Chapter 4 - The Name Her Father Buried
The first gunshot hit metal.
Sophia dropped instinctively.
Adrian was beside her before she understood what had happened.
"Down."
His arm shielded the back of her head as Marco's men moved between the vehicles.
Another shot cracked across the lot.
Then another.
Adrian dragged Sophia behind a concrete barrier.
"Are you hit?"
"No."
"Check."
"What?"
"Check yourself."
She ran shaking hands over her coat.
No blood.
"I'm okay."
Adrian looked toward Marco.
"Robert?"
"Safe!"
"What about Vittorio?"
"Gone!"
Of course he was.
Daniel too.
The black vehicles that had trapped them reversed almost as quickly as they had arrived.
This had not been an attempt to kill Adrian.
It had been cover.
A distraction.
Twenty seconds later, the lot was empty except for Adrian's team.
And the photograph lying in the rain.
Sophia picked it up.
Thomas Marino.
The name meant nothing.
And everything.
"My father wouldn't have lied to me."
Adrian looked at her.
"People lie to protect their children."
"That's supposed to help?"
"No."
She stood.
"I need answers."
"You'll get them."
"From who? My dead parents?"
Adrian looked at the photograph.
"Your sister."
Sophia froze.
"Megan was seven when Dad died."
"She may know something."
"She doesn't."
"Then someone else does."
Sophia's phone—Adrian's phone—rang.
She looked down.
Megan.
Sophia answered immediately.
"Megan?"
Silence.
Then breathing.
"Megan?"
A man's voice came through the line.
"Your sister is fine."
Sophia's face went blank.
Adrian saw it.
He took one step closer.
"Who is this?"
Daniel.
Sophia shut her eyes.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing yet."
"Daniel, if you touch her—"
"Come home."
Adrian held out his hand for the phone.
Sophia shook her head.
Daniel continued.
"Bring the photograph."
Sophia looked down.
Her blood ran cold.
He knew she had it.
"Where is Megan?"
"Safe."
"I want to hear her."
A rustle.
Then Megan's voice.
"Sophia, don't—"
The call cut.
Sophia stared at the phone.
Adrian took it gently.
"We'll find her."
"How?"
"Daniel made a mistake."
"What mistake?"
"He called from a device we control."
Marco was already working.
"Got it."
Sophia stepped toward him.
"Where?"
Marco looked at Adrian.
Then her.
"Your apartment."
Sophia went pale.
Daniel had taken Megan to the place Sophia had fled.
It made sense in the cruelest way.
He wanted her to return.
He always wanted her to return.
Adrian's vehicles moved within two minutes.
Sophia sat beside him again.
This time she wasn't frightened.
She was furious.
Adrian watched the change.
"Don't let anger make decisions."
"Is that advice you follow?"
"No."
"Then don't give it."
"Fair."
She looked at him.
"You're annoyingly calm."
"I'm not calm."
"You look calm."
"Different thing."
She studied his face.
"What happens if Daniel hurts her?"
Adrian's eyes met hers.
"He won't."
"You can't promise that."
"No."
"Then why say it?"
"Because he's still trying to trade her for something. That means she has value alive."
Sophia hated the logic.
But understood it.
"What happens when we get there?"
"You stay behind me."
"No."
"Sophia."
"If Megan sees armed men rushing into that apartment, she'll panic."
"And if Daniel sees you first, he'll use you."
"He already is."
Adrian looked forward.
"He doesn't get to anymore."
The words landed harder than he intended.
Sophia looked at him.
For a second, something softened between them.
Then she looked away.
"Why do you care?"
Adrian answered after a pause.
"I don't like men who mistake fear for loyalty."
"That isn't what I asked."
"No."
"Why do you care about me?"
He didn't answer.
Marco glanced in the rearview mirror and wisely said nothing.
They reached Sophia's neighborhood at 2:36 a.m.
Adrian's men entered the building through the rear stairwell.
Sophia waited in the lobby.
For thirty seconds.
Then screaming came from upstairs.
"Megan."
She ran.
Adrian followed.
Third floor.
Sophia reached the apartment door.
It was open.
Inside, Daniel stood near the kitchen.
Megan was sitting on a chair.
Her hands were tied.
But otherwise she appeared unharmed.
Daniel held a knife.
Not against Megan.
Against his own palm.
Blood ran down his hand.
He looked almost relieved to see Sophia.
"You came."
Sophia stopped.
"Let her go."
Daniel laughed softly.
"You're giving me orders now?"
"Yes."
His eyes shifted to Adrian.
"This is your new boyfriend?"
Adrian stepped forward.
Daniel raised the knife.
"Stay back."
Adrian stopped.
Sophia looked at Megan.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
Daniel shouted, "Stop talking to her."
