Chapter 5 - THE SIGNATURE THAT WASN'T HIS
Adrian knew his signature.
He had seen it on mortgages, death certificates, contracts, threats, donation checks, and once on a five-dollar birthday card Teresa forced him to sign for her grandson.
The signature on Victor's document looked perfect.
It was still fake.
Marco placed the copy on Adrian's desk after finally being brought into the investigation.
“You knew about this?”
Marco stared at him.
“I knew Victor had forged something. I didn't know what he showed Matteo.”
Adrian's voice went cold.
“You entered that warehouse with a duffel bag.”
“Yes.”
“Four minutes later, it burned.”
“Yes.”
Cruz shifted near the door.
Marco looked at Adrian.
“I put the accelerant inside.”
Silence.
Adrian stood.
Marco did not move.
“Why?”
“Victor told me Matteo was planning to kill you.”
Adrian laughed once.
No humor.
“And you believed him?”
“Back then?”
Marco's jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
That hurt more than Adrian expected.
Marco continued.
“Victor showed me intercepted messages. Matteo talking about removing the head of the family. Rebuilding everything.”
“He meant the organization.”
“I know that now.”
“But you didn't then.”
“No.”
Adrian looked at his oldest friend.
“You set the fire.”
“I was told Matteo would already be out.”
“He wasn't.”
“I know.”
“Sofia wasn't either.”
“I didn't know she was there.”
Adrian crossed the room.
Cruz moved slightly.
Marco did not.
“I spent six years grieving my brother because you obeyed the wrong man.”
“Yes.”
“Why should I not kill you?”
Marco's eyes did not leave his.
“Because Matteo asked you not to.”
Adrian stopped.
“What?”
Marco reached slowly into his jacket.
Cruz raised his weapon.
Marco froze.
“Inside pocket. Phone.”
Adrian nodded.
Marco removed it.
Opened an encrypted application.
A message thread.
BLACKBIRD.
The most recent message was eleven days old.
MATT: IF LILY EVER REACHES ADRIAN, DO NOT LET HIM KILL YOU BEFORE YOU EXPLAIN.
Adrian stared.
His brother's writing.
Even after years, he recognized the clipped sentences.
MARCO: ENCOURAGING.
MATT: YOU DESERVE WORSE.
MARCO: AGREED.
Adrian read upward.
Eighteen months of messages.
Marco had reconnected with Matteo after discovering Victor planned to kill Sofia.
Since then, Marco had been feeding Matteo information.
Quietly.
Helping track Victor's network.
Trying to undo what he'd done.
“Where is he?”
Marco's face tightened.
“I don't know.”
“Enough.”
“I don't.”
“You are messaging him.”
“He contacts me through relays. Different numbers. Different locations.”
“When was the last physical meeting?”
“Four months ago.”
“Where?”
“Vermont.”
Adrian thought of Lily.
Blue house.
Lake.
“Was Sofia there?”
“No.”
That surprised him.
“Why?”
“Matteo said keeping them apart was safer.”
“For whom?”
“All of them.”
Adrian hated that answer.
“Why is Sofia missing now?”
Marco looked down.
“That I don't know.”
Then he opened another message.
MATT: VICTOR FOUND THE SCHOOL.
Adrian's blood went cold.
Timestamp: three weeks ago.
MATT: I TOLD SOFIA TO MOVE LILY IF ANYTHING FELT WRONG.
MARCO: COME HOME.
MATT: NOT YET.
MARCO: ADRIAN DOESN'T KNOW.
MATT: THAT'S WHY.
Adrian looked up.
“What is he afraid I'll do?”
Marco hesitated.
“Take over.”
“What?”
“Matteo believes if you know Lily exists, you'll bring her inside the DeLuca family and make her a target forever.”
Adrian stared.
“I would protect her.”
“Yes.”
Marco's voice softened.
“Exactly.”
Adrian's anger sharpened.
“Protection is not the same as control.”
Marco's expression said nothing.
That irritated Adrian because it felt like judgment.
Then the house alarm sounded.
Every security monitor flashed red.
North perimeter breach.
Marco checked his phone.
Cruz moved toward the door.
Adrian ran upstairs.
Lily stood beside Teresa at the window.
A black SUV had stopped beyond the gate.
A woman stumbled from the passenger side.
Barefoot.
Blood on one sleeve.
Lily screamed:
“Mommy!”
Adrian's pulse exploded.
Sofia Hart—Sofia Bell—was alive.
But before anyone reached the gate, she turned toward the SUV and shouted something Adrian couldn't hear.
Then a man stepped out behind her.
Tall.
Bearded.
Scar across his left cheek.
Adrian stopped dead.
Matteo.
His brother.
May you like
Alive.
And holding a gun pointed directly at Adrian's house.
