Chapter 4 - THE GIRL IN THE EMPTY WAREHOUSE
The warehouse smelled like rust, gasoline, and old concrete.
Lily sat alone on a wooden chair.
Her wrists weren't tied.
That frightened her more than if they had been.
The man who brought her there had said she wasn't a prisoner.
But he had locked the door.
Lily kept thinking about her mother.
She had promised not to cry.
So she didn't.
A metal door opened.
A tall man walked inside.
He wore a gray coat.
His name was Vincent Hale.
Lily didn't know that.
She only knew he had cold eyes.
"You saved a man yesterday."
Lily nodded.
"Did you know who he was?"
"No."
"Do you know Dominic Moretti?"
Lily shook her head.
Vincent smiled.
"Good."
He pulled a chair closer.
"Do you know where your mother worked before?"
"No."
"Does she talk about him?"
"Who?"
"Dominic."
Lily looked confused.
"No."
Vincent leaned closer.
"Does your mother ever say the word Moretti?"
Lily thought.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"My mom says lots of things."
"Like what?"
"She says I need to finish my homework."
Vincent almost smiled.
"You really don't understand what's happening."
Lily stared at him.
"Can I go home?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because your mother knows something."
"What?"
Vincent didn't answer.
He stood.
"She'll tell us."
Lily's voice became smaller.
"Is my mom coming?"
Vincent looked at the door.
"Yes."
He didn't say what would happen when she arrived.
Outside the warehouse, Elena stood beside a black car.
She had come alone.
Or so she believed.
The warehouse lights flickered in the distance.
Then another car pulled up behind her.
She turned.
Dominic stepped out.
For seven years, she had imagined this moment.
She had imagined anger.
Questions.
Accusations.
She had never imagined the look in his eyes.
He wasn't angry.
He looked terrified.
"Where is she?"
Elena swallowed.
"Lily?"
"Yes."
"You don't understand."
Dominic stepped closer.
"I understand that someone has my daughter."
The world seemed to stop.
Elena stared at him.
"What did you say?"
Dominic's jaw tightened.
"I know."
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
"How?"
"Because I had the hospital records checked."
She looked away.
Dominic caught her wrist.
Not violently.
Desperately.
"You were pregnant."
Elena whispered,
"Yes."
"And you never told me."
"I was scared."
"Of me?"
"Of what you were becoming."
That sentence hit harder than a slap.
Dominic released her.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Elena whispered,
"Lily doesn't know."
"She won't."
"Dominic—"
"I swear."
He looked toward the warehouse.
"Who has her?"
"I don't know."
"You came here."
"Because they threatened her."
Dominic's eyes hardened.
"Then we're getting her back."
Elena stared at him.
"You don't understand. These people aren't after money."
"What do they want?"
She looked at him.
"They want what I stole from you."
Dominic's expression changed.
"What did you steal?"
"A file."
"What file?"
"The Black Ledger."
Silence.
Marcus, standing behind Dominic, suddenly looked alarmed.
"That's impossible."
Elena turned toward him.
"I wish it were."
Dominic's voice became quiet.
"Where is it?"
"I destroyed it."
"No."
"I burned the papers."
"You wouldn't be alive if you had."
Elena shook her head.
"I kept one copy."
Dominic stared at her.
"Where?"
"Somewhere they will never find."
A gunshot echoed from inside the warehouse.
Elena screamed.
"Lily!"
Dominic moved instantly.
The warehouse erupted into chaos.
Dominic's men stormed the building.
Vincent heard the gunfire and grabbed Lily.
"Move!"
Lily cried out.
He pulled her toward the back door.
Then Dominic appeared.
"Put her down."
Vincent froze.
Lily looked past him.
The little girl's eyes widened.
"Mister."
Dominic stared at her.
The same little girl from Fifth Avenue.
The child who had knelt beside him when everyone else walked away.
She looked terrified.
Dominic lowered his weapon.
"Lily."
Vincent tightened his grip.
"Don't come closer."
Dominic took one slow step.
"I'm not going to hurt you."
Lily looked at him.
"You were the man on the street."
"Yes."
"I called the ambulance."
"I know."
Dominic's voice softened.
"You saved my life."
Vincent suddenly raised his gun.
Everything happened at once.
A shot.
A scream.
A body hitting concrete.
Dominic pushed Lily behind him.
Marcus fired.
Vincent collapsed.
Silence.
Lily clung to Dominic's coat.
He looked down.
For the first time in his life, the most feared man in the city didn't know what to do with his hands.
Then Lily whispered,
"Are you okay?"
Dominic looked at her.
The question almost broke him.
"Yes."
He crouched.
"Are you?"
Lily nodded.
Then she asked:
"Can I go home now?"
Dominic looked toward Elena.
His face hardened.
"Yes."
But Elena knew better.
The war had just begun.
May you like
Because the Black Ledger wasn't destroyed.
And whoever possessed it now knew Dominic Moretti had a daughter.
