Chapter 4 - The Priest Who Remembered the Fire
St. Agnes Church was locked.
Riccardo didn’t care.
Marco opened a side door with a metal pick.
Sofia stared at him.
“Do you people ever use doors normally?”
“Rarely,” Marco said.
Despite herself, Sofia almost smiled.
Then she remembered why they were there.
The church smelled like old wood and candle wax.
Riccardo called out.
“Father Matteo?”
No answer.
Sofia moved toward the altar.
A small light glowed near the confessional.
“Someone’s here.”
An old man stepped from behind a column.
He had white hair, tired eyes, and a cane.
He looked at Sofia.
The cane fell from his hand.
“Dear God.”
Riccardo stepped forward.
“Matteo.”
The priest stared at him.
“You weren’t supposed to find her.”
Sofia’s skin prickled.
“You know me?”
Father Matteo’s eyes filled with tears.
“I baptized you.”
Riccardo grabbed the edge of a pew.
Sofia whispered, “As Sofia?”
The priest shook his head.
“No.”
He crossed himself.
“As Chiara Isabella Marino.”
Sofia sat down.
She couldn’t feel her legs.
Riccardo stood behind her, but for once he didn’t come closer.
Father Matteo slowly approached.
“Your mother brought you here six days before the fire.”
“Why?”
“She was terrified.”
“Of my father?”
Riccardo flinched.
Father Matteo looked at him.
“No.”
Sofia looked up.
“Elena told me he killed my real mother.”
“She lied.”
Riccardo exhaled.
Sofia didn’t relax.
“Then who did Isabella fear?”
Father Matteo turned toward the altar.
“Your uncle.”
Riccardo’s face changed.
“My brother?”
The priest nodded.
“Vittorio.”
Riccardo stepped back as if punched.
“My brother died two weeks after the fire.”
“No.”
Antonio whispered, “I knew it.”
Riccardo spun.
“You knew?”
Antonio shook his head.
“I heard rumors.”
Father Matteo said, “Vittorio Marino did not die.”
Riccardo’s face hardened.
“I saw the body.”
“You saw a burned corpse wearing his ring.”
Silence.
Sofia rubbed her arms.
“What did he want?”
Father Matteo looked at Riccardo.
“Your empire.”
Riccardo almost laughed.
“He had half of it.”
“He wanted all of it.”
The priest sat beside Sofia.
“Isabella found records linking Vittorio to Salvatore Greco. Payments. Police names. Judges. Union leaders.”
Riccardo said, “She never told me.”
“She tried.”
Father Matteo looked down.
“But you were at war with three families. She didn’t know who she could trust.”
Sofia touched the bracelet.
“What happened at the hospital?”
“Isabella was supposed to meet me there.”
“With me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To leave Chicago.”
Riccardo whispered, “She was leaving me?”
“She was protecting your daughter.”
That hurt Riccardo more.
Sofia could see it.
Father Matteo continued.
“Elena Rossi helped Isabella that night.”
Sofia’s anger returned.
“So Elena saved me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why is she running?”
The priest looked away.
“Because saving you wasn’t the only thing she did.”
Sofia stood.
“What did she do?”
Father Matteo walked toward the sacristy.
He opened an old cabinet and removed a leather Bible.
The one from Elena’s photograph.
Inside was a letter.
He handed it to Sofia.
The paper shook in her hand.
The handwriting was elegant.
My darling Chiara...
Sofia stopped breathing.
Father Matteo whispered, “That is your mother’s handwriting.”
She read.
If anything happens to me, Elena will take you to safety. Trust her only until Father Matteo reaches you.
Sofia looked up.
“Until you reached me?”
The priest nodded.
“I never did.”
“Why?”
“Because Elena disappeared with you.”
Sofia looked back at the letter.
Near the bottom, one sentence had been underlined.
Elena knows where the second ledger is hidden.
Riccardo frowned.
“Second ledger?”
Father Matteo’s eyes shifted toward him.
“That ledger could destroy half the political machine Vittorio built.”
A floorboard creaked behind them.
Marco turned.
“Down!”
A suppressed gunshot cracked.
Father Matteo jerked.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
Sofia screamed.
Marco fired toward the choir loft.
The shooter disappeared.
Riccardo rushed to the priest.
“Who knew we were coming?”
Father Matteo grabbed Sofia’s hand.
His breathing became shallow.
“He knows you’re alive.”
“Who?”
The priest’s grip tightened.
“Vittorio.”
Sofia leaned closer.
“Where is he?”
Father Matteo stared at Riccardo.
May you like
Then whispered the words that made Riccardo go completely still.
“He has been sitting at your table for twenty years.”
