Chapter 7: The Photograph
The flame in the stranger's hand trembled.
For one terrible second, Luca saw only fragments of the man's face: a sharp jaw, gray at the temples, a thin scar crossing his cheek.
Then the lighter moved.
The photograph became visible again.
His father.
Victoria's father.
Standing shoulder to shoulder.
Smiling.
Luca stared at it.
“Who are you?””
The man didn't answer.
Adrian stepped in front of Luca.
“Get away from him.””
The stranger smiled.
“Still protecting your little brother.””
Luca looked at Adrian.
“You know him?””
Adrian's eyes remained fixed on the stairs.
“I know what he does.””
The stranger raised the photograph.
“You should be asking what your mother did.””
Evelyn took a step backward.
“No.””
The man laughed softly.
“You've been hiding for twelve years, Evelyn.””
Luca turned toward his mother.
“Evelyn?””
She said nothing.
The stranger's smile widened.
“That's not even her real name.””
Luca felt something inside him snap.
“Everybody stop lying to me.””
His voice echoed through the basement.
The stranger lowered the photograph.
“Good.””
Luca stepped forward.
“Tell me who you are.””
“My name is Daniel Cross.””
Adrian's expression changed.
“Daniel.””
“So you remember.””
“I remember what you did.””
Daniel looked almost amused.
“I didn't do anything your father didn't order.””
Luca glanced at the photograph.
“What is this?””
“A beginning.””
“Of what?””
“Your family's business.””
Luca's eyes narrowed.
“My family doesn't have a business like this.””
Daniel laughed.
“Your family built half of Manhattan with money that was never supposed to exist.””
Evelyn whispered, “Don't listen.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You always say that.””
Then he tossed the photograph down the stairs.
It landed at Luca's feet.
On the back, beneath the red words, was a date.
October 14, 2008.
Luca stared.
“That was the night my mother died.””
“No,” Evelyn said.
Luca looked up.
“You said I was ten.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“You told me you died in a hospital.””
“I was never in that hospital.””
His voice became dangerously quiet.
“Then whose body did I see?””
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“A woman who looked like me.””
Luca couldn't speak.
Daniel blew out the lighter.
Darkness swallowed them again.
Then a gunshot cracked somewhere upstairs.
Elena screamed.
Adrian grabbed Luca and pulled him down.
“Get low!””
Another shot.
Then shouting.
Luca crouched beside the wall.
“Who are they?””
Daniel's voice came through the darkness.
“The people who don't want you to open your father's vault.””
Luca looked toward the staircase.
“Why?””
“Because your father left something inside.””
“What?””
“A list.””
Adrian answered before Daniel could.
“Names.””
Luca turned toward him.
“What names?””
“Politicians. Judges. Bankers. Police commanders.””
Daniel added, “And one more.””
Luca's stomach tightened.
“Whose?””
“Your father's.””
Silence.
Daniel struck another match.
His face appeared for barely a second.
“He documented everything.””
Luca looked at his mother.
“Did you know?””
Evelyn nodded.
“I helped him write it.””
The words stunned him.
“You helped him?””
“Not because I wanted to.””
“Then why?””
“Because if I didn't, he would kill Adrian.””
Adrian looked away.
Luca stared at him.
“What did Dad do to you?””
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“He found out I wasn't his son.””
Luca frowned.
“What?””
Adrian looked directly at him.
“Your mother had me before she married your father.””
Luca's face went blank.
“Who was your father?””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Daniel answered.
“Your father's biggest enemy.””
Luca's breathing stopped.
Adrian whispered, “He was murdered before I was born.””
The basement shook with another distant gunshot.
Daniel looked toward the stairs.
“We don't have time.””
Luca stood.
“Where's the vault?””
Daniel pointed toward the far wall.
“Behind the private room.””
Luca looked at the steel door.
“My father's room?””
“Yes.””
“The key.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Luca, don't.””
He turned toward her.
“You've lied to me all night.””
“I know.””
“You lied for twelve years.””
“I know.””
“Why should I trust you now?””
She swallowed.
“Because I'm your mother.””
Luca's eyes burned.
“You died.””
“I know.””
“You let me believe you died.””
“I know.””
“And you watched me grow up without you.””
Tears rolled down her face.
“I watched you from a distance.””
“That isn't motherhood.””
She flinched.
“No.””
Her voice broke.
“It isn't.””
Footsteps thundered above them.
Daniel looked at Adrian.
“Can you walk?””
Adrian nodded.
“Then we're leaving.””
Luca pointed at the steel door.
“No.””
Daniel frowned.
“We have to go.””
“Not until I know what happened to my father.””
Adrian stepped closer.
“You don't want to know.””
“I've spent twelve years believing a lie.””
“So have I.””
Luca looked at him.
Adrian reached into his coat.
He pulled out a folded piece of paper.
“This was taped beneath my bed.””
Luca unfolded it.
His father's handwriting.
*Adrian, if Luca ever finds you, tell him the truth. I didn't imprison you because you were my enemy. I imprisoned you because you were the only person who could expose me.*
Luca stared at the words.
Then he saw another line beneath them.
*And if Evelyn comes back, don't trust her.*
Luca slowly looked at his mother.
Evelyn shook her head.
“He wrote that because he knew I would survive him.””
“What does that mean?””
She didn't answer.
Daniel suddenly looked behind Luca.
“Someone's coming.””
Everyone turned.
The basement door at the top of the stairs opened.
Victoria stood there.
She was no longer crying.
Her face was cold.
Controlled.
And she was holding a pistol.
Luca stared at her.
“Victoria?””
She pointed it directly at Daniel.
“Move away from him.””
Daniel smiled.
“Still following orders?””
Victoria's hand trembled.
“Shut up.””
Luca stepped between them.
“Put the gun down.””
“Luca, listen to me.””
“No.””
“I can explain.””
“Then explain.””
Victoria looked at Evelyn.
Her face twisted with anger.
“She killed my father.””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“I didn't.””
“You gave him the location.””
“He betrayed us.””
“You sent him there.””
“He was going to kill Adrian.””
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“And you think that makes you innocent?””
Luca looked between them.
“What happened?””
Victoria's voice broke.
“My father died because of your mother.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“He died because he tried to sell your father's secrets.””
Victoria raised the gun higher.
“Everyone has a story.””
Daniel smiled.
“And everyone forgets the blood.””
A loud crash came from upstairs.
Victoria looked toward the sound.
Her attention shifted for half a second.
Daniel moved.
He lunged for her.
The gun fired.
The bullet struck the stone wall.
Luca grabbed Victoria's wrist.
Adrian tackled Daniel.
Elena screamed.
The pistol clattered across the floor.
Luca kicked it away.
“Enough!””
Everyone froze.
Luca stood between them, breathing hard.
Then he noticed something on the floor beside the gun.
A tiny brass key.
Victoria stared at it.
Luca picked it up.
A number was engraved into the metal.
*17.*
He looked at the black key in his mother's hand.
Then at the brass one.
Then at Victoria.
“How many keys are there?””
Victoria whispered:
“Three.””
Luca's eyes narrowed.
“Where's the third?””
May you like
Victoria looked toward the ceiling.
And somewhere above them, a door slammed shut.
