A Safe House With No Safe Rooms
Chapter 04 - A Safe House With No Safe Rooms
Luca moved Elena and her family to a lake house outside the city.
Elena objected until a bullet was found embedded in the metal frame of her market stall. No one had been hurt, but the message was unmistakable.
The lake house had stone walls, cameras, and men posted at every entrance. To Elena, it felt less like protection than a beautiful prison.
Her mother, Rosa, recognized Luca immediately. She crossed herself, then asked why a crime boss had brought danger to her children.
“I did not bring it,” Luca said. “But I failed to stop it.”
Rosa did not seem impressed by the distinction.
Mateo, meanwhile, treated the situation like a mystery. He enlarged the market photograph and compared delivery schedules, traffic cameras, and public records. The van beside Tomas belonged to a company called North Harbor Floral Supply.
Elena knew the name. North Harbor had offered to buy several market stalls the year before. The vendors refused, and the company suddenly withdrew.
Luca’s accountant found that North Harbor was owned by a chain of shell corporations ending with a private trust managed by Victor’s attorney.
The connection was strong but not enough to prove murder.
Luca explained that his organization was divided. Some businesses were legal—shipping, restaurants, construction. Others were remnants of the criminal network his father built. Luca claimed he had spent four years trying to close those operations without starting a war.
Victor opposed him.
“He says fear keeps people loyal,” Luca said.
“Fear keeps people quiet,” Elena replied. “That’s not the same thing.”
A storm arrived after midnight. Thunder shook the windows, and the security system briefly lost power. Elena heard a door open in the hallway.
She found Luca in the kitchen, standing over an old photograph. It showed him, Victor, and a third young man beside Luca’s father.
The third man was Tomas.
Luca admitted they had grown up together. Victor had saved his life more than once. Tomas had been quiet, dependable, and deeply in debt after his daughter became ill.
“Elena, if Victor used Tomas, he would know exactly how.”
“You’re still hoping the photograph is wrong.”
“I’m hoping the person I trusted is not the person who tried to kill us.”
Elena softened but did not retreat.
“Hope is allowed. Denial is expensive.”
A guard entered with news: someone had accessed the lake house security feed using Victor’s master credentials.
The cameras had not failed because of the storm.
They had been turned off from inside Luca’s own system.
At that moment, headlights appeared beyond the trees.
A black vehicle stopped at the locked gate.
Victor stepped out alone, raised both hands, and asked to speak with Luca.
May you like
He claimed Tomas was alive.
He also claimed Elena had been working with a rival family from the beginning.
