Chapter 3 - The Man They Wanted Him to Kill
Anthony Bellini was terrified.
“I didn’t kill anybody.”
Damian sat across from him.
Elena stood near the window.
Marco Rossi paced behind Anthony.
“We found the badge in your desk.”
“I’ve never seen it!”
Marco threw photographs onto the table.
Elena recognized herself entering the Velvet Vault.
Someone had been following her.
Anthony looked at her.
“I don’t know that woman.”
Marco scoffed.
“Convenient.”
Elena picked up one photograph.
“When was this taken?”
“Two weeks ago,” Marco said.
“No.”
Marco frowned.
“What?”
“This coat.”
She pointed.
“I stopped wearing it eleven days ago.”
“So?”
“The photograph was printed yesterday.”
Damian understood first.
“Someone stored it.”
Elena nodded.
“Whoever planted Daniel’s badge had been preparing Bellini as the fall guy.”
Anthony looked desperately at Damian.
“I swear to God—”
Damian raised his hand.
“Stop.”
Marco stepped forward.
“You’re believing the waitress?”
Elena looked at him.
Marco smiled.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“No. Say it.”
“You’re nervous.”
Marco laughed.
“About you?”
“About what I might notice.”
His smile vanished.
Damian watched carefully.
Elena continued.
“You knew Daniel’s badge was here before Luca finished searching.”
Marco’s eyes shifted.
Just once.
Enough.
Damian leaned back.
“Marco?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
Elena stepped closer.
“Who told you they found a badge?”
Marco said nothing.
Damian’s voice lowered.
“Answer her.”
“I assumed.”
“No,” Elena said. “You announced it before anyone described what they found.”
Marco’s hand moved toward his jacket.
Luca immediately stepped between him and Damian.
“Don’t.”
Marco froze.
Damian stared at his cousin.
“Empty your pockets.”
“Damian.”
“Now.”
Marco slowly removed his phone.
Wallet.
Keys.
Nothing else.
Elena picked up the phone.
“Unlock it.”
“No.”
Damian smiled without warmth.
“That was the wrong answer.”
Marco looked around.
“You’re trusting a stranger over blood?”
Damian stood.
“I’m trusting evidence.”
“She’s manipulating you.”
“Possibly.”
“She came here under a fake name!”
“And somehow she’s still been more honest with me than you.”
Marco’s face hardened.
“You always thought you were smarter than everybody.”
“No.”
Damian stepped closer.
“Just you.”
Suddenly the lights died.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Luca shouted.
“Boss!”
Glass shattered somewhere downstairs.
Elena grabbed Damian.
“Move.”
Emergency lights flickered red.
A door slammed.
Marco was gone.
Luca ran toward the hallway.
Damian stopped him.
“No.”
“He’s escaping!”
“That’s exactly what he wants us to think.”
Elena understood.
“He didn’t kill the power to escape.”
Damian nodded.
“He killed it because somebody else needed access.”
A distant alarm sounded.
From the secure records room.
Elena ran.
Damian followed.
When they reached it, the door stood open.
A computer terminal had been wiped.
But lying on the floor was something Elena had not seen in three years.
A silver watch.
Her brother’s.
She picked it up with shaking fingers.
On the back were freshly scratched words.
STOP LOOKING.
Damian stood beside her.
Elena’s voice became quiet.
“Daniel might still be alive.”
May you like
Damian looked toward the dark hallway.
“And Marco just led us to whoever has him.”
