Chapter 3 - The Lie Between Them
Elena answered before Leo could stop her.
“Daniel?”
Silence.
Then breathing.
“Elena,” a man whispered.
Her knees nearly gave out.
Leo took a step closer.
The voice continued.
“You shouldn’t be with him.”
“Where are you?”
“Ask him what happened at Pier Nine.”
Elena looked at Leo.
“What is Pier Nine?”
Leo’s expression changed.
Daniel heard the silence.
“He remembers.”
The call ended.
Elena lowered the phone.
“Tell me.”
Leo looked toward the rooftop.
The watcher was gone.
“Not here.”
“Tell me now.”
“Elena.”
“You came into my apartment. You told me I was in danger. You acted like you were protecting me.”
“I am.”
“From who?”
Leo said nothing.
Her eyes filled with anger.
“Maybe from you?”
That landed harder than he expected.
He deserved it.
“Pier Nine was twelve years ago.”
“What happened?”
“My father was still alive. Gabriel Vieri worked for him.”
“And Daniel?”
“I didn’t know Daniel then.”
“You’re avoiding the question.”
Leo exhaled.
“There was a shipment.”
She laughed without humor.
“A shipment. That’s a convenient word.”
“I’m not asking you to approve of my life.”
“No. You’re just standing in my destroyed apartment because your life crawled into mine.”
Fair.
Leo continued.
“The shipment disappeared. Two men were blamed. Gabriel was one.”
“The other?”
“My father never told me.”
Elena stared.
“You think it was Daniel.”
“I think someone wants us to believe it.”
That distinction mattered.
At least to Leo.
Not to Elena.
She turned toward the bedroom.
“I’m packing.”
“You can’t stay here.”
“Obviously.”
“You’ll stay somewhere secure.”
“With you?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“I would rather sleep in the subway.”
“That can be arranged badly.”
She stared at him.
He almost smiled.
She did not.
Twenty minutes later, Elena left with one duffel bag.
Leo took her to a townhouse on the Upper East Side registered under a company name.
It was not his primary residence.
Few people knew it existed.
Marco met them there.
“You look terrible,” Marco told Leo.
“Thank you.”
“I meant emotionally.”
“Leave.”
Elena walked past them carrying her bag.
“Where am I sleeping?”
“Second floor,” Leo said.
“Door lock?”
“Yes.”
“From the inside?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Marco watched her disappear upstairs.
Then looked at Leo.
“You’re doomed.”
Leo stared at him.
“What?”
“You followed a cleaning woman into Queens, laughed at her insult, brought her to a safe house, and now you look like you want to murder the concept of stairs because she walked away from you.”
“I want to know who framed her.”
“Sure.”
Leo turned away.
Marco became serious.
“Pier Nine?”
Leo nodded.
“That’s bad.”
“Find everything.”
“Your father’s records?”
“Everything.”
Marco lowered his voice.
“If Daniel Moretti was involved—”
“I want proof.”
“And if your father ordered him killed?”
Leo’s jaw tightened.
“Proof.”
Upstairs, Elena sat alone on the edge of a bed that probably cost more than six months of her rent.
She hated it.
Not because it was luxurious.
Because it was safe.
Safety felt dangerous when offered by a man she had no reason to trust.
Her phone contained thirteen missed calls from work, three from her landlord, and one from an unknown number.
She stared at it.
Then opened Daniel’s old contact.
She had never deleted it.
For three years, the number had gone nowhere.
Tonight, she pressed call.
The line rang.
Once.
Twice.
Someone answered.
Elena stood.
“Daniel?”
A woman spoke.
“Elena?”
She froze.
“Who is this?”
“My name is Sofia.”
“How do you know me?”
Silence.
Then:
“Because Daniel talked about you every day.”
Elena gripped the phone.
“Where is he?”
“I can’t say.”
“Then don’t call me again.”
“Wait.”
Elena nearly ended the call.
Sofia spoke quickly.
“Daniel didn’t abandon you.”
Tears burned Elena’s eyes.
“He was gone for three years.”
“He was keeping you alive.”
“By pretending to be dead?”
“Yes.”
Elena sank onto the bed.
“Why?”
“Because the people looking for him knew you were his weakness.”
“Who?”
Sofia hesitated.
“The Castellanos.”
Elena closed her eyes.
Downstairs, Leo poured coffee and studied the old photograph.
He did not know Elena was listening to someone tell her he was the enemy.
Sofia continued.
“Daniel found something years ago. Something people were killed for.”
“What?”
“I can’t tell you over the phone.”
“Where do we meet?”
“No.”
“You called me.”
“Because Daniel is hurt.”
Elena stood again.
“What happened?”
“He needs help.”
“Where?”
Sofia hesitated.
Then gave an address in Brooklyn.
“Come alone.”
The line disconnected.
Elena stared at the phone.
She knew it was dangerous.
She also knew she was going.
She waited until after midnight.
The hallway was quiet.
She dressed, carried her shoes in one hand, and slipped downstairs.
The front door opened silently.
“Going somewhere?”
Leo sat in the dark living room.
Elena froze.
“How long have you been sitting there?”
“Long enough.”
“You don’t sleep?”
“Not tonight.”
She put on her shoes.
“Move.”
“No.”
“Daniel needs me.”
That got his attention.
“Who contacted you?”
“A woman.”
“Name?”
“Sofia.”
Leo’s face changed.
Elena noticed.
“You know her.”
