Chapter 5 - The Man Beside the Don
Police sirens approached St. Agnes.
Riccardo lifted Father Matteo carefully.
“We need a doctor.”
Marco shook his head.
“Hospital’s too exposed.”
Sofia pressed a cloth against the priest’s wound.
“He’s losing blood.”
Riccardo called someone.
“Get Dr. Russo to the safe house.”
Sofia looked at him.
“You have your own doctor?”
Riccardo ignored the question.
They moved Father Matteo to the SUV.
Antonio stayed near the church entrance.
Riccardo noticed.
“You look nervous.”
“I’m standing in a church after being shot at.”
“No.”
Riccardo moved closer.
“You looked nervous when Matteo said Vittorio sits at my table.”
Antonio met his eyes.
“You think it’s me?”
“I think everyone is possible now.”
Antonio laughed softly.
“That includes Marco.”
Marco didn’t react.
Sofia looked at all three men.
“Wonderful.”
Riccardo turned to her.
“You should be angry.”
“I am.”
“You should also be careful.”
“I was a waitress this morning.”
“And tonight three men tried to kill you.”
“Exactly.”
Sofia climbed into the SUV.
“I’m done being careful. I want answers.”
At the safe house, Dr. Russo treated Father Matteo in a basement medical room.
Riccardo paced.
Sofia sat at a kitchen table holding Isabella’s letter.
She had read it eleven times.
None of it felt real.
Antonio poured water.
“You should eat.”
She stared at him.
“You should talk.”
He sat opposite her.
“What do you want to know?”
“When did you first suspect who I was?”
Antonio’s expression changed.
“The day you applied for the job.”
“What?”
“You wrote your birthday on the form.”
Sofia stared.
“October seventh.”
“Yes.”
“That’s all?”
“No.”
He pointed at her wrist.
“You wore the bracelet.”
She looked down.
“So for two years—”
“I watched.”
“And said nothing.”
“I had to know who else was watching.”
“Who was?”
Antonio looked toward the security camera in the corner.
“Someone.”
Riccardo entered.
“Matteo will live.”
Sofia exhaled.
Riccardo placed a folder on the table.
“What is that?”
“Your background.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You investigated me?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
“That’s disturbing.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
“I don’t plan to.”
He opened the file.
“Your birth certificate was filed nine months late.”
Sofia stared at the page.
“Elena said there was a clerical problem.”
“There was no hospital listed.”
Riccardo flipped another page.
“No delivering doctor.”
Another.
“No original Social Security application until you were almost two.”
Sofia felt sick.
“My whole life is fake.”
“No.”
Riccardo looked at her.
“Your life happened.”
She met his eyes.
“The paperwork was fake.”
For the first time, that distinction mattered.
Marco entered carrying a tablet.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“We pulled surveillance from the restaurant.”
He set the screen down.
The footage showed the private dinner before Sofia spilled the wine.
Guests talking.
Waiters moving.
Sofia serving water.
Marco paused the video.
“There.”
A man sat two chairs from Riccardo.
Tall.
Gray-haired.
Elegant.
Sofia recognized him.
“Mr. Caruso.”
Riccardo’s longtime attorney.
His closest adviser.
Gabriel Caruso had been at the restaurant every Friday for as long as Sofia could remember.
Riccardo frowned.
“What am I looking at?”
Marco zoomed in.
Caruso was staring at Sofia’s bracelet.
Not casually.
Intensely.
Then he pulled out his phone.
Six minutes later, the black SUVs arrived.
Riccardo whispered, “Gabriel.”
Antonio stood.
“He called them.”
Riccardo shook his head.
“I’ve known him thirty years.”
Sofia looked at him.
“You said everyone was possible.”
Riccardo’s phone rang.
Gabriel Caruso’s name appeared.
Nobody moved.
Riccardo answered.
“Gabriel.”
The attorney spoke calmly.
“You found her.”
Riccardo’s eyes went cold.
“Where are you?”
Caruso ignored the question.
“Twenty-three years, Riccardo.”
Sofia stood.
Caruso continued.
“And she looks exactly like Isabella.”
Riccardo gripped the phone.
“Are you Vittorio?”
A soft laugh came through the speaker.
“No.”
Riccardo glanced at Marco.
Caruso said, “But Vittorio is standing beside me.”
Then another voice came onto the line.
Older.
Rougher.
May you like
Familiar.
“Hello, little brother.”
