Chapter 4 - THE DOCTOR WHO IDENTIFIED THE BODY
Adrian reached Lily's room in eleven seconds.
Dr. Elias Romano was listening to her heartbeat.
Teresa stood nearby.
Lily was laughing because the stethoscope felt cold.
Everything looked normal.
That made it worse.
“Elias.”
The doctor turned.
“Adrian.”
“Step away from her.”
The room changed instantly.
Elias straightened.
“What?”
“Now.”
Teresa moved Lily behind her without being asked.
Elias frowned.
“She has a slight fever. Nothing concerning.”
“Leave the bag.”
“What is this?”
Adrian stepped closer.
“The medical bag.”
Elias looked at him for a long moment.
Then placed it on the bed.
He did not argue again.
That frightened Adrian.
Cruz escorted him downstairs.
They searched the bag.
Routine supplies.
Thermometer.
Stethoscope.
Medication.
Nothing obviously dangerous.
Then Cruz found a second phone hidden beneath the lining.
One recent message.
SHE'S THERE.
Sent seventeen minutes earlier.
Recipient blocked.
Adrian stared at Elias.
“Who did you tell?”
The doctor looked exhausted rather than afraid.
“I was hoping we could avoid this.”
“That answer was a mistake.”
Elias sat down.
“I didn't hurt the child.”
“Who did you tell?”
“Victor.”
Adrian's hand closed around the chair.
“Why?”
“Because he already knew she was coming.”
“How?”
“I don't know.”
“Try harder.”
Elias looked toward the door.
“Adrian, things happened six years ago that you do not understand.”
“Then explain them.”
The doctor took a breath.
“The body identified as Matteo was not Matteo.”
“I know.”
“You found the files.”
That meant Victor had told him.
“Who was it?”
Elias looked down.
“A man named Owen Price.”
Adrian knew the name.
A warehouse supervisor.
Officially listed as missing after the fire.
His stomach turned.
“You used Owen's dental remains.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Victor forced me.”
“People keep using that sentence.”
Elias looked at him.
“Because Victor knew where my daughter lived.”
There it was again.
Threaten family.
Control loyalty.
Adrian hated how effective it was.
“Why convince me Matteo was dead?”
“So you would stop searching.”
“Victor wanted my brother gone.”
“Yes.”
“Why not kill him?”
Elias's face changed.
“That was the plan.”
Adrian went still.
“Was?”
“Matteo had something Victor needed.”
“What?”
“A ledger.”
Of course.
Money.
Routes.
Names.
Adrian's family had spent generations believing guns created power.
It was always records.
Elias continued.
“Victor thought Matteo had hidden proof of illegal freight operations your father wanted ended.”
“My father?”
Elias nodded.
“Your father had discovered Victor was moving weapons and narcotics through DeLuca warehouses without authorization.”
Adrian stared.
“My father died believing Victor had retired.”
“No.”
That was the second lie.
“Your father was trying to remove him.”
Adrian thought of his father's final year.
The arguments.
Closed-door meetings.
The way he'd suddenly transferred legitimate properties into Adrian's name.
Preparation.
Not inheritance.
Elias rubbed his face.
“Matteo discovered the rest after your father died.”
“And Sofia?”
“She was helping him.”
“How?”
“Accounting.”
Adrian almost laughed.
Matteo had fallen in love with a woman who could read financial records better than most attorneys.
Of course.
Then Adrian asked the question that mattered most.
“Where is Matteo?”
Elias looked at him.
“I don't know.”
“Where was he held?”
“Initially? A private medical facility near Lake George.”
“Initially?”
Elias hesitated.
“Victor moved him after Sofia escaped.”
Adrian's chest tightened.
“Sofia escaped?”
“Yes.”
“With Lily?”
“No.”
Adrian frowned.
“Lily was born later.”
Then he understood.
Sofia had escaped while pregnant.
Alone.
She had spent six years raising Lily while trying to find Matteo.
“Did Matteo know about the baby?”
Elias nodded.
“Before the fire.”
Adrian looked away.
His brother had known he was going to be a father.
That mattered for reasons Adrian couldn't explain.
Then Elias said:
“There is something else.”
“What?”
“Matteo didn't stay captive six years.”
Adrian turned back.
“He escaped two years ago.”
“Then why didn't he come home?”
Elias's eyes filled with something like pity.
“Because by then he believed you were part of it.”
Adrian stopped breathing.
“What?”
“Victor showed him documents.”
“What documents?”
“Orders carrying your signature.”
Adrian stared.
“Orders for what?”
Elias answered quietly.
May you like
“The fire.”
And somewhere, for six years, Matteo DeLuca had apparently believed his own brother tried to kill him.
