Chapter 4 - THE RESCUE
Carmine found the warehouse at 11:17 p.m.
He didn't send twenty men.
He sent three.
Leo.
Vito.
And himself.
The building sat near the abandoned rail yard, surrounded by rusted shipping containers.
Carmine entered through the rear.
Two guards went down before they could raise their weapons.
Inside, voices echoed.
Then he heard it.
A scream.
“Ivy!”
Carmine ran.
He kicked open the metal door.
Ivy was tied to a chair.
Marco stood behind her with a gun.
For one second, nobody moved.
Then Marco raised the weapon.
Carmine fired first.
The bullet struck Marco's shoulder.
He staggered backward.
Ivy screamed.
Carmine crossed the room and cut her restraints.
“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
“I—I don't know.”
His hands hovered near her shoulders.
“Can I touch you?”
Ivy looked at him.
Then nodded.
Carmine pulled her into his arms.
It was the first time he'd held her.
She expected coldness.
Instead, his embrace was firm and protective.
She began crying.
“I thought you weren't coming.”
Carmine's jaw tightened.
“I always come.”
Behind them, Marco groaned.
Carmine turned.
“Who ordered this?”
Marco laughed weakly.
“You still don't understand.”
“Explain.”
“You think this is about the money.”
“What is it about?”
Marco looked at Ivy.
“Her mother.”
Ivy froze.
Marco continued.
“She wasn't just a witness.”
Carmine stepped closer.
“What was she?”
Marco smiled.
“She was your father's accountant.”
Silence.
Carmine stared.
That was impossible.
His father had no female accountant.
Not officially.
Marco laughed again.
“She kept records of everything.”
“Where?”
Marco's smile disappeared.
“Ask Ivy.”
Carmine looked at her.
Ivy shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Marco closed his eyes.
“That's what they want you to believe.”
Then the warehouse lights went out.
A gunshot cracked through the darkness.
When emergency lights flickered back on, Marco was dead.
Carmine looked toward the door.
No shooter.
No footprints.
Only a single black envelope on the floor.
He picked it up.
Inside was a photograph.
Carmine's father.
Ivy's mother.
Standing together.
Twenty years earlier.
On the back:
THEY WERE LOVERS.
Ivy saw it.
Her face went pale.
Carmine looked at her.
She whispered:
“No.”
He said nothing.
Neither did she.
May you like
For the first time, something dangerous entered the space between them.
Doubt.
