Chapter 4 - THE PASSENGER IN ROW EIGHT
Roman did not panic.
That frightened Norah more.
When Roman became loud, people got nervous.
When he became quiet, people got hurt.
But this time he did something unexpected.
He called the flight attendant.
Quietly.
Showed her the threatening message.
Did not mention mafia.
Did not demand special treatment.
He simply said:
“Someone on this plane is threatening two infants. Please inform the captain and air marshal.”
Norah stared.
A year ago, Roman would have solved it himself.
This Roman was different.
Not safe yet.
Different.
The air marshal discreetly moved forward.
Passengers were asked to remain seated due to “security concerns.”
Roman looked at every reflection in the dark airplane windows.
Row four.
Businessman.
Row six.
Older couple.
Row eight.
A man in a navy jacket reading a newspaper upside down.
Roman noticed.
So did Norah.
“He’s pretending.”
Roman glanced at her.
“You saw that?”
“My babies haven’t let me sleep in three months. I notice nonsense quickly.”
The man stood suddenly.
The air marshal intercepted him near the lavatory.
He tried to push past.
Bad decision.
Within seconds he was restrained.
His phone contained photographs of Norah.
Not only from the plane.
Outside a Denver pediatric clinic.
At a grocery store.
Pushing a stroller through snow.
Roman saw them and went cold.
The man refused to talk.
Until Roman walked closer.
Norah caught his wrist.
“No.”
Roman looked at her.
“You don’t interrogate him.”
“He followed my children.”
“Yes.”
“Then—”
“Not here.”
She looked around.
Families.
Children.
Passengers.
A public airplane.
Roman exhaled.
Then stepped back.
The air marshal handled it.
The man eventually gave one name.
Not Carlo.
Teresa Moretti.
Roman’s aunt.
His father’s older sister.
Norah frowned.
“Who is she?”
Roman’s expression hardened.
“The woman who ran the foundation after my mother died.”
The same foundation paying Elias’s medical care.
The same woman with authority over the trust.
The plane landed unexpectedly in Minneapolis for security reasons.
Federal agents boarded.
The stalker was removed.
Roman and Norah were escorted into a private area with the babies.
Then Roman called Teresa.
She answered immediately.
“Roman.”
“You’re monitoring Norah.”
Silence.
“Answer me.”
“I’m protecting the family.”
His jaw tightened.
“From three-month-old babies?”
“From what their existence activates.”
“What?”
Teresa sighed.
“The Elena Trust.”
Roman closed his eyes.
“Tell me.”
“Your mother was smarter than your father.”
“That isn’t difficult.”
Teresa ignored the insult.
“She created a succession trap.”
“What trap?”
“If you have legitimate biological children, control of certain companies transfers immediately.”
“To them?”
“Yes.”
“And until then?”
“To Carlo and me.”
Norah’s face changed.
There it was.
Motive.
Roman’s voice turned ice.
“You threatened my wife.”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Teresa went quiet.
Roman leaned closer to the phone.
“Who sent the note twelve months ago?”
Teresa whispered:
“Your father.”
Roman stopped breathing.
“My father was already dead.”
May you like
Teresa answered:
“No.”
