Chapter 3 - THE SECRET IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
Clara couldn't speak.
The photograph trembled between her fingers.
“That's impossible.”
Elena sat across from her.
“Nothing is impossible in this family.”
“Matteo buried his father.”
“He buried a body.”
Clara stared at the photograph again.
“What does Adrian Vale have to do with this?”
Elena's eyes filled with something between anger and sorrow.
“Adrian was your husband's father's most trusted lawyer.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Elena shook her head.
“You don't.”
She pointed to the photograph.
“Adrian wasn't protecting Matteo's father.”
“He was protecting Matteo.”
Clara's breath caught.
“From what?”
“From becoming his father.”
The door opened.
A young man entered carrying a tray.
He was tall, dark-haired, and carried himself with quiet confidence.
Clara didn't recognize him.
Elena said, “This is Gabriel.”
Gabriel looked at Clara.
“Mrs. Falcone.”
“Who are you?”
Gabriel hesitated.
“Someone who owes Matteo his life.”
Clara looked at Elena.
“Why am I here?”
Elena leaned forward.
“Because the men who are looking for you aren't trying to kill you.”
Clara frowned.
“Then what do they want?”
“They want what you know.”
“I don't know anything.”
Elena's expression softened.
“You know about Peter's warehouse.”
Clara froze.
“You know about the weapons.”
“I know enough.”
“Then you know Peter was framed.”
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
Elena looked at Gabriel.
Gabriel answered.
“Your husband.”
Clara shook her head.
“No.”
“He used your brother's company to move weapons.”
“I know.”
“But he didn't authorize the shipment.”
Clara stared at him.
“Then who did?”
Gabriel placed another photograph on the table.
It showed Matteo entering a warehouse.
Beside him stood Thaddeus Russell.
But behind them was someone else.
A man with the same falcon symbol tattooed on his wrist.
Clara whispered,
“Who is that?”
Gabriel answered.
“Your husband's uncle.”
Clara's eyes widened.
“Matteo doesn't have an uncle.”
“He does.”
“Then why doesn't he know?”
“Because his father killed him.”
Clara looked at Elena.
“And he's alive too?”
Elena nodded.
“The Falcone family has been lying for generations.”
Clara stood.
“I need to leave.”
Gabriel blocked the door.
“Where will you go?”
“Home.”
“To Matteo?”
She hesitated.
Gabriel's voice softened.
“You don't understand. Someone inside his organization betrayed him.”
“Who?”
“We don't know.”
Clara's mind raced.
Thaddeus.
Peter.
Matteo's guards.
Someone had access to the Falcone systems.
Someone knew about the old encryption key.
Someone knew where Clara would be.
Then she remembered the envelope.
You taught me how to disappear.
She looked at Elena.
“Who knew I would be at the Drake?”
Elena's face changed.
“Everyone in Matteo's inner circle.”
Clara swallowed.
“But someone knew I would leave alone.”
Silence.
Gabriel looked at Elena.
Elena whispered,
“Then we have a bigger problem.”
Suddenly, the lights went out.
Gabriel reached for his weapon.
A gunshot shattered the window.
Clara screamed.
Glass exploded across the room.
Gabriel grabbed Clara and pulled her behind the wall.
Another shot.
Then another.
Elena shouted, “Basement!”
They ran.
Gabriel pushed open a hidden door beneath the staircase.
They disappeared underground just as bullets tore through the room above.
Clara's breathing became frantic.
“Who are they?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“Falcone men.”
Her blood went cold.
“But Matteo didn't know where I was.”
May you like
Gabriel's face hardened.
“Exactly.”