Sophia flinched.
Then caught herself.
Daniel saw both.
And smiled.
That smile changed something.
Sophia straightened.
"No."
His smile faded.
"What?"
"You don't get to do that anymore."
"Do what?"
"Make everybody stop because you raised your voice."
Daniel stared.
"Sophia—"
"No."
Adrian watched quietly.
This was her confrontation.
Not his.
Daniel's face hardened.
"You humiliated me."
Sophia almost laughed.
"I ran away from you."
"With company documents."
"Evidence."
"You ruined my career."
"You did that."
"You think this criminal is saving you?"
Daniel pointed toward Adrian.
"You know what he is?"
Sophia looked at Adrian.
Then back.
"Yes."
"No, you don't."
"Maybe not."
Daniel stepped closer.
"But I know what you are."
His face twitched.
Megan watched her sister.
Daniel lowered his voice.
"The old Sophia wouldn't talk to me this way."
Sophia's stomach twisted.
"I know."
"I miss her."
"She was afraid of you."
"She loved me."
"She thought those were the same thing."
Daniel's face changed.
He lunged.
Adrian moved.
Fast.
Daniel never reached Sophia.
Adrian caught his wrist.
The knife hit the floor.
Marco crossed the room.
Megan screamed.
Daniel swung at Adrian.
Adrian hit him once.
A short, brutal punch.
Daniel collapsed against the counter.
Adrian grabbed his coat and held him upright.
"Listen carefully."
Daniel spat blood.
"You think you've won?"
"This isn't about winning."
"Vittorio will kill her."
Adrian's grip tightened.
"Where is he?"
Daniel smiled.
"Closer than you think."
Police sirens sounded outside.
Marco looked toward the window.
"Who called them?"
Megan raised a hand.
"I did before he took my phone."
Adrian released Daniel.
Good.
Better.
Police meant witnesses.
Accountability.
Even if some officers were compromised, too many eyes made disappearing people difficult.
Sophia untied Megan.
They embraced.
Megan began crying.
Sophia held her.
Daniel sat on the floor.
He looked up at Sophia.
"You still don't understand."
She ignored him.
"The photograph," he said.
She stopped.
Adrian looked at him.
"What about it?"
Daniel laughed.
"Vittorio didn't want the photograph."
Sophia turned.
"Then why tell me to bring it?"
"To see if you had recognized the building."
"What building?"
Daniel's smile widened.
"The warehouse in the background."
Sophia looked down at the photo.
Old brick.
Three windows.
Faded number painted near a loading door.
She had seen it.
Not tonight.
Years ago.
As a child.
Her father had taken her there once.
She had forgotten.
Until now.
Sophia whispered, "I know that place."
Adrian looked at her.
"Where?"
"South Side."
"Address?"
"I don't remember."
Megan pulled away from her.
"I do."
Sophia turned.
Megan's face was pale.
"Dad used to call it the red building."
Daniel laughed.
Police flooded the hallway.
Adrian stepped back.
Officers entered.
Daniel immediately changed expression.
Victim.
Calm.
Cooperative.
Sophia saw it happen.
One officer approached her.
"Ma'am, are you Sophia Reed?"
"Yes."
"I'm Detective Nolan."
Her stomach tightened.
Daniel's brother.
Adrian saw her reaction.
Nolan smiled politely.
"We need you to come with us."
Adrian stepped between them.
"Why?"
Nolan looked at him.
"Interfering with an investigation isn't smart, Mr. Moretti."
"Neither is kidnapping."
Nolan's smile faded.
"My brother says Ms. Reed stole proprietary documents and attacked him."
Sophia stared.
Megan shouted, "That's a lie!"
Nolan ignored her.
Adrian's voice became cold.
"You're arresting her?"
"Detaining."
"On whose order?"
Nolan reached for Sophia.
Adrian caught his wrist.
Every officer in the room tensed.
Marco whispered, "Adrian."
Adrian released him.
Nolan adjusted his sleeve.
Then his gaze dropped to the photograph in Sophia's hand.
For just half a second.
Recognition.
Adrian saw it.
Sophia did too.
Nolan's face changed too late.
Sophia held up the photo.
"You know this building."
Nolan said nothing.
Daniel stopped smiling.
Sophia stepped closer.
"What's at 214?"
Nolan's hand moved toward his weapon.
Adrian saw it.
So did Marco.
The room froze.
Then Megan whispered from behind Sophia.
"Soph."
Everyone turned.
Megan had picked up Daniel's fallen phone.
The screen was unlocked.
A new message had appeared.
Only an address.
214 West Carver Street.
May you like
And beneath it:
BRING SOPHIA BEFORE SUNRISE OR BURN EVERYTHING.
