Chapter 8 - THE PRICE OF MY BROTHER'S LIFE|
I watched the video three times.
Each time, Daniel's frightened face became harder to bear.
Luca stood behind me, speaking into his phone.
"Get every available team to Queens."
Dominic answered.
"We're tracing the signal."
"Don't wait for confirmation. Move."
I turned toward Luca.
"I want to go with you."
"No."
"He's my brother."
"And that is why you're staying here."
I shook my head.
"He's terrified. He'll be looking for me."
Luca lowered his voice.
"Emma, listen. Anthony wants to use you to control me. If you walk into his hands, Daniel won't be the only person in danger."
I hated that he was right.
But I hated feeling helpless even more.
We examined the video.
I noticed a faint sound in the background.
A train horn.
Then another sound.
A mechanical announcement.
I recognized it.
"That's the old rail yard."
Luca turned.
"How do you know?"
"Daniel used to work near there before his accident. The announcements are from the freight terminal."
Dominic enlarged the image.
A sign was visible behind Daniel.
It belonged to a warehouse near the Hudson.
Graham—no, Luca—looked at the map.
"Prepare the vehicles."
This time, he allowed me to come, but only with two guards and a strict instruction to remain behind the security line.
The warehouse was almost empty when they arrived.
They found Daniel in an office on the second floor.
He was alive.
Anthony was gone.
I ran to my brother.
"Daniel!"
He looked up.
"Emma?"
I embraced him carefully.
He was shaking.
"Are you okay?"
He nodded.
Then he looked over my shoulder.
"Who's that?"
Luca approached.
"I'm Luca Russo."
Daniel stared at him.
"You're the guy from the news?"
Luca almost smiled.
"Unfortunately."
Daniel looked at me.
"Emma, we need to leave."
"What happened?"
He swallowed.
"Anthony wanted the necklace. But he also asked about Dad's old company."
I felt cold.
"What company?"
"He said Dad left something behind. Something that could destroy the Costa family."
Luca turned toward him.
"What exactly did he say?"
Daniel hesitated.
"He said our father was killed because he refused to give him a list of names."
I stared at my brother.
"Our father told me he worked as a mechanic."
Daniel shook his head.
"He lied to protect us."
He reached into his pocket and removed a small folded piece of paper.
"Mom gave me this before she died."
I opened it.
It contained an address and a date.
The address belonged to a bank in Manhattan.
The date was the day before my father's accident.
Luca looked at the paper.
"That's a private storage facility."
"What's there?" I asked.
He stared at me.
"Your father's final evidence."
But before we could leave, Dominic's radio crackled.
"Boss, we have incoming vehicles."
Luca looked toward the warehouse entrance.
"How many?"
Dominic's answer was grim.
May you like
"At least twenty."
Then the first gunshot shattered the windows.
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