Chapter 9 - THE VAULT BENEATH MY RESTAURANT
The next morning, I returned to the restaurant through the back entrance.
Mr. Harris nearly fainted when he saw Thomas beside me.
“Jean.”
My manager looked at my wrist.
Then Thomas.
Then the five men behind him.
“Are you working tonight?”
I stared.
“No.”
“Right. Of course.”
Thomas looked around.
“Basement.”
Mr. Harris swallowed.
“What about it?”
Thomas's eyes narrowed.
“You know.”
That was enough.
My manager sat down.
I stared at him.
“You know what?”
He looked ashamed.
“My father owned this building before me.”
“So?”
“He told me never to renovate beneath the wine cellar.”
Thomas stepped closer.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“Wrong answer.”
I touched Thomas's arm.
He looked at me.
“Don't.”
He exhaled.
Then looked back at Harris.
“Think.”
Mr. Harris rubbed his hands together.
“My father said the original owner paid him to keep part of the basement sealed.”
“Name?”
“Dinaro.”
Thomas's face hardened.
Of course.
We went downstairs.
Behind shelves of expensive wine, workers found a brick wall that didn't match the rest.
The ring contained a tiny directional device.
When I held it near the wall, a faint vibration began.
Vincent removed several bricks.
Behind them was a steel door.
No handle.
Only a small circular slot.
I pressed the ring into it.
Click.
The door opened.
Cold air poured out.
Inside was a narrow room.
Shelves.
Boxes.
Old computers.
Documents wrapped in plastic.
A lifetime of secrets.
Thomas whispered,
“Jesus.”
Elena stood behind us.
Her face went pale.
“This is everything.”
“What did you expect?” I asked.
“Less.”
There were records dating back forty years.
Photographs.
Audio tapes.
Payoff lists.
And a series of journals written by Carlo.
Thomas opened one.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He turned the page toward me.
A list of names.
At the top:
ELENA MARINO.
GABRIEL DINARO.
JEAN.
My name had been written before I was born.
Beside it was one word.
REMOVE.
My stomach turned.
Marcus stepped closer to me.
Thomas immediately closed the book.
“He shouldn't be down here.”
“I refused the babysitter.”
Marcus crossed his arms.
“She was weird.”
I looked at him.
“You're eight.”
“She asked me if I wanted kale.”
Thomas almost smiled.
Then Vincent called from the doorway.
“Boss.”
He was holding a cassette.
Label:
9/14/1994.
Thomas frowned.
“That's the night Gabriel disappeared.”
We found an old player.
The tape began.
Carlo's voice.
Then Damian Russo.
Then another voice.
A woman.
My mother.
Elena froze.
The recording revealed a conversation.
Elena had confronted Carlo.
She threatened to expose everything.
Carlo ordered Russo to kill Gabriel.
Then my mother said something that made Thomas turn toward her.
“You'll never find the child. I switched the records.”
The tape ended.
I stared.
“What records?”
Elena didn't answer.
“Mom.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“There were two babies born that night.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“You and another girl.”
Thomas went still.
Elena continued.
“I switched your identities.”
My heart pounded.
“With who?”
She looked toward Thomas.
“His daughter.”
Silence.
I stared at him.
Thomas stared back.
Then he shook his head.
“I don't have a daughter.”
May you like
Elena whispered,
“You did.”
