Chapter 6 - The Man Who Had Been Hiding in Plain Sight
Anthony Moretti finally called.
“Bennett.”
Luca's jaw tightened.
“Where are you?”
“Close.”
“What do you want?”
“What your father stole.”
“My father stole nothing.”
Anthony laughed.
“Your father stole his conscience.”
“You're done.”
“No.”
A pause.
“I have the ledger.”
Luca went still.
“What ledger?”
“The one your father used to blackmail me.”
“You've been hiding it.”
“Of course.”
“What do you want?”
“The girl.”
I froze.
Anthony continued.
“Natalie.”
Luca stood.
“You don't get her.”
“Then I burn the ledger.”
“Do it.”
I looked at Luca.
He was bluffing.
Anthony laughed.
“You sound like your father.”
“Good.”
“I'll send you a location.”
The call ended.
Luca turned to me.
“You're not going.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No.”
“This is about my family.”
“It's about using you as leverage.”
“I know.”
“Then let me handle it.”
I stepped closer.
“Every time you tell me to stay behind you, someone else makes a decision for my life.”
He stopped.
“I've been doing that long enough.”
He looked at me.
“You don't trust me?”
“I trust you.”
“Then trust me to keep you alive.”
I took a breath.
“I trust you.”
“Then stay.”
I wanted to.
But the name Anthony had been following me my whole life.
I couldn't keep running.
The meeting was set at an abandoned theater.
Luca arrived with security.
I stayed behind.
For ten minutes.
Then I heard a gunshot on the radio.
I drove there myself.
Inside the theater, Luca was on the floor.
Anthony stood over him.
He looked exactly like the man in the photograph.
Older.
Calmer.
Cold.
He turned when he saw me.
“There you are.”
I froze.
He smiled.
“You look just like your mother.”
“What did you do to Luca?”
“He's alive.”
Luca tried to move.
Anthony kicked the weapon away.
“You should have listened to him.”
“I've spent my whole life listening to dead men.”
Anthony laughed.
“That is the problem.”
He pointed to a chair.
“Sit.”
I obeyed.
“What do you want?”
“You.”
“Why?”
“Because your mother hid the ledger.”
“She doesn't have it.”
“She gave it to you.”
“No.”
He walked closer.
“Your mother trusted Eleanor Moretti.”
I stared.
“Then Eleanor trusted Bennett.”
He smiled.
“And Bennett trusted you.”
I realized what he meant.
He had been watching us.
“You used Vanessa.”
“She was useful.”
“You destroyed her life.”
“She did that herself.”
“Did you kill Julian?”
Anthony's smile disappeared.
“No.”
He looked toward Luca.
“Your uncle did.”
Luca stared.
“My father?”
“Adrian tried to stop me.”
“And Julian?”
“He survived the fire.”
I gasped.
“Where is he?”
Anthony laughed.
“Ask Vanessa.”
We found the answer on the back of an old photograph.
A hospital.
A room number.
Julian had been alive for six years.
Hidden under a false identity.
Why?
Because Anthony needed everyone to believe he was dead.
Then a second gunshot rang out.
Anthony fell.
Someone else had entered.
Vanessa.
She stood in the doorway holding a gun.
“Don't move.”
Anthony looked at her.
“You.”
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“You took enough.”
She looked at Luca.
“I’m sorry.”
Then she shot Anthony in the shoulder.
Security moved in.
Anthony dropped his weapon.
He was arrested.
Luca pushed himself upright.
“Natalie.”
I ran to him.
“Are you hurt?”
“Only my pride.”
I laughed through tears.
Vanessa stared at us.
“I found Julian.”
Everyone froze.
“What?”
“He's alive.”
Luca looked at her.
“Where?”
She handed him a piece of paper.
“Hospital in Michigan.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Bring him home.”
May you like
Vanessa looked at me.
“And then I'm going to tell the truth.”
