s stretcher.
“You’re okay.”
“Promise?”
“I promise I’m not leaving until your dad says you’re okay.”
Behind us, Mr. Valenti said quietly:
“I say he’s okay when the doctors say it.”
I looked back.
“You know what I meant.”
For the first time, something almost human appeared in his expression.
Almost.
Two hours later, Leo was asleep.
His leg had a fracture, but the doctors expected a full recovery.
He also had cuts, bruises, and mild hypothermia.
I sat outside his room holding terrible vending-machine coffee.
Mr. Valenti stood at the window.
“You should change.”
“I didn’t bring another diner uniform to the kidnapping.”
His eyes shifted toward me.
“Kidnapping?”
“Three SUVs. Armed men. Nobody asked whether I wanted to come.”
“You came because Leo wanted you.”
“That doesn't make it less weird.”
A man beside the door coughed to hide a laugh.
Mr. Valenti looked at him.
The man instantly became fascinated with the wall.
I stood.
“Who are you?”
“Dante Valenti.”
That explained nothing.
Then I remembered hearing the name.
Valenti Shipping.
Valenti Construction.
Valenti Hospitality.
And other rumors nobody repeated loudly.
“Oh.”
Dante noticed my reaction.
“You recognize it.”
“Chicago has newspapers.”
“Newspapers print stories.”
“And sometimes those stories are true.”
His phone rang.
He answered.
“Talk.”
A voice spoke rapidly.
Dante’s expression hardened.
“Alive?”
Pause.
“Bring him.”
He ended the call.
“Who?”
“You don’t need to know.”
“I found your son half-frozen behind a dumpster. I think I’ve earned slightly more than ‘you don’t need to know.’”
His gaze sharpened.
“You’re very comfortable arguing with me.”
“I’m too tired to be scared properly.”
That almost-smile returned.
Then the hospital doors opened.
Two men escorted another man toward us.
He was soaked and exhausted.
“Marco.”
Dante approached him.
“Where were you?”
Marco swallowed.
“Looking for Leo.”
“You lost my son.”
“The convoy was separated. Someone knew the route.”
Dante became completely still.
“Only seven people knew that route.”
“I know.”
“Who took Leo?”
“I never saw them.”
Dante stepped closer.
“Then tell me something useful.”
Marco looked toward Leo’s room.
“The boy escaped.”
Dante’s eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“They stopped the vehicle beneath the train tracks. Leo got out through the rear door while they were arguing.”
My stomach turned.
A six-year-old boy had run through Chicago alone in freezing rain.
Marco continued.
“Someone followed him.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
I suddenly remembered something.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked at me.
“When I found Leo, his shoes were muddy.”
Dante frowned.
“It was raining.”
“No. Red mud.”
“So?”
“There’s construction behind Sal’s, but the alley itself is asphalt.”
Dante stared at me.
I continued.
“He came from somewhere else.”
Marco moved closer.
“How far could he have walked?”
“With that leg? Not far.”
Dante immediately looked at one of his men.
“Map every construction site within six blocks of the diner.”
The man left.
Dante looked at me.
“You noticed the mud.”
“I clean tables for twelve hours a day. You learn to notice what doesn’t belong.”
Leo suddenly called from inside the room.
“Daddy?”
Dante entered immediately.
I followed.
Leo looked frightened.
“Daddy.”
“I’m here.”
The boy looked between us.
“The bad man knew Mommy.”
Silence.
Dante’s face emptied.
“What did you say?”
Leo whispered:
“He said Mommy told him where I’d be.”
Dante went pale.
I had never seen a dangerous man look afraid before.
May you like
Until then.
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