Chapter 13 - THE HOSTAGE IN THE EAST WING|
Vincent ordered the convoy to turn around.
Nora grabbed his arm.
“What's happened?”
“Someone has taken my mother.”
He called Paulie.
The security chief answered immediately.
“We've lost contact with the east wing. Two guards are missing.”
Vincent's face became stone.
“Lock down the estate. Nobody leaves.”
“Already done. But the bedroom is empty.”
Nora felt her stomach drop.
“Where would they take her?”
Vincent stared at the photograph.
“Somewhere they can control the story.”
They returned to New York with police assistance. The estate was searched room by room. There was no sign of forced entry, and the cameras had been disabled from inside the security office.
Paulie discovered that a staff member had used a maintenance vehicle to leave the grounds.
The vehicle belonged to the kitchen supervisor.
Her name was Rose.
Nora remembered her.
Rose had worked at the estate for years and had always been kind to Camila.
They found her apartment empty.
But on the kitchen counter was a photograph of Camila sitting in the back of a black car.
A phone number was written beneath it.
Vincent called.
A man's voice answered.
“Mr. Russo.”
“Where is my mother?”
“Safe.”
“If you've touched her—”
“Save the threats. We want the microfilm.”
Vincent closed his eyes.
“Who are you?”
“Someone who knows what your uncle did.”
The caller demanded that Vincent bring the original documents to an abandoned warehouse in Brooklyn.
Nora listened.
“They don't want the documents. They want us.”
Vincent looked at her.
“How do you know?”
“Because if they wanted the evidence, they could have stolen it. They're using Camila to make you come.”
He nodded.
They prepared a controlled operation with the authorities.
At the warehouse, Vincent entered through the front with a decoy case. Nora remained in a protected vehicle with Paulie.
Inside, the building was dark.
A single light illuminated Camila, seated in a chair.
Vincent moved toward her.
“Ma.”
She looked up.
“Vinny?”
He approached carefully.
“I'm here.”
A man stepped from behind a support column.
It was Eddie Knox.
Beatrice's former soldier.
“You brought the files?”
Vincent placed the case on the floor.
“Let her go.”
Eddie smiled.
“Not until we know what's inside.”
He opened the case.
It was empty.
His expression changed.
At that moment, police officers entered from both sides.
Eddie reached for his weapon.
Vincent moved between him and Camila.
A shot cracked through the warehouse.
Vincent fell to one knee.
Nora heard the gunshot from outside and ran toward the entrance before Paulie could stop her.
She found Camila crying beside Vincent.
He was conscious.
A bullet had grazed his shoulder.
Nora knelt beside him.
“Don't you dare die.”
Vincent managed a weak smile.
“I wasn't planning on it.”
May you like
Then Camila grabbed Nora's hand.
“He said he knows where Lena is.”
