Chapter 10 - The Dead Woman at the GateMara Vale had been alive the entire time.
It wasn't.
Thermal cameras detected eleven people inside the warehouse.
One was Luca.
One was Isabella.
Nora's fear became fury.
Victor had taken the baby again.
Matteo became frighteningly calm.
“Positions.”
Dominic nodded.
Police surrounded the waterfront.
Hale objected to Matteo entering first.
Matteo ignored him.
Nora wore a wire.
So did Matteo.
They walked toward the warehouse together.
“You stay behind me,” he said.
“We've had this conversation.”
“Have it again.”
“Matteo.”
“If shooting starts, you hit the floor.”
“And if shooting doesn't start?”
“Then stay beside me.”
That answer surprised her.
The warehouse doors opened.
Victor waited under hanging industrial lights.
Luca sat tied to a steel chair.
Blood covered his shirt.
Isabella was inside a portable crib ten feet away.
Awake.
Crying.
Nora's entire body screamed to run to her.
Victor raised a pistol.
“Don't.”
Matteo stopped.
“You wanted me.”
Victor smiled.
“No. I wanted control.”
His eyes moved to Nora.
“And she provides it.”
“Let Isabella go.”
“When the archive opens.”
“Where is it?”
Victor pointed toward an old shipping container.
Inside sat a reinforced black case.
Nora looked at Luca.
His swollen eyes opened.
He shook his head faintly.
Victor noticed.
“Your brother has been stubborn.”
Matteo's hands curled into fists.
Victor smiled.
“Family trait.”
Nora stepped forward.
“You murdered Mara.”
“Yes.”
The confession came casually.
Matteo's wire transmitted every word.
“You killed Sofia,” Nora said.
Victor looked at Matteo.
“That one hurt more, didn't it?”
Matteo moved.
Victor aimed at Isabella.
Matteo stopped instantly.
Nora's heart pounded.
Victor continued.
“Sofia became inconvenient. Mara became expensive. Celeste became disloyal.”
“And Luca?”
“Sentimental.”
Victor sighed.
“Matteo could have been extraordinary if everyone hadn't constantly appealed to his conscience.”
Matteo's voice was low.
“You think I have one?”
Victor smiled.
“You brought Nora instead of an army.”
Outside, hundreds of yards away, Hale listened through headphones.
Nora approached the black case.
A needle system waited beside it.
“Blood sample,” Victor said.
She stared.
“You're joking.”
“Afraid of needles?”
“No. Murderous billionaires.”
Victor laughed.
Nora placed her finger into the scanner.
A tiny needle pierced the skin.
The device flashed.
SECONDARY KEY ACCEPTED.
Victor turned toward Matteo.
“Your turn.”
Matteo provided a sample.
PRIMARY LINEAGE ACCEPTED.
The case opened.
Inside was the archive drive.
Victor's expression changed.
For the first time, greed overwhelmed caution.
He stepped toward it.
Luca whispered.
“Nora.”
Victor spun.
“What?”
Luca looked at Nora.
“Blue.”
She didn't understand.
Then she saw the control panel beside the case.
Four lights.
Red.
Yellow.
Green.
Blue.
Luca had built the system.
Maybe “blue” meant something.
Nora reached toward the drive.
Victor barked, “Take it.”
She pressed the blue button instead.
The warehouse lights died.
Gunfire erupted.
Matteo tackled Nora.
Dominic's team breached the side doors.
Police flooded the loading dock.
Victor fired blindly.
Luca threw himself sideways with the chair, hitting Victor's knees.
His gun skidded away.
Matteo charged.
Victor drew a second weapon.
Nora saw it first.
“Matteo!”
She grabbed a loose metal bar and swung.
It struck Victor's wrist.
The gun fired into the ceiling.
Matteo hit him.
Once.
Twice.
Victor fell.
Matteo climbed on top of him.
His fist rose again.
Victor laughed through blood.
“Do it.”
Matteo stopped.
“Come on.”
Victor smiled.
“Show her what you are.”
Matteo looked at Nora.
Then at Isabella.
Police rushed toward them.
Slowly, Matteo lowered his fist.
“No.”
Victor's smile faded.
Matteo stood.
“You don't get to make me like you.”
Hale handcuffed Victor.
“You're under arrest for kidnapping, conspiracy, attempted murder—”
Victor laughed.
“You have nothing.”
Hale pointed toward Nora.
“Actually, you've been confessing into a federal-grade microphone for fifteen minutes.”
Victor's face changed.
For the first time, Nora saw fear.
Matteo rushed to Isabella.
He lifted his daughter.
She screamed.
Then Nora approached.
Isabella saw her.
Her crying stopped.
Matteo looked at Nora helplessly.
Nora placed one hand on Isabella's back.
“Both of us,” she whispered.
They held the baby together.
Across the warehouse, paramedics freed Luca.
He looked at his brother.
“Still angry?”
Matteo stared at him.
“You put my daughter in a dumpster.”
Luca winced.
“When you say it like that…”
Matteo crossed the room.
Nora feared he might hit him.
Instead, Matteo wrapped his arms around his younger brother.
Luca's face crumpled.
It was over.
Or Nora thought it was.
Then a detective approached Hale.
“Sir.”
“What?”
“We checked the mansion footage.”
Hale frowned.
“The person who removed Isabella tonight wasn't Victor's man.”
Matteo turned.
“Who was it?”
The detective showed them a still image.
Dominic stared.
“No.”
A woman carrying Isabella through a service exit.
A woman everyone believed was dead.
Nora recognized the scar above her eyebrow.
May you like
Mara Vale.
Alive.
