Chapter 2 - THE DAUGHTER OF A DEAD MAN
Bethany Daniels had spent twenty-nine years believing she knew who her father was.
Now a mafia boss was telling her that everything she'd been told was a lie.
She took one step backward.
"That's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
"Antonio Moretti?"
Dante nodded.
Bethany stared at him.
"Then what does that make you?"
His expression darkened.
"That's what I need to find out."
She gave a humorless laugh.
"Fantastic. I hit a stranger's car, and suddenly I'm auditioning for a crime documentary."
Dante didn't react.
Instead, he removed his phone and called someone.
"Marco, have someone discreetly check Lorraine Daniels' address."
Bethany's head snapped up.
"Absolutely not."
Dante turned toward her.
"My concern is that your mother may be in danger."
"From whom?"
"People who have spent twenty-five years believing she disappeared."
Bethany's heartbeat accelerated.
"What people?"
Before he could answer, another call arrived.
Lorraine.
Bethany answered immediately.
"Mom?"
Silence.
Then a man's unfamiliar voice spoke.
"Bethany Daniels?"
Her blood turned cold.
"Who is this?"
"Your mother is resting."
"What did you do to her?"
The man chuckled.
"Nothing she hasn't earned."
Bethany nearly dropped the phone.
Dante held out his hand.
"Give it to me."
She hesitated.
Then switched to speaker.
The man's voice continued.
"Tell Dante Moretti that old debts don't disappear simply because someone changes her name."
Dante's expression became lethal.
"Who is this?"
A pause.
Then the man laughed.
"Hello, Dante."
Dante's eyes narrowed.
"Salvatore."
Bethany looked between the phone and his face.
"Who?"
Dante ignored her.
"Where's Lorraine?"
"Exactly where she belongs."
"If you've touched her—"
"Careful, nephew. You still don't know what she stole."
Bethany stopped breathing.
Nephew?
Dante's uncle?
The man on the phone continued.
"Bring the girl to the old St. Augustine building by noon."
"No," Dante replied.
"Then Lorraine dies."
The call ended.
Bethany stood motionless.
Her mother had been kidnapped.
A mafia boss was apparently connected to her family.
And a man calling himself Dante's uncle wanted her delivered to an abandoned building.
She looked at Dante.
"Tell me everything."
Dante stared toward the hospital.
"My uncle Salvatore was supposed to be dead."
Bethany swallowed.
"How long?"
"Seventeen years."
May you like
He turned back to her.
"And if he's alive, the woman who raised you may be the only person who knows why."
