Chapter 4 - THE STORAGE UNIT
The storage facility was a row of low concrete buildings behind a chain-link fence.
Gabriel had arranged access through the manager, who seemed eager to avoid asking questions. Unit 214 stood at the end of a narrow corridor.
Dante used a key from the envelope found inside Lucia's piano.
The door rolled upward.
Inside were several boxes, a filing cabinet, a small desk, and an old suitcase.
I stepped forward.
Dust covered everything.
“Your sister kept all this?”
“Apparently.”
Dante opened the suitcase.
It contained photographs, letters, and a collection of newspaper clippings.
I found one with my mother's face.
She was standing outside a courthouse.
The headline read:
ACCOUNTANT QUESTIONS VALENTI SHIPPING PAYMENTS.
I stared at it.
“She went public?”
“Briefly,” Dante said. “Then she disappeared.”
I picked up another clipping.
It described Lucia's accident.
The report stated that her car had left the road during heavy rain. No mechanical fault had been identified.
But someone had circled a paragraph in red ink.
A witness had reported seeing a second vehicle near the scene.
The witness later withdrew the statement.
“Who was the witness?” I asked.
Dante examined the page.
“An employee of the company that maintained the highway cameras.”
“Could he still be alive?”
“Maybe.”
I opened a small envelope.
Inside was a photograph of Lucia and my mother at a restaurant. On the back, my mother had written a date and a name.
RICHARD HALE.
Cameron's father.
Underneath it were three words.
THE ORIGINAL RECORDING.
I looked at Dante.
“Do you know what this means?”
He shook his head.
Before he could say more, Gabriel appeared at the entrance.
“Boss. We have company.”
Dante closed the suitcase.
“How many?”
“Two vehicles. Four men.”
“Are they armed?”
“Almost certainly.”
Dante looked at me.
“Stay behind Gabriel.”
I hated the instruction, but I followed it.
The first sound was a crash against the metal door.
Gabriel moved me behind the filing cabinet.
“Stay down.”
I heard shouting.
Then two sharp cracks.
I covered my ears.
Dante's voice cut through the noise.
“Get her out!”
Gabriel grabbed my hand and led me through a rear exit.
We reached the parking lot and ducked behind a concrete barrier. My heart was pounding so hard that I could barely hear.
A minute later, Dante emerged with Matteo.
His suit jacket was torn at the shoulder, but he was standing.
“Are you hurt?” he asked me.
“No.”
He looked at Gabriel.
“Get her into the car.”
“What about you?”
“I'll follow.”
I caught his sleeve.
“Don't.”
He looked down at my hand.
For a second, I forgot the danger around us.
“Please,” I whispered.
His expression softened.
“I'll be right behind you.”
He was.
Ten minutes later, he climbed into the back seat beside me.
There was a shallow cut near his temple.
“You're bleeding.”
“It's nothing.”
“That's what people say when they don't want anyone to worry.”
He glanced at me.
“You've heard that before.”
“From you.”
A faint smile appeared.
I took a clean tissue from my purse and held it toward him.
He accepted it.
“Thank you.”
I looked at the storage facility disappearing behind us.
“Those men wanted the records.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because the records connect Victor Sloane to Lucia's death.”
“And Cameron's father?”
Dante nodded.
“Possibly.”
I turned the silver bird over in my palm.
“My mother knew this would happen.”
“She may have known someone would come looking.”
“Then why leave me the clue?”
Dante looked at the bird.
“Because she wanted you to find the truth.”
I swallowed.
“What if the truth is worse than we think?”
May you like
He met my eyes.
“Then we'll face it one piece at a time.”
