Chapter 5 - THE BOY'S DISCOVERY
The eight-year-old boy stood on the stairs, his dinosaur pajamas covered in dust, clutching the silver bullets in his tiny fist.
“Mateo,” Luca breathed, pushing himself off the floor and keeping himself firmly between Vanessa and his son.
Vanessa stared at the empty gun in her hand, completely broken. She dropped the useless weapon, sinking to the concrete floor, sobbing into her hands.
Answer one: Vanessa’s gun was empty because Mateo had taken the bullets.
“How did you do that, buddy?” Luca asked gently, walking over and picking his son up, wrapping him in a massive hug.
Mateo buried his face in his father’s neck.
“When she came into my room to hide earlier today,” Mateo whispered, “she left her purse on my bed. I saw the gun. I remembered what Daniel taught me about safety. I took the bullets out and hid them in my pocket.”
I stared at the little boy. A child had disarmed a syndicate infiltrator because he remembered a basic safety lesson from a security guard.
“You’re a hero, Mateo,” I said softly, standing up and brushing the dust off my apron.
Luca looked at me over his son’s shoulder. The gratitude in his dark eyes was overwhelming.
Daniel rushed down the stairs a second later, his weapon drawn, followed by two more guards.
“Boss! We heard the muffled explosion!” Daniel yelled. He saw Vanessa on the floor and quickly moved to zip-tie her wrists.
“The explosive was contained in the vault,” Luca said, his voice returning to its normal, authoritative tone. “Arthur Vance is dead inside. Call the police. Tell them Arthur Vance, a fugitive wanted for vehicular manslaughter, broke into the estate and detonated a suicide charge.”
“Yes, sir,” Daniel nodded, pulling Vanessa to her feet.
“Wait,” I said, stepping toward Vanessa.
Vanessa glared at me, her makeup ruined, her designer gown covered in basement dirt.
“Arthur killed my father ten years ago,” I said, my voice eerily calm. “He ran him off the road. But my father didn't have any enemies. He was a mechanic. Why did Arthur kill him?”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“Your father wasn't just a mechanic, Claire,” Vanessa spat. “He was Arthur’s getaway driver. They robbed a syndicate transport truck in 2016. Your father got cold feet and wanted to return the money. Arthur killed him to keep it all.”
My entire world tilted.
The honest, hardworking man I had mourned for ten years had been a thief?
Open two: If my father was a getaway driver, did he leave anything behind? And why did Arthur wait ten years to use his coat as a bomb?
“You’re lying,” I whispered, tears pricking my eyes.
“Am I?” Vanessa sneered as Daniel dragged her away. “Ask your mother! Oh wait, she abandoned you right after he died, didn't she? I wonder why!”
The heavy basement doors slammed shut behind them.
I fell back against the concrete wall, sliding down until I hit the floor. I pulled my knees to my chest, struggling to breathe.
My father was a criminal. My mother hadn't abandoned me out of grief; she had run because she knew the truth. Everything my life was built on was a lie.
Luca handed Mateo to one of the remaining guards.
“Take him to his room. Stay with him,” Luca ordered.
Luca walked over and sat on the cold concrete floor right next to me. The billionaire mafia boss didn't care about his ruined suit. He didn't care about the millions of dollars currently burning inside his locked vault.
He just sat beside me in the quiet basement.
“Claire,” Luca said softly.
“Don't,” I choked out, hiding my face in my arms. “I’m the daughter of a thief. Arthur probably targeted this house because he knew I worked here. This is all my fault.”
Luca reached out and gently took my hands, pulling them away from my face.
“Look at me,” Luca commanded. Not forcefully, but with absolute certainty.
I looked up into his dark, intense eyes.
“My father was a murderer,” Luca said quietly. “My grandfather ran an extortion ring. I have done things in this city that would give you nightmares. We don't get to choose who our parents are, Claire. We only get to choose who we become.”
He wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb.
“You stood in front of a gun to protect my son,” Luca said, his voice dropping into a rumble that sent a shiver down my spine. “You are the bravest person in this house. Do not ever let that woman make you feel small.”
I stared at him, my heart skipping a beat. For ten months, he had been my terrifying boss. Now, sitting on a dirty basement floor, he was the only person in the world who understood me.
Suddenly, my radio earpiece crackled.
I still had the staff radio on.
It was Patricia, the head housekeeper. Her voice was panicked.
“Claire? Claire, are you there?”
I tapped the earpiece. “I’m here, Patricia. We’re safe.”
“Claire, you need to come to your staff apartment right now,” Patricia said, her voice shaking.
“Why?” I asked, a new wave of dread washing over me.
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“Because while everyone was evacuated,” Patricia stammered, “someone broke into your apartment. They tore the place apart.”
TITLE: THE ROSARY IN THE PILLOW