“I know of her.”
“Who is she?”
“Gabriel Vieri’s daughter.”
Elena’s stomach dropped.
“Daniel is with Gabriel’s daughter?”
“Apparently.”
“You said Gabriel betrayed your family.”
“He did.”
“Then why would Daniel trust his daughter?”
“That is an excellent question.”
“I’m still going.”
“So am I.”
“She said alone.”
“Then she planned badly.”
Forty minutes later, Leo’s car stopped near an abandoned print shop in Brooklyn.
Elena looked at him.
“Stay here.”
He almost laughed.
“No.”
“This is about my brother.”
“It became about me when they used my name.”
Elena opened the door.
“Fine. But if Daniel runs because he sees you, I’m blaming you forever.”
“That seems manageable.”
They entered through the side.
A single lamp burned inside.
Elena saw a woman first.
Dark hair.
Early thirties.
She held a gun pointed at Leo.
Elena stopped.
Leo did not.
“Sofia.”
“Castellano.”
“Where is Daniel?”
Sofia looked at Elena.
“Behind the curtain.”
Elena ran.
Leo caught her arm.
“Slowly.”
She pulled free and pushed the curtain aside.
A man lay on a narrow cot.
Bandage around his ribs.
Bruises along his face.
Elena stopped breathing.
“Daniel.”
His eyes opened.
“Ellie.”
She collapsed beside him.
Her brother lifted one hand.
She grabbed it.
It was real.
Warm.
Scarred wrist.
Her brother.
Elena sobbed into his chest.
Daniel held her weakly.
“I’m sorry.”
She hit his shoulder.
He winced.
She pulled back instantly.
“I’m sorry.”
He laughed painfully.
“I deserved that.”
“Three years.”
“I know.”
“Three years!”
“I know.”
She touched his face like she still did not believe him.
Then his eyes moved past her.
Toward Leo.
Daniel’s entire body tensed.
“You brought him.”
“He followed me.”
Leo almost objected.
Sofia kept the gun raised.
Daniel struggled upright.
“You need to leave, Leo.”
“Not until you tell me why someone used your name to frame Elena.”
Daniel looked at his sister.
“That wasn’t me.”
“Then who?”
“Someone trying to force us together.”
Leo’s expression hardened.
“Why?”
Daniel reached beneath the cot.
Sofia moved closer.
“Daniel, don’t.”
He ignored her.
He pulled out a small flash drive.
Black plastic.
One edge cracked.
“This is why.”
Leo stared.
“What’s on it?”
“The truth about Pier Nine.”
Elena looked between them.
Daniel continued.
“Your father didn’t lose a shipment that night.”
Leo’s face became still.
“He sold something.”
“What?”
Daniel looked at Elena.
Then Leo.
“Names.”
Leo’s eyes narrowed.
“Whose names?”
“Witnesses. Informants. Families. Anyone who could hurt the organization.”
Elena felt cold.
Daniel held up the drive.
“I found the ledger.”
Leo stepped forward.
Sofia cocked the gun.
“Stay back.”
Leo stopped.
Daniel said, “Your father ordered everyone connected to it erased.”
Including me, Leo realized.
Daniel nodded as though reading his face.
“Yes.”
Elena whispered, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I tried to come home once.”
He swallowed.
“Someone followed me.”
“When?”
“The night before my funeral.”
Elena’s face crumpled.
Daniel reached for her.
“I saw you through the kitchen window.”
She covered her mouth.
“I was right there.”
“I know.”
“Why didn’t you come inside?”
“Because there was a man across the street with a rifle.”
Silence.
Leo looked toward Sofia.
“Who?”
She lowered the gun slightly.
“We never identified him.”
Daniel handed Elena the flash drive.
“You keep this.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I just got you back.”
“And that is why you listen.”
A sound came from outside.
Leo heard it first.
A car door.
Then another.
He moved to the window.
Three black vehicles had stopped outside.
Sofia swore.
Daniel tried to stand.
Leo drew Elena back.
“How many exits?”
“Two,” Sofia said.
“Not anymore.”
The rear door exploded inward.
Elena screamed.
Leo pulled her behind a steel support column.
Men entered.
Faces covered.
No shouting.
Professional.
Leo fired once toward the ceiling light.
Darkness swallowed the room.
“Move!”
Sofia dragged Daniel toward the rear.
Elena grabbed her brother’s hand.
Leo stayed behind them.
They reached the alley.
A second vehicle blocked it.
Leo turned.
“Roof.”
They ran upstairs.
Daniel nearly collapsed.
Elena helped him.
At the roof door, Sofia stopped.
A red laser dot appeared on her coat.
Leo tackled her.
A shot struck brick.
They crawled behind the parapet.
Daniel looked toward the next building.
“Fire escape.”
Too far.
Leo removed his jacket.
Elena stared at him.
“What are you doing?”
“Buying time.”
“No.”
“Go with Daniel.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“I am not leaving you.”
Leo looked at her.
Even now.
Even terrified.
She meant it.
Something inside him shifted.
Before he could answer, his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
He opened the message.
A photograph appeared.
Marco.
Bound to a chair.
Blood on his forehead.
Below it were six words.
BRING THE DRIVE TO YOUR FATHER’S HOUSE.
Leo stared at the screen.
Elena saw the picture.
Then a second message arrived.
COME ALONE OR MARCO DIES.
May you like
And beneath it was one final line.
YOUR FATHER IS WAITING.
