Chapter 4 - THE KEY HIDDEN INSIDE NOAH'S BRACE
The apartment door was open when Talia arrived.
She stopped so suddenly Dante nearly collided with her.
“Noah?”
No answer.
The living room lamp was still on.
A glass lay broken beside the couch.
Talia rushed inside.
Dante caught her shoulder.
“Wait.”
She spun on him.
“My brother is in there.”
“And whoever took him could be too.”
She hated that he was right.
Dante signaled two men down the hallway.
Talia moved toward Noah’s bedroom.
Empty.
Bathroom.
Empty.
Then a faint thump came from the laundry closet.
Talia yanked it open.
Noah sat on the floor, one leg extended, gripping a metal crutch like a baseball bat.
“Took you long enough.”
Talia dropped to her knees.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Where’s the man?”
“I hit him.”
Dante looked around.
“With what?”
Noah raised the crutch.
“He ran.”
Despite everything, Dante almost smiled.
Talia hugged her brother so hard he complained.
Then Noah noticed Dante.
His face changed.
“Who is that?”
“Complicated.”
“That usually means dangerous.”
Dante extended a hand.
“Dante Marchelli.”
Noah did not shake it.
Instead, he stared at Dante’s right hand.
More specifically, at the silver ring on his finger.
The Marchelli crest.
Noah’s face drained of color.
“Where did you get that?”
“It belonged to my father.”
Noah looked at Talia.
“You never told me.”
“Told you what?”
He limped toward his bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed.
Then he unfastened the medical brace around his left knee.
Talia frowned.
“What are you doing?”
Noah peeled back a strip of padding.
A tiny brass key fell into his palm.
Talia stared.
“What is that?”
Noah looked embarrassed.
“Dad gave it to me.”
The room went silent.
Talia’s voice dropped.
“When?”
“Four years ago.”
She stopped breathing.
“You saw him?”
“Once.”
“You told me he was dead.”
“You told me that.”
Noah’s eyes filled with guilt.
“He found me after my first surgery. He said telling you would put you in danger.”
Talia stepped backward.
Her own brother had known.
Dante picked up the key.
Stamped into the brass were two characters.
M-17.
Noah swallowed.
“Dad told me one more thing.”
Talia looked at him.
“He said if a man wearing that ring ever came looking for you, I was supposed to give him the key.”
Dante’s expression turned deadly serious.
May you like
Noah whispered the rest.
“He said Dante Marchelli would know what it opens.”
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