Chapter 6 - THE EMPTY CRIB
Luca did not speak during the drive.
That frightened Elina more than shouting would have.
His hands stayed clenched.
His eyes fixed ahead.
Every few seconds, someone called.
Security.
Police.
Teresa.
His men.
The same answer each time.
No Gabriel.
The breach had taken four minutes.
Power interruption.
Rear gate.
Two guards drugged, not killed.
Teresa knocked unconscious.
Gabriel taken from the nursery.
Professional.
Planned.
Elina felt sick.
“This is because of me.”
Luca turned.
“No.”
“They found out about the key.”
“We don’t know that.”
“They took him after we found the drive.”
“That means someone knew where we were.”
Elina looked at him.
“Inside your organization.”
Sofia’s unfinished warning.
The name is—
Luca’s face hardened.
“Yes.”
When they reached the estate, Teresa was sitting in the kitchen with an ice pack against her temple.
She stood when Luca entered.
“I’m sorry.”
He crossed the room and hugged her.
Elina looked away.
Teresa cried into his shoulder.
“They knew the camera blind spots.”
Luca pulled back.
“Who?”
“I never saw.”
“Voice?”
“Masked.”
“What did they say?”
Teresa looked at Elina.
“They asked where she was.”
Elina froze.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“What exactly?”
“Where is Marina’s daughter?”
Luca went still.
Teresa continued:
“I said I didn’t know.”
“And?”
“They took Gabriel.”
Elina felt her knees weaken.
Luca caught her elbow.
She pulled away gently.
“I’m okay.”
She wasn’t.
The phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone froze.
Luca answered.
“Talk.”
A man’s voice.
Calm.
Cultured.
“Still charming, Luca.”
Sebastian.
Luca’s face turned to stone.
“Where is my son?”
“Safe.”
“If he has one mark—”
“Threats later.”
Luca closed his eyes.
“What do you want?”
“You know.”
“The shares belong to Elina.”
“Then she signs them.”
Elina held out her hand.
Luca looked at her.
She mouthed:
Speaker.
He put it on.
Sebastian continued:
“Transfer controlling interest to my holding company. All Sofia’s copies destroyed. No police.”
Elina spoke.
“Hi.”
Silence.
Then:
“Elina.”
Her skin crawled.
“You sound disappointed.”
“You sound like Marina.”
“My mother didn’t like you?”
A pause.
“She didn’t know me.”
“Lucky woman.”
Luca looked at Elina like she had lost her mind.
She continued:
“You want my shares?”
“Yes.”
“Bring Gabriel.”
“Not how negotiations work.”
“I’m a waitress. We do checks at the end.”
Sebastian laughed.
“I see why Sofia liked you.”
That hit.
Elina’s throat tightened.
“You killed her.”
Silence.
Luca stared at the phone.
Sebastian answered:
“Careful.”
“Did you?”
“You have no idea what happened that night.”
“Then tell me.”
“I will tell you when you sign.”
Elina looked at Luca.
“We meet.”
Luca shook his head.
She ignored him.
“Public place.”
Sebastian laughed.
“No.”
“Then no deal.”
“Elina.”
She cut in.
“You kidnapped a baby. You clearly want something badly enough to make stupid choices.”
Luca’s eyes narrowed.
Sebastian’s voice cooled.
“You are not in control.”
“No. But neither are you. If you hurt Gabriel, you lose the only reason I’d ever sign.”
Silence.
Then Sebastian said:
“Midnight tomorrow.”
“Where?”
“DeSantis Maritime terminal in Red Hook.”
Luca mouthed no.
Elina continued:
“Gabriel first.”
“You see him first.”
“Then I sign.”
“Yes.”
“And Sofia’s death?”
“You get the truth.”
The call ended.
Luca rounded on her.
“You are not going.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No.”
“That’s my nephew.”
“He is my son.”
“And Sebastian wants me.”
“Exactly.”
“Which is why I go.”
“No.”
Elina stared.
“Do you think telling me no makes me safer?”
“It makes you alive.”
“Maybe.”
She stepped closer.
“But your wife left me those shares because she trusted me to choose.”
Luca’s face changed.
“You knew her for four days in a diner.”
“She was my sister.”
“She was my wife.”
“And Gabriel is both of ours to care about.”
Silence.
Neither moved.
Finally Teresa said:
“She’s right.”
Luca turned.
His sister lifted her chin.
“Not about everything.”
Elina almost smiled.
“But Sebastian wants Elina. You can’t pretend she’s luggage.”
Luca rubbed his face.
“This family is becoming exhausting.”
Elina crossed her arms.
“Your family?”
He looked at her.
The word hung there.
Then:
“Yes.”
Something in her chest moved.
She ignored it.
They spent the next twelve hours preparing.
