Chapter 6 - The Choice Salvatore Wanted
Salvatore had never wanted money.
That became clear the moment Emma entered her childhood home.
She went through the front door alone.
At least, that was what Salvatore believed.
Luca had argued for twelve minutes.
Emma had argued for thirteen.
Eventually they compromised.
Emma would enter.
Luca’s team would surround the property from a distance.
Antonio would remain in a vehicle until Salvatore explained why he wanted him.
Luca hated every part of the plan.
“Your definition of compromise is terrifying,” he told Emma.
“So is yours.”
“My definition involves you staying in an armored car.”
“Exactly.”
Now Emma stood inside the hallway where David Parker had once measured her height against the wall every birthday.
The pencil marks were gone.
New owners had painted everything gray.
Salvatore stood near the living room.
A gun rested casually in his hand.
“Welcome home.”
Emma stared at him.
“Where is Bianca?”
“Garage.”
“And Nico?”
“Also garage.”
“You’re trusting him with her?”
“He’s my son.”
“That hasn’t meant much in this family.”
Salvatore smiled.
“You really are Rachel’s daughter.”
Emma ignored it.
“What do you want with Antonio?”
“To finish something.”
“Your brother?”
“My mistake.”
Emma studied him.
“You tried to kill him fourteen years ago.”
“Yes.”
The casual admission was chilling.
“Why?”
“Because Antonio was weak.”
“You mean decent.”
“I mean weak.”
Salvatore walked toward her.
“He wanted to turn the Moretti family into bankers, hotel owners, property developers. He thought legitimacy would protect us.”
“And you wanted crime.”
“I wanted power.”
“Same thing to you?”
“Usually.”
Emma almost felt pity.
Almost.
“Why kill my mother?”
Salvatore’s smile disappeared.
“She would not stop.”
“That’s all?”
“She had documents.”
“So you had her car sabotaged.”
“Yes.”
Emma’s nails pressed into her palms.
“And Daniel?”
“He had documents too.”
Emma swallowed.
“My biological father.”
“Yes.”
“Did David know?”
“Eventually.”
“Why didn’t you kill him?”
“I tried.”
Emma froze.
Salvatore noticed.
“David was smarter than I expected.”
Her heart pounded.
“The cancer?”
“No.”
Relief came too quickly and felt absurd.
“Then what?”
“He disappeared with the ledger before I could reach him.”
Emma nodded toward the garage.
“You think it’s still here.”
“I know it is.”
“Then dig it up.”
Salvatore’s expression became strange.
“I did.”
Emma frowned.
“And?”
“It wasn’t there.”
That explained everything.
He had Bianca.
He wanted Antonio.
He wanted Emma.
But not just for the ledger.
“You think my father moved it again.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know where.”
“I believe you.”
That surprised her.
“Then why am I here?”
“Because David left something else.”
Salvatore pointed toward the hallway.
“Your bedroom.”
Emma stared.
“What?”
“Go.”
The gun made arguing pointless.
Emma walked upstairs.
Her old room had become an office.
Salvatore followed.
“Closet.”
She opened it.
Empty.
“Floor.”
Emma knelt.
“Third board.”
She pulled it up.
Beneath was a narrow metal cavity.
Inside lay a sealed plastic bag.
Emma stared.
“How did you know?”
“David enjoyed games.”
She removed the bag.
Inside was a letter.
Not addressed to Emma.
Addressed to SALVATORE.
She looked at him.
“You haven’t read this?”
“Open it.”
Emma did.
David’s handwriting.
Salvatore,
If you are reading this, you finally found the wrong hiding place.
Emma almost smiled.
Salvatore did not.
She continued.
The ledger was never meant to destroy you.
It was meant to protect Emma.
I knew someday you might discover who she was.
That is why the evidence is not in this house.
It is not in any Moretti property.
And it will never be found by a man who thinks family means ownership.
Salvatore grabbed the letter.
“Keep reading.”
Emma pulled it back.
“You wanted me to read it.”
His gun lifted.
She continued.
Rachel asked me to raise Emma far away from all of you.
I did.
But she also asked me to prepare for the day Emma might choose to return.
If she ever does, the ledger will be waiting in the place where Rachel first understood that family can be chosen.
Emma stopped.
Salvatore snatched the page.
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“No address?”
“No.”
He struck the wall.
Emma flinched.
“Where did Rachel first understand family could be chosen?”
