THE SILVERWARE DRAWER

The silence in the study was absolute.

Anthony was dead. Vanessa had murdered a capo on Luca's property, stolen the evidence, and vanished into the night.

Luca stood by the window, staring out into the dark gardens. The mafia boss who had hosted an elegant dinner just hours ago was completely consumed by a cold, calculating rage.

"She has the watch," Luca said, his voice dangerously low. "Which means she has the proof of the embezzlement. But she doesn't have the real necklace."

He turned to look at me. "Anthony swapped the necklace. Did he say where the real one was?"

I shook my head, tears spilling down my cheeks. "He just said he took it to a fence Vanessa knew. He wanted to get it back before your jeweler arrived."

Luca’s jaw clenched. He pulled out his phone. "Daniel. I need the name of every fence operating on the south side. Turn the city upside down."

As Luca made his calls, my mind raced. The text message. The threat against Leo.

"Mr. Moretti," I interrupted, my voice trembling. "I need to leave."

Luca lowered his phone. "You're not safe out there, Nora. My men will protect you here."

"No," I sobbed, standing up. "You don't understand. Anthony texted me from a burner phone. He threatened my son, Leo. He said if I wanted to see him again, I had to go to the greenhouse."

Luca’s eyes widened. "You have a child?"

"He's eight. He's at my mother's apartment. I have to go to him."

"Daniel," Luca barked, pointing at his security chief. "Send a detail to her mother's apartment immediately. Secure the boy."

"I'm going with them," I insisted, grabbing my coat.

Luca looked at me. He saw the fierce, maternal desperation in my eyes. He nodded. "I'm coming with you."

Ten minutes later, we were in the back of Luca's armored SUV, tearing through the quiet streets of Chicago.

When we arrived at my mother's apartment building, the front door was ajar.

The lock had been forced.

"Mom!" I screamed, pushing past Luca and sprinting up the stairs to the second floor.

I burst into the small apartment.

The living room was tossed. Drawers were pulled out. The TV was smashed.

"Mom! Leo!"

I ran to the bedroom.

My mother was sitting on the floor, clutching her bruised arm, crying hysterically.

"Mom!" I dropped to my knees, hugging her. "Are you okay? Where is Leo?"

My mother sobbed, burying her face in my shoulder. "A man came in. He had a gun. He took him, Nora. He took Leo."

The world stopped spinning. A cold, black void opened up in my chest, swallowing all the air in the room.

He took Leo.

Luca stood in the doorway, his massive frame blocking the hall. His face was a mask of pure, murderous intent.

"Who took him, Mrs. Williams?" Luca asked gently, stepping into the room.

My mother looked up, terrified of the imposing man in the suit. "I... I don't know. He wore a mask. But he left this."

She reached into her pocket with a trembling hand and pulled out a torn photograph.

I took it.

It was a picture of a man I had never seen before. He was older, perhaps in his late fifties, with silver hair and cold, calculating eyes. The photograph had been torn in half, leaving only his face visible.

On the back, written in thick black marker, was an address.

Pier 4. Midnight.

I showed the photo to Luca.

His eyes widened in sheer disbelief. The color drained from his face.

"Do you know him?" I asked, my voice cracking with panic.

"Yes," Luca whispered, taking the photo. "His name is Marcus."

"Who is Marcus?"