Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN IN THE BLACK SEDAN
Roman's missing sister had been on her way to Lombardi's.
That explained why he'd entered the restaurant like a man searching for someone.
But it didn't explain why he'd looked directly at me.
“Did you know I worked here?” I asked.
Roman hesitated.
“Yes.”
My stomach dropped.
“For how long?”
“Four days.”
I felt sick.
“Four days?”
“I found your employment record through a contact.”
I stared at him.
“After three years of hiding, you tracked me down?”
His expression tightened.
“I was looking for Elena. Your name appeared in the same records.”
“Then you should have stayed away.”
“I considered it.”
I laughed bitterly.
“How generous.”
Roman lowered his eyes.
“Nora, I know you have every reason not to trust me.”
“Good.”
“But someone connected to Victor knows where you work.”
My blood turned cold.
Before I could answer, Tommy appeared at the hallway entrance.
“Boss.”
Roman turned.
“What?”
“The black sedan outside just left.”
My stomach tightened.
Roman's expression changed.
“License plate?”
“Obscured.”
“Driver?”
“Unknown.”
Tommy hesitated.
“There's more.”
He held out a phone.
A photograph appeared.
It showed me leaving my apartment that morning.
I stared.
Someone had been watching me.
A second photograph showed the building where I lived.
A third showed my bedroom window.
I covered my mouth.
Roman looked furious.
But he didn't shout.
He turned toward Tommy.
“Notify Detective Bennett. Send her everything.”
I looked at him.
“You're working with the police?”
“Yes.”
That surprised me.
The Roman I'd known preferred solving problems without anyone asking questions.
This Roman looked different.
Not harmless.
But tired of hiding.
Then my phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
A message appeared.
You should have kept pretending to be Sadie.
My hands began shaking.
Another message followed.
Roman can't protect you this time.
I showed him the screen.
His face hardened.
Then a third message arrived.
A photograph.
My mother.
Sitting in a wheelchair.
A younger woman stood beside her.
Dark hair.
Gray eyes.
A face that resembled mine so closely that I almost dropped the phone.
Elena.
Below the photograph were five words.
Choose which sister survives tonight.
Roman stopped breathing.
Then Tommy's phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Went pale.
“Boss…”
Roman turned.
“What?”
Tommy swallowed.
“Detective Bennett found Elena's car.”
My heart raced.
“Where?”
“Under the Williamsburg Bridge.”
Roman's expression changed.
May you like
Then Tommy whispered:
“There was blood inside. And your mother's necklace was on the driver's seat.”
