Chapter 9 - The Man at the Gate|
They returned to the mansion after midnight.
Luca ordered the documents locked away and instructed Enzo to verify the bank records before taking any action. He had learned enough from Adrian's letter to know that rushing toward an obvious target could be exactly what Carlo wanted.
Sophie went upstairs to check on Theo.
He was asleep, one hand wrapped around his elephant. His night-light cast a soft yellow glow across the walls, making the dinosaur stickers look almost alive.
She sat beside him for several minutes, fighting the urge to wake him and carry him out of the house.
When she returned downstairs, Luca was standing near the front windows.
"There's a car outside," he said.
"How long has it been there?"
"Twenty minutes."
"Have you called the guards?"
"They're already watching it."
A man stepped out of the vehicle and approached the gate. He wore a dark suit and carried no visible weapon. He held up a document for the guard to examine.
The guard shook his head.
The man smiled, reached into his coat, and produced a second paper.
The gate began to open.
Luca moved toward the security panel.
"Stop him."
The command came too late.
The man passed through the gate, walked up the front steps, and held out a sealed envelope.
"From Mr. Vescari."
Luca did not take it.
"Tell Matteo he can deliver his message in person."
"He says you'll want to read it before you decide what to do with your wife."
Luca's expression turned lethal.
The messenger placed the envelope on a table and left.
Inside was a single photograph.
Sophie stood outside Theo's school, holding his hand. The image had been taken that afternoon.
On the back was a message:
CARLO WANTS THE BOY ALIVE. OTHERS ARE LESS PATIENT.
Sophie stared at the photograph.
"They're following him everywhere."
Luca took her hands.
"I'm moving you both to another location tonight."
"No."
"Sophie—"
"Wherever we go, they seem to know. We need to find out who is giving them information."
"We have evidence against Matteo."
"We have evidence that he may be involved. We don't know how many others are helping him."
Luca looked toward the staircase.
"I can't risk Theo."
"Neither can I. But if we keep running, they'll keep choosing where we go and what we know."
For the first time, Luca seemed to understand that Sophie wasn't asking to be included because she wanted power. She wanted to protect their child without being forced to depend on a husband who had kept her in the dark.
He nodded.
"Then we work together."
They spent the next hour reviewing the security records. A pattern emerged: every time Theo's schedule changed, the information reached Matteo's office within minutes.
Only three people had access to those updates.
Luca.
Enzo.
And the family's pediatric liaison, who coordinated appointments and emergency visits.
Enzo's face hardened when he saw the name.
"That liaison was hired by Bianca."
Before Luca could respond, the mansion's alarm sounded.
A guard shouted through the intercom.
"Movement in the east wing!"
Luca grabbed his weapon and ran.
Sophie followed to the landing.
At the end of the corridor, the door to Theo's room stood open.
May you like
The bed was empty.
And on the pillow lay the gray elephant with its worn ear torn clean off.
