Chapter 8 - Sofia's Last Secret
Rain fell over Green-Wood Cemetery.
Of course it did.
Some nights seem designed for ghosts.
Lorenzo stood beside Sofia's grave beneath a black umbrella.
For several minutes, he said nothing.
I stayed back.
There are moments you don't enter without invitation.
Finally, he touched the stone.
“I should have listened to you.”
His voice was almost lost beneath the rain.
I looked away.
Later, after legal authorization obtained through a judge Lorenzo trusted, a cemetery official opened the small sealed compartment beneath Sofia's memorial plaque.
Inside was a waterproof case.
The master ledger.
And another letter.
For Lorenzo.
He didn't open it immediately.
We returned to the estate.
At midnight, Lorenzo finally sat alone in the library.
I found him there an hour later.
Sofia's letter lay open.
“I'm sorry.”
He shook his head.
“Stay.”
I sat across from him.
He handed me the letter.
Sofia had known she was being watched.
She knew Hale wanted the ledger.
She also knew Lorenzo wouldn't stop seeking revenge if she were killed.
So she asked him for something harder.
Live.
Not avenge me. Live.
Build something that doesn't require fear to survive.
And if someday someone makes you laugh again, don't punish yourself for it.
I handed the letter back.
Lorenzo stared at the fire.
“I loved her.”
“I know.”
“I still do.”
“I know.”
He looked at me.
“Does that bother you?”
“No.”
It surprised him.
“Sofia isn't my competition.”
A sad smile touched his face.
“No.”
“She helped lead us here.”
He looked at the letter again.
“She led you here.”
Silence.
Then he said, “Clara, if Mia comes home—”
“When.”
He looked up.
“When Mia comes home.”
“Good.”
“When she comes home, I want you both to leave this world.”
My chest tightened.
“What?”
“I'll give you enough money to start over.”
“I don't want your money.”
“Then take protection.”
“You're trying to send us away.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
His jaw tightened.
“Because I can't lose another person I—”
He stopped.
The unfinished sentence hung between us.
My heart pounded.
“Another person you what?”
He stood.
“Not tonight.”
For once, I let him escape.
Because Mia came first.
The ledger gave us leverage.
But Hale anticipated us.
At 6:12 a.m., every major news network reported that Commissioner Raymond Hale had been killed in a car explosion.
I stared at the television.
“No.”
Victor swore.
Lorenzo immediately understood.
“He faked it.”
Why?
Then the answer arrived.
An email.
One photograph.
Mia sitting inside what appeared to be a private airplane.
Text beneath it:
JFK. HANGAR 19. 10 P.M. BRING THE LEDGER. CLARA ALONE.
“No,” Lorenzo said immediately.
“Yes.”
“No.”
“She is my daughter.”
“And it's a trap.”
“Obviously.”
“He'll kill you.”
“He'll kill Mia if I don't go.”
Lorenzo stared at me.
Then walked away.
I followed him.
“Don't make this decision for me.”
He turned.
“I am trying to keep you alive.”
“And I'm trying to bring my child home!”
“So am I!”
His voice thundered through the hallway.
It was the first time he'd shouted at me.
Silence followed.
Then his anger vanished.
He lowered his voice.
“So am I, Clara.”
Something broke inside me.
“I can't lose her.”
He stepped closer.
“You won't.”
“You don't know that.”
“No.”
He touched my face.
His thumb brushed away a tear.
“But I know this.”
“What?”
“I would trade everything I have for that little girl.”
I closed my eyes.
“And you?”
I looked at him.
His voice was almost a whisper.
“I would trade everything twice.”
Then he kissed me.
Not desperately.
Not possessively.
It was a quiet kiss from a man who had nearly died and a woman terrified she might lose everything.
When we separated, his forehead remained against mine.
“If we survive tonight,” I whispered, “we're discussing that.”
His mouth almost smiled.
“When.”
Despite everything, I laughed.
“When.”
At 9:58 p.m., I entered Hangar 19 carrying the ledger.
Alone.
At least, Hale believed I was alone.
Mia stood beside him near the private jet.
“Mommy!”
I nearly ran toward her.
Hale raised a gun.
“Stop.”
I stopped.
“Give me my daughter.”
“The ledger.”
I held it up.
“You first.”
He laughed.
“You're a housekeeper negotiating with me?”
“No.”
I looked behind him.
“I'm Rose Bennett's daughter.”
His expression changed.
That was enough.
The hangar lights died.
Gunfire erupted.
I dropped.
Someone screamed.
Then Mia cried out.
“Mommy!”
Emergency lights flashed red.
I saw Hale dragging Mia toward the airplane.
I ran.
He raised the gun.
A shot exploded.
Hale fell.
Behind me stood Lorenzo.
Smoke curled from his weapon.
Mia tore free and ran into my arms.
I collapsed to my knees.
“My baby.”
She sobbed into my neck.
Then another shot rang out.
Lorenzo jerked.
Blood spread across his shirt.
“No!”
Hale was still alive.
Victor fired.
Hale stopped moving.
I lowered Mia and crawled toward Lorenzo.
He fell against the airplane stairs.
Blood covered my hands.
“Lorenzo.”
His eyes found mine.
“Is she safe?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
His eyes closed.
“No.”
I grabbed his face.
“No, no, no. You don't get to do this.”
His mouth moved faintly.
“What?”
“You said we'd discuss that kiss.”
His eyes opened just enough.
“Bossy.”
“Stay awake.”
He tried to smile.
Then Mia appeared beside me.
Tears covered her face.
She took his hand.
“Lorenzo?”
No response.
Her little voice broke.
“You have to wake up.”
The first time she'd found him, she had sung because he was alone.
Now she began singing because she loved him.
May you like
And as sirens approached the hangar, Lorenzo Moretti's fingers slowly closed around hers.
Again.
