Chapter 11 - THE BANK VAULT TRAP
We should have stayed away.
Every reasonable person told us that.
Police.
Elena.
Marco.
Even Salvatore from his hospital bed.
Naturally, Alessandro and I went anyway.
Not alone.
A tactical police team surrounded the private bank.
Detective Rachel Monroe coordinated the operation.
But Gallo had already entered the underground vault.
And he had hostages.
Three bank employees.
One security guard.
And one unexpected prisoner.
Vincent Moretti.
I stared at the surveillance feed.
“Why would Gallo take Vincent?”
Alessandro's expression hardened.
“Maybe he's done sharing power.”
The vault speaker crackled.
Gallo's voice filled the room.
“Bring Isabella and Alessandro downstairs.”
Detective Monroe shook her head.
“No.”
A gunshot sounded over the speaker.
Someone screamed.
Gallo continued.
“Ten minutes.”
I looked at Alessandro.
He already knew what I was going to say.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Hostages.”
“Police handle hostages.”
“Not when the hostage taker specifically wants us.”
His jaw tightened.
“I hate that you're right.”
“I'll enjoy that later.”
We entered the vault corridor wearing concealed protective vests.
Gallo stood beside the massive safe door.
Vincent Moretti was tied to a chair.
His face was bruised.
When he saw me, he laughed bitterly.
“Look at us.”
I ignored him.
Gallo smiled.
“Boss.”
Alessandro stared at him.
“Don't call me that.”
“Old habits.”
“You betrayed my father.”
“I improved my circumstances.”
Alessandro's eyes turned cold.
“My father trusted you.”
“He trusted everyone eventually. That's why he's dead.”
My stomach tightened.
Alessandro's hand curled into a fist.
I touched his sleeve.
He looked at me.
That was enough.
He controlled himself.
Gallo noticed.
“She really does control you.”
“No,” Alessandro said.
“She reminds me I have a choice.”
Something changed in his face.
I realized how far he'd come from the man with the crystal glass.
Gallo pointed toward the lock.
“Open it.”
I removed the hidden key from my pendant.
It fit into a small slot.
The outer compartment opened.
Inside was a biometric scanner.
Alessandro pressed his thumb.
Nothing.
Gallo frowned.
“Again.”
Nothing.
Vincent Moretti began laughing.
“You idiot.”
Gallo turned.
“What?”
“The lock doesn't want Alessandro.”
Silence.
My stomach dropped.
“Then who?”
Vincent looked at me.
“You.”
I stared.
“I'm not a Moretti.”
He smiled.
“Not by blood.”
Salvatore was my father.
So why would the scanner want me?
Then Elena's words came back.
Carlo had tried to claim me.
Maybe the lock wasn't blood-based.
Maybe it was identity-based.
I pressed my thumb.
The scanner flashed green.
The safe opened.
Inside were documents.
Hard drives.
Photographs.
And one sealed envelope.
My name was written across it.
ISABELLA ROSSI.
I opened it.
Inside was a letter from Carlo Moretti.
If you are reading this, then Giovanni kept his promise.
My hands shook.
The letter explained everything.
Carlo knew Salvatore was my father.
He never intended to steal that role.
He wanted to protect Sofia's child from Vincent.
He created the vault so I could someday decide what happened to the evidence.
Not Alessandro.
Not the Moretti family.
Me.
Gallo grabbed the hard drive.
“Finally.”
But the moment he removed it, alarms sounded.
Steel doors slammed shut.
Gallo froze.
I looked at the final line of Carlo's letter.
And if anyone opens this vault by force, the evidence is automatically transmitted to federal investigators.
I looked up.
Gallo's face drained of color.
“You knew?”
I smiled.
“No.”
Then police voices thundered from the corridor.
Gallo raised his gun.
Alessandro moved in front of me.
But Vincent Moretti suddenly lunged from the chair.
The gun fired.
Vincent collapsed.
Gallo was tackled seconds later.
I stared at Vincent.
Blood spread across his shirt.
He looked at me.
For the first time, there was no arrogance in his face.
Only fear.
He whispered,
“Sofia survived.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
May you like
He coughed.
“Your mother is alive.”
