Chapter 4 - The Lion Ring
Sebastian Bell smiled.
“What is this?”
Dante didn’t smile back.
“Take off the ring.”
Sebastian looked down.
“This?”
“Now.”
Sebastian removed it.
Dante handed it to Marco.
“Where were you tonight?”
“At home.”
“Prove it.”
Sebastian’s expression changed.
“You’re questioning me?”
“I’m questioning everyone.”
“I’m your wife’s brother.”
“And Leo is my son.”
Sebastian looked toward the bedroom.
“Is he all right?”
Leo began crying again.
“Get him out of here,” I said.
Sebastian stared at me.
“And who are you?”
“The woman your nephew trusts more than you right now.”
Marco’s eyebrows rose.
Dante glanced at me.
“Willa.”
“What?”
“You’re not helping.”
“I disagree.”
Sebastian stepped closer.
Dante immediately blocked him.
“You heard her.”
Sebastian looked stunned.
Dante’s voice lowered.
“Leave.”
Sebastian’s smile disappeared.
“You’re making a mistake.”
“Then I’ll apologize later.”
Two guards escorted him away.
I entered Leo’s room.
He was trembling.
“That man?”
I asked.
Leo shook his head.
“Not him.”
Dante entered behind me.
“Are you sure?”
Leo nodded.
“The ring was same.”
“But not Uncle Sebastian?”
“No.”
That changed everything.
Someone wanted them to suspect Sebastian.
Marco returned twenty minutes later.
“We checked his alibi.”
“And?”
“Solid.”
Dante cursed quietly.
I looked at the lion ring on the desk.
“How many of those exist?”
“Five,” Dante said.
“Who has them?”
“Sebastian. His two sons. My late wife had one.”
“And number five?”
Dante’s expression hardened.
“Her former driver.”
Marco looked at him.
“Elias Crane.”
Dante stood.
“Find him.”
Marco didn’t move.
“What?”
“Elias died two years ago.”
Silence.
“Then where is his ring?”
“We never found it.”
My phone suddenly vibrated.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?”
A distorted voice spoke.
“You should have left the boy in the alley.”
My blood froze.
Dante saw my expression and took the phone.
“Who is this?”
The caller laughed.
“Dante.”
Dante’s face changed.
The voice continued.
“Still letting strangers protect your family?”
The call ended.
Dante handed my phone to Marco.
“Trace it.”
“I’m trying.”
I stared at Dante.
“They know me.”
“Yes.”
“They have my number.”
“Yes.”
“And you’re saying that like it’s normal.”
“For me, unfortunately, it is.”
“Well, it isn’t normal for me!”
Leo appeared in the doorway on crutches.
“Willa?”
My anger disappeared.
“Hey.”
“Are you leaving?”
I looked at Dante.
Then Leo.
“No.”
The boy relaxed.
Dante’s voice softened.
“Marco.”
“Yes?”
“Move Willa into the east wing.”
I frowned.
“What’s special about the east wing?”
“My rooms are there.”
I stared at him.
“You think putting me next door to you makes me safer?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Dante’s eyes met mine.
“Because nobody gets through me.”
That night, nobody slept.
At 3:06 a.m., Marco knocked.
Dante and I met him downstairs.
“We traced the call.”
“Where?”
Marco turned the tablet around.
My diner.
Sal’s.
My stomach dropped.
Dante grabbed his coat.
“You stay here.”
“No.”
“Willa.”
“That diner has people I know.”
“It may also have the person who took my son.”
“Exactly.”
His stare could have frozen Lake Michigan.
Mine didn’t move.
Finally he exhaled.
“Stay behind me.”
Twenty minutes later, we entered Sal’s.
The place was dark.
The owner, Sal Marino, stood behind the counter.
His face went white when he saw Dante.
“Mr. Valenti.”
Dante placed the lion ring on the counter.
“Ever seen this?”
Sal stared at it.
“No.”
I knew Sal.
I knew when he lied.
“Sal.”
He looked at me.
“Don’t.”
“Who used the phone?”
His shoulders sagged.
“A man came in.”
“When?”
“After you left.”
“What did he look like?”
Sal swallowed.
“I didn’t see his face.”
Dante stepped closer.
“Try harder.”
Sal’s eyes moved toward the kitchen.
Marco noticed.
He opened the kitchen door.
A man ran through the rear exit.
“Stop!”
Dante’s men rushed outside.
Seconds later, Marco returned alone.
“He had a car waiting.”
Dante looked furious.
Then Sal whispered:
“I know his name.”
Everyone turned.
Sal swallowed.
“Thomas Vale.”
Dante went completely still.
I asked, “Who’s Thomas Vale?”
Dante’s answer was barely audible.
May you like
“The man who killed my wife.”
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