Chapter 5 - The Night We Went Back for What Was Stolen
Pier 7 was almost completely abandoned.
The harbor lights reflected across black water.
Snow drifted across the pavement.
Emily stayed inside an armored vehicle with Noah.
I stood near the warehouse door with Luca.
“Any movement?”
“Four vehicles.”
“Armed?”
“Yes.”
“Vincent?”
“Confirmed.”
“Cross?”
“Not yet.”
I looked at the warehouse.
Something about the place felt familiar.
Then I remembered.
My father had brought me here when I was nineteen.
He told me never to trust a quiet harbor.
I hadn't understood.
Now I did.
The warehouse door opened.
Vincent stood inside.
“Gavin.”
“Vincent.”
He smiled.
“Your father would be disappointed.”
“Probably.”
“He believed you had a conscience.”
“I do.”
“Then you won't shoot me.”
“No.”
I stepped inside.
“I don't need to.”
Vincent laughed.
“You've become arrogant.”
“I became patient.”
He glanced toward the armored vehicle.
“Bring Emily.”
“No.”
“The ledger won't open without her.”
“I know.”
“So bring her.”
“She'll come when she's ready.”
A flicker of irritation crossed his face.
Then a voice came from the shadows.
“She is ready.”
Gideon Cross stepped forward.
Emily emerged from the vehicle.
I turned.
“What are you doing?”
She smiled.
“Ending this.”
Cross looked surprised.
“So courageous.”
“No.”
She held up a small device.
“Prepared.”
The device was a recorder.
She had wired herself.
Our conversation was being transmitted to investigators.
Cross realized it too late.
He shouted.
“Shoot them.”
Gunfire erupted.
Luca's men moved.
Emily ducked behind cover.
I reached her.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Stay down.”
“No.”
She pointed toward the upper platform.
“Vincent is going for the safe.”
I looked.
She was right.
We moved together.
Not as husband and wife.
Not as enemies.
As a team.
Vincent reached the safe.
I caught him.
We struggled.
He pulled a knife.
I blocked him.
He whispered:
“Your father deserved to die.”
My anger exploded.
I slammed him against the wall.
“You don't get to say his name.”
He smiled.
“Your father knew what you would become.”
I stopped.
“What?”
Vincent leaned closer.
“He knew you'd choose power.”
I stared.
He smiled.
“And he was wrong.”
I lowered my hand.
“You're the one who doesn't understand.”
I stepped back.
“My father taught me that power without purpose is just fear.”
Vincent looked confused.
“And what is your purpose?”
I turned toward Emily.
“My family.”
Vincent stared at us.
The safe opened behind him.
Inside was the missing ledger.
Emily gasped.
We had found it.
But Cross escaped.
He fled through a rear corridor.
Luca pursued.
We didn't.
Because the warehouse was beginning to collapse.
A fire had started near the fuel storage.
“Gavin!”
Emily shouted.
I grabbed the ledger.
She grabbed Noah.
We ran.
Outside, the warehouse erupted in flames.
The snow turned orange under the firelight.
Luca returned.
“Cross got away.”
I nodded.
“Let him.”
“Boss?”
“Now we know what matters.”
The ledger was real.
More than that.
It contained the full names of the people involved.
Political figures.
Shipping executives.
Lawyers.
Judges.
Police.
Business owners.
And one name that shocked me.
Mason Moretti.
My cousin.
I stared.
“No.”
Emily looked over my shoulder.
“Who is that?”
“My uncle's son.”
“Is he involved?”
“I don't know.”
The ledger said:
MASON MORETTI — PRIMARY FINANCIAL CONTACT.
My stomach turned.
Mason had been my closest friend growing up.
He had stood beside me at my father's funeral.
He had supported me after Emily left.
He had told me never to trust outsiders.
Maybe that had been the problem.
I called him.
No answer.
I tried again.
Nothing.
Then his phone finally rang back.
“Gavin.”
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“Stay there.”
“Why?”
I looked at the ledger.
“Because we're going to have a family conversation.”
Silence.
Then Mason whispered:
“You shouldn't have found that book.”
The line went dead.
Emily heard everything.
She looked at me.
“Gavin.”
“I know.”
“He's involved.”
“Yes.”
The betrayal hurt.
But something else hurt more.
I had once believed the enemy always looked like an enemy.
May you like
That night taught me otherwise.
Sometimes the person standing closest to you knew exactly where to hide the knife.