“I don’t know.”
“You have her letter.”
“I have memories of being eight years old.”
His face twisted.
“You will figure it out.”
A crash came from downstairs.
Salvatore spun.
Emma heard shouting.
Then gunfire.
One shot.
Two.
She ducked.
Salvatore grabbed her arm.
“Move!”
They rushed downstairs.
Nico stumbled from the garage.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
“Luca’s here.”
Salvatore screamed, “You were supposed to watch Bianca!”
“I was!”
Bianca appeared behind him.
She swung a metal tire iron.
Nico collapsed.
Emma almost cheered.
Luca entered through the kitchen.
His gun was raised.
Salvatore dragged Emma against him and pressed his weapon near her ribs.
Luca stopped.
His face changed.
“Let her go.”
Salvatore laughed.
“Here he is.”
Emma could feel Salvatore breathing against her hair.
Luca’s eyes never left hers.
“You okay?”
Emma nodded once.
Salvatore pushed the gun harder.
“She won’t be.”
Luca’s voice became soft.
“You know how this ends.”
“You think I’m afraid of you?”
“No.”
Luca tilted his head.
“You should be afraid of her.”
Salvatore frowned.
Emma slammed her heel onto his foot and twisted.
His grip loosened.
She dropped.
Luca moved.
The gunshot shattered a framed picture.
Salvatore fell as Luca tackled him.
Security flooded the room.
Within seconds, Salvatore was restrained.
Alive.
Furious.
Emma stood shaking.
Luca crossed the room and grabbed her.
For once, she did not object to being protected.
She buried her face against his chest.
He kissed her hair.
“Never again.”
She laughed breathlessly.
“You’re going to have to be more specific.”
“Walking into houses with murderers.”
“Fair.”
Bianca appeared.
Her wrists were bruised.
Emma hugged her.
Bianca whispered, “I officially withdraw every rude thought I ever had about you.”
“You had more?”
“Many.”
Emma laughed.
It felt good.
Too good.
Almost normal.
Then Antonio entered.
Salvatore saw him.
His expression became venomous.
“You.”
Antonio stood over his brother.
“No more graves, Salvatore.”
“You think this is over?”
“Yes.”
Salvatore smiled.
“You still don’t know where the ledger is.”
Emma looked at David’s letter again.
The place where Rachel first understood that family can be chosen.
Isabella.
The restaurant.
No.
Rachel had known Isabella before the restaurant.
Emma suddenly remembered the tape.
Isabella saved me. I was nineteen and scared and had nowhere to go.
Emma turned toward Antonio.
“Where did Isabella meet my mother?”
Antonio frowned.
“I don’t know.”
Gabriel, standing near the doorway, answered.
“St. Catherine’s.”
Emma looked at him.
“What is that?”
“A women’s shelter.”
The meaning landed instantly.
Family can be chosen.
“Is it still there?”
Gabriel nodded.
“Yes.”
Two hours later, they stood outside St. Catherine’s.
An old brick building run by a nonprofit.
The director met them before sunrise.
When Emma explained Rachel Parker’s name, the elderly woman stared at her.
“I remember Rachel.”
Emma’s heart stopped.
“You knew her?”
“I was a volunteer then.”
“Did David ever come here?”
“Years later.”
“How many years?”
“Maybe five or six ago.”
Just before he died.
Emma showed her the key Marco had given her.
The woman recognized it.
“Basement archive room.”
They descended.
The silver key opened an old filing cabinet.
Inside was a red leather ledger.
Emma almost cried from relief.
Luca picked it up carefully.
“This can authenticate everything.”
Antonio nodded.
“Along with the vault records.”
Emma opened the cover.
A note had been tucked inside.
For Emma.
She unfolded it.
David’s final message.
Emma,
If you found this, you chose truth over fear.
That is all your mother ever wanted for you.
But before you give this ledger to anyone, read the last page.
Emma turned pages.
Names.
Payments.
Dates.
Crimes.
Then the last page.
One final entry.
DANIEL RUSSO — STATUS: ALIVE.
Emma stopped breathing.
“What?”
Antonio grabbed the ledger.
His face went white.
Luca read over his shoulder.
Emma whispered:
“My biological father didn’t die?”
A sound came from the basement doorway.
Everyone turned.
An elderly man stood there.
His eyes were fixed on Emma.
May you like
He whispered:
“Rachel?”
