Chapter 8 - The Man Who Killed Two Fathers
Marcus disconnected the laptop.
“Remote wipe.”
“Can you recover it?”
“Maybe.”
Adrian stared at the message.
You already know my name.
Samuel Price survived the gunshot.
Under pressure, he finally talked.
Charles had blackmailed him.
But Charles himself had answered to someone else.
“Who?” Adrian asked.
Samuel looked terrified.
“If I say it, I'm dead.”
“You're already dying.”
Samuel swallowed.
“Your uncle.”
Adrian froze.
Lorenzo Moretti.
His father's younger brother.
The man who had retired to Florida after Elena's funeral.
The man who had kissed Claire's coffin.
Lorenzo had wanted control of the Moretti empire.
Elena discovered it.
Daniel discovered the bomb.
Victor Hale discovered the financial trail.
All three became targets.
Marcus turned away when he learned his father had been poisoned.
Adrian put a hand on his shoulder.
No words were needed.
They contacted federal investigators through Rebecca.
This time Adrian did something no Moretti boss before him would have done.
He gave them everything.
Ledgers.
Accounts.
Names.
Evidence.
Including evidence against his own organization.
Marcus stared at him.
“You know what this means.”
“Yes.”
“You could lose everything.”
Adrian looked toward Sofia and Emma.
“No.”
He finally understood.
Everything was not the estate.
Not money.
Not power.
Everything was people.
And he had already lost enough.
The federal operation began.
Lorenzo was arrested at a private airfield.
Charles remained missing.
Adrian thought the nightmare was ending.
Then Sofia entered Emma's bedroom one morning.
Empty.
Daisy lay on the floor.
The window was open.
Adrian heard Sofia scream his name.
He ran.
On Emma's pillow was half a loaf of bread.
And beneath it, a note.
COME TO THE RIVER OR SHE DIES.
Adrian's face became stone again.
But this time Stone was not empty.
Stone was furious.
Sofia grabbed his coat.
“I'm coming.”
“No.”
“She is my daughter.”
“And Charles wants you too.”
“I don't care.”
“I do.”
Their eyes locked.
The words hung between them.
Sofia understood what he had admitted.
Adrian did too.
There was no time to discuss it.
Marcus entered.
“We found the vehicle.”
“Where?”
“South branch.”
Adrian reached for his gun.
Sofia caught his wrist.
“Bring her home.”
He looked at her.
“I will.”
She shook her head.
“No promises you can't keep.”
Adrian remembered Daniel.
Elena.
Every promise death had interrupted.
He covered Sofia's hand with his.
“Then I'll come home with her.”
He left.
At the river warehouse, he found Emma's small shoe outside.
Then another.
Charles wanted him to follow.
Inside, the lights were off.
Adrian heard crying.
“Emma?”
“Mr. Moretti?”
He ran toward her voice.
A spotlight came on.
Emma sat tied to a chair.
Charles stood behind her.
And beside Charles stood a man Adrian had believed was in federal custody.
Lorenzo Moretti.
Adrian stopped.
Lorenzo smiled.
“Hello, nephew.”
Then Emma looked behind Adrian.
Her eyes widened.
May you like
“Don't turn around.”
Adrian heard the gun being cocked against the back of his head.
