Chapter 1 - The Device Beneath Table Twelve
The man near the west wall reached inside his jacket, and I knew I had only seconds to make a decision that could save—or destroy—every life in the restaurant.
Vincent Moretti followed my gaze without turning his head.
"What did you see?" he asked quietly.
"Something black under your table. There's a wire."
His hand froze beside his wineglass.
For the first time that evening, I saw something change in his expression.
Not fear.
Calculation.
"Elena," he said softly, "put the bottle down."
I obeyed.
"Now walk toward the kitchen."
"What about you?"
"Don't look back."
I should have listened.
I should have walked away from the most dangerous table in Baltimore and never asked another question.
Instead, I noticed the man's fingers closing around a small object inside his jacket.
A phone.
His thumb hovered above the screen.
I didn't know whether the device under the table was dangerous, but I knew that sudden movement could make everything worse.
"Mr. Moretti," I whispered, "he's holding something."
Vincent moved his hand beneath the tablecloth.
A moment later, he said one word.
"Security."
Three men approached immediately.
His chief of security, a tall man named Marco Santoro, stopped beside him.
Vincent spoke quietly.
"Possible device beneath the table. Alert the authorities. Keep everyone calm and move people toward a safe exit."
Marco's expression changed.
He nodded and stepped away.
Then the man near the west wall abruptly stood.
His chair struck the floor.
"Nobody moves!"
Every conversation stopped.
The violinist lowered his instrument.
I felt my stomach drop.
The man raised his phone.
Vincent remained seated.
"You're making a mistake, Robert."
The stranger smiled.
"So you remember me."
"I remember everyone who tries to make a point by frightening innocent people."
Robert's eyes flashed.
"Then you'll remember what happened at Pier Nine."
Vincent's expression hardened.
For one terrible moment, neither man spoke.
Then Marco signaled for the room to be evacuated.
A few people began moving slowly toward the doors.
Robert shouted.
"Sit down!"
The sound made a woman scream.
I instinctively stepped backward.
My heel caught the tablecloth.
The wine bottle slipped from my hand.
It struck the floor and shattered.
Robert flinched.
His phone fell from his fingers.
One of Vincent's security men immediately intervened.
Within seconds, Robert was restrained.
Marco ordered everyone away from the table while emergency personnel were summoned.
I stood frozen beside the broken glass.
My hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Vincent rose carefully when directed by security.
Then he turned toward me.
"Are you hurt?"
I shook my head.
He studied my face.
"Elena?"
"No."
But my voice sounded far away.
He removed his coat and placed it around my shoulders.
"Then come with us."
Outside, cold air struck my face.
Police vehicles arrived.
The building was cleared.
And I watched emergency specialists move toward the restaurant.
Vincent stood several feet away, answering questions from a detective.
Then my manager, Paul Henley, approached me.
His face was pale.
"Elena, what did you tell him?"
I stared.
"What?"
"Moretti. What did you say?"
I swallowed.
"I warned him about the object."
Paul's expression changed.
For one second, I thought he looked relieved.
Then his eyes moved toward the police vehicles.
"You shouldn't have done that."
My stomach tightened.
"Shouldn't have warned someone?"
He leaned closer.
"That device wasn't supposed to be found."
I stepped backward.
"What?"
Paul suddenly realized what he'd said.
His face drained of color.
Before I could ask another question, Detective Sarah Mitchell approached.
"Miss Marlowe?"
I turned.
"Yes?"
"I need to speak with you about what you saw."
Paul started to walk away.
The detective stopped him.
"Mr. Henley, you too."
His shoulders stiffened.
Then Detective Mitchell looked at me.
"Miss Marlowe, specialists have examined the object."
My heart pounded.
"Was it a bomb?"
"We haven't completed the examination. But we found something unusual."
"What?"
She hesitated.
"The device was attached to a recording system."
I stared.
"A recording system?"
She nodded.
"And according to the initial evidence, the man at the west wall wasn't necessarily the person who installed it."
My stomach turned.
"Then who was?"
Mitchell looked toward Paul.
"We're investigating that."
May you like
Then she added the detail that made my blood run cold.
"The device contained a recording of your brother Caleb discussing the accident that nearly killed him."