Not for a war.
For evidence.
Luca contacted a federal agent Sofia had quietly communicated with before her death.
Agent Daniel Reeves.
Financial crimes.
Shipping investigations.
Reeves arrived at the estate before dawn.
Elina stared.
“You really do know police.”
Luca looked annoyed.
“I pay taxes too.”
“Debatable.”
Reeves almost smiled.
Sofia’s flash drive was enough to open a major investigation.
The corrupted video was sent to forensic recovery.
By afternoon, technicians restored six seconds after the glitch.
Sofia’s voice:
The man helping Sebastian is someone Luca trusts with Gabriel.
Luca went pale.
Elina understood.
Not just business.
Someone close enough to the baby.
They listed everyone.
Teresa.
No.
Nannies.
Security.
Drivers.
Doctor.
House staff.
Then Elina remembered the restaurant.
“The bodyguard.”
Luca looked at her.
“What?”
“The first night.”
“Which one?”
“The man beside you told me to ignore Gabriel.”
Luca frowned.
“Matteo.”
“He said Gabriel doesn’t like people.”
“So?”
“He knew exactly how unusual the reaction was.”
“Everyone does.”
Elina shook her head.
“No.”
She remembered.
“He said, ‘Not even the nannies. Not even his sister.’”
Luca’s face changed.
“My sister?”
“Elina, Teresa rarely holds Gabriel when he’s upset.”
Teresa nodded.
“That’s true.”
Elina continued:
“But Matteo said it like he keeps track.”
Luca’s expression hardened.
Matteo Ricci.
Forty-three.
Security captain.
With Luca for fifteen years.
Trusted enough to stand beside Gabriel.
Trusted enough to know estate blind spots.
Luca called security.
“Where is Matteo?”
A pause.
Then:
“Not on property.”
“When did he leave?”
“Forty minutes after the breach.”
Everyone went still.
“Find him.”
His vehicle was found near JFK.
Empty.
Phone inside.
Luca stared at the location.
“He ran.”
Agent Reeves said:
“Or wants you to think he did.”
Then the recovered video file chimed.
Another fragment.
Sofia appeared.
The audio was damaged.
But the name came through.
“…Matteo Ricci…”
Luca closed his eyes.
Fifteen years.
He had let that man carry his son.
Elina saw the guilt.
“Don’t.”
He looked at her.
“Don’t what?”
“Turn this into you being stupid.”
“I trusted him.”
“Sofia did too.”
“She investigated him.”
“Eventually.”
Luca looked away.
Elina softened.
“You told me everybody has secrets.”
He gave a humorless laugh.
“I’m starting to hate my own advice.”
That evening, Elina sat in the nursery.
Empty crib.
Gabriel’s blanket still folded beside it.
A wooden mobile turned slowly from the air-conditioning.
Luca stood at the doorway.
“He sleeps badly.”
Elina looked over.
“Really?”
“Every two hours.”
“Maybe he misses his mother.”
Luca leaned against the frame.
“I know.”
“How old was he when she died?”
“Seven weeks.”
Elina’s heart tightened.
“She barely got any time.”
“No.”
“Did she hold him like I do?”
“Yes.”
He looked at her hands.
“Exactly.”
Elina stared at the crib.
“My mother taught me.”
“Sofia probably learned from Marina too.”
“So Gabriel recognized a memory.”
“Yes.”
That made more sense than fate.
And somehow felt more powerful.
Luca walked closer.
“I should have protected him.”
Elina looked up.
“You cannot protect someone from every betrayal.”
He said nothing.
“You can punish yourself later.”
His eyes met hers.
“Waitress advice?”
“Free with dinner.”
For the first time, he smiled fully.
It changed his face.
Made him look younger.
Less dangerous.
More dangerous in a completely different way.
Elina looked away.
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Smile.”
“Why?”
“It’s confusing.”
His smile widened slightly.
Then his phone rang.
The moment vanished.
He answered.
Agent Reeves.
The forensic team had recovered one more file.
Not from Sofia.
A recording from Matteo.
Made six months ago.
Insurance.
In it, Matteo argued with Sebastian.
Then one sentence changed everything.
Matteo:
If Luca finds out you caused Sofia’s crash, he’ll burn every route you have.
Sebastian:
Then Luca never finds out.
Luca stood absolutely still.
Elina rose.
There it was.
Proof.
Sebastian killed Sofia.
And Matteo helped hide it.
Then Reeves continued.
“There’s more.”
Luca listened.
His face changed again.
“What?”
Reeves said:
“Matteo isn’t at the Red Hook terminal.”
“Where is he?”
“Security cameras spotted him twenty minutes ago.”
“Where?”
May you like
The answer made Luca turn toward the nursery window.
“Outside your estate.”
