Chapter 4 - Sophie Knew More Than She Ever Told Her Sister
Maya returned home before Dominic.
Sophie was sitting on the couch.
She looked nervous.
Too nervous.
Maya knew immediately.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Don't lie.”
Sophie looked away.
Maya sat across from her.
“Who is Sophia Bennett?”
Sophie stared.
Maya's heart sank.
“You know.”
Sophie began crying.
“I didn't know how to tell you.”
Maya's voice softened.
“Tell me what?”
“Our mother left us because she was hiding me.”
“What?”
Sophie wiped her eyes.
“I'm not Elena's biological daughter.”
Silence.
Maya stared.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“That's impossible.”
“I found the documents last year.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“That you'd leave me.”
Maya shook her head.
“I would never leave you.”
Sophie cried harder.
“I know.”
They sat together for a long time.
Finally, Sophie spoke.
“There was a man.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“What did he look like?”
“Dark hair. Gray eyes.”
Dominic.
Maya felt a chill.
“What did he want?”
“To take me.”
“Why?”
Sophie shook her head.
“He said our mother owed him.”
Maya stood.
“When?”
“Last year.”
“You saw him last year?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he said if I told you, you'd die.”
The room seemed to shrink.
Dominic arrived ten minutes later.
Maya told him everything.
He listened.
Then asked Sophie one question.
“Did he have a scar?”
Sophie nodded.
“On his neck.”
Dominic turned pale.
“Who?”
“Marco Russo.”
Maya looked at him.
“Your family?”
“My uncle.”
“Your uncle is alive?”
“Apparently.”
Dominic's phone rang.
He answered.
“Where?”
A pause.
His expression changed.
“He's in Chicago.”
Maya stood.
“Then we find him.”
Dominic shook his head.
“You stay here.”
“No.”
“Maya.”
“No.”
“You don't understand what Marco is capable of.”
“I understand what family secrets are capable of.”
Dominic stared at her.
Then nodded.
They found Marco at a private club on the west side.
He was older.
Gray-haired.
Thin.
But his eyes were sharp.
He smiled when Dominic entered.
“You look like your father.”
Dominic pointed a gun at him.
“You threatened a child.”
Marco laughed.
“Not a child.”
Sophie stepped forward.
Marco's smile disappeared.
“You.”
Sophie was shaking.
Maya stepped beside her.
“What did you want from her?”
Marco looked at Maya.
“Elena's daughter.”
“Which one?”
“You.”
Maya froze.
“What?”
Marco nodded.
“You were never supposed to survive.”
Dominic's hand tightened around the gun.
“Explain.”
Marco sighed.
“Elena stole something.”
“What?”
“A ledger.”
Maya's heart stopped.
“The one we found?”
“No.”
Marco smiled.
“The real one.”
He looked at Maya.
“She hid it inside you.”
Maya's face went blank.
“I don't understand.”
“When you were five, Elena brought you to Naples.”
Maya remembered.
The bakery.
The narrow apartment.
A man visiting late at night.
A silver suitcase.
Marco continued.
“She used your clothes.”
Maya looked down.
“Why?”
“Because nobody searches children's clothing for secrets.”
Maya suddenly remembered something.
A blue coat.
An embroidered lining.
Her mother refusing to throw it away.
The coat had vanished after they returned to America.
“You have it,” Marco said.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Marco smiled.
“Your mother's old apartment.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“That's been empty for years.”
Marco stood.
“Not empty.”
The lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
Dominic pulled Maya behind him.
Sophie screamed.
Men stormed the room.
Dominic's security team returned fire.
Marco disappeared.
Maya grabbed Sophie's hand.
“Stay with me.”
They ran through a side corridor.
A door opened.
Marco stood there.
He pointed a gun at Maya.
Dominic appeared behind him.
“Drop it.”
Marco looked between them.
Then smiled.
“You still think you're protecting her.”
Dominic's voice was ice.
“I know I am.”
Marco laughed.
“You have no idea what she is.”
Maya stepped forward.
“What am I?”
Marco looked at her.
“You're the reason your mother died.”
Then he vanished through the emergency exit.
Maya stood frozen.
Dominic approached.
“Don't listen to him.”
“But what if he's telling the truth?”
“He isn't.”
“You don't know.”
“I know you.”
She looked at him.
“How?”
“Because I have watched you for weeks.”
“That sounds creepy.”
“It probably is.”
She almost smiled.
He touched her cheek.
“You are not responsible for what your mother did.”
Maya leaned into his hand for one second.
Then pulled away.
“We need that coat.”
“Yes.”
“And we need the ledger.”
“Yes.”
“And we need to find out who killed my mother.”
Dominic nodded.
“We will.”
Maya looked at him.
“Together?”
“Yes.”
Something changed between them in that moment.
Not trust.
Not yet.
May you like
Something more dangerous.
Hope.
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