Chapter 6 - The Truth Hidden Inside Her Scars
The answer came from somewhere neither of them expected.
Mrs. Kowalski.
The old seamstress had been working in the garment house for thirty-six years.
She had known Mara's mother.
She had also known Dante's father.
When Dante brought her the photograph, she stared at it for nearly a minute.
Then she closed her eyes.
"I hoped I'd die before you asked me about this."
Mara sat beside her.
"Please."
Mrs. Kowalski sighed.
"Your mother didn't die four years ago."
Mara's heart slammed against her ribs.
"What?"
"She disappeared."
"Why?"
"Because she was protecting you."
Dante leaned forward.
"From whom?"
"Your father."
Dante went completely still.
Mrs. Kowalski continued.
"Your father and Silas were partners once."
"I know that."
"No."
She shook her head.
"You don't."
She reached into a drawer.
Pulled out an old photograph.
Three people.
Dante's father.
Mara's mother.
Silas Crane.
And a fourth person.
A young boy.
Leo.
Mara stared.
"That's impossible."
"Leo was ten."
"What is this?"
"The night the ledger was created."
Dante took the photograph.
"What does Leo have to do with it?"
Mrs. Kowalski looked at Mara.
"Your mother discovered that Bell's organization and Crane's people were using young debtors as collateral."
Mara felt sick.
"Children?"
"Sometimes."
Dante's eyes darkened.
"How many?"
"I don't know."
Mara touched the scar on her hand.
"My scars."
"Your mother gave them to Silas?"
"No."
Mrs. Kowalski's voice broke.
"She made the deal herself."
Mara stared.
"What deal?"
"Silas threatened Leo. Your mother offered herself."
"Then why did I get hurt?"
"Because you tried to rescue her."
Memory came rushing back.
Mara remembered.
She had been twenty-three.
Leo had been missing.
She found her mother in the basement.
Silas was there.
Mara had attacked him.
He had beaten her.
Then her mother had screamed for her to run.
She had not.
She had stayed.
And that was when Silas had used the blade.
But there was something else.
Something Mara had never remembered.
A man entering the room.
Dante's father.
He had told Silas to stop.
Then he had handed Mara a key.
"Go."
She had escaped.
But her mother had remained.
Mara began crying.
"Dante."
He looked at her.
"Your father saved me."
Dante shook his head slowly.
"No."
"He did."
"No."
He took a breath.
"He couldn't save everyone."
The truth unfolded over the next hour.
Dante's father had secretly built the ledger to document Silas's crimes.
Mara's mother had helped him hide it.
But before they could expose Silas, someone betrayed them.
That person had been inside the Bell family.
Dante's older brother.
A brother everyone had believed died young.
But he had not died.
He had vanished.
And his name was Gabriel Bell.
Dante looked at the ledger.
"My brother is alive."
Mrs. Kowalski nodded.
"He has been working with Silas for years."
Mara stared at Dante.
"Then who has been protecting us?"
Dante looked toward the rain-streaked window.
"I don't know."
A phone rang.
Nico answered.
His face changed.
"What?"
He looked at Dante.
"We found someone."
"Who?"
May you like
Nico swallowed.
"Your mother."
