Chapter 10 - The Trap at Pier Nine
Darkness swallowed the church.
Roman moved instantly.
“Down.”
Sadie dropped behind a pew.
Matteo crouched beside the altar.
Glass shattered.
A shot struck stone.
Roman fired once toward the muzzle flash.
Silence.
Then footsteps ran outside.
Roman pursued.
By the time he reached the street, a motorcycle disappeared around the corner.
He returned.
Sadie stood near the laptop.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Matteo?”
“I’m alive,” the priest called.
Roman checked the video.
Frozen.
The audio file had corrupted at the exact moment Elena named the third person.
Convenient.
Sadie looked at the memory card.
“Could it be recovered?”
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
Roman thought.
Not his people.
Not anymore.
He called an independent cybersecurity specialist he had used exactly twice.
“Come to St. Michael’s.”
The man began objecting.
Roman ended the call.
Sadie sat.
“Pier Nine is tonight.”
Roman checked his watch.
Three hours.
Matteo emerged.
“Benjamin is already watching the pier.”
Sadie spun.
“You let my brother go there?”
“I didn’t let him do anything.”
Roman almost laughed.
“Apparently stubbornness runs in the family.”
Sadie glared.
“He’s nineteen.”
“Old enough to make bad decisions.”
“That isn’t comforting.”
Roman called the number Matteo provided.
Ben answered.
“Hello?”
Sadie snatched the phone.
“BENJAMIN MILLER!”
Roman moved it away from his ear.
Even Matteo winced.
Ben whispered, “Sadie?”
“You’re alive.”
“Mostly.”
“You absolute idiot.”
“I missed you too.”
Sadie started crying.
Roman looked away to give privacy.
Then Ben said:
“Sadie, I found Lucy.”
Roman took the phone.
“Where?”
“Safe place.”
“Specific.”
“Not over the phone.”
“Good answer.”
Ben hesitated.
“You’re Roman?”
“Yes.”
“My sister says you’re terrifying.”
“She says many things.”
Sadie glared through tears.
Ben continued.
“Anthony called me.”
Roman’s face hardened.
“When?”
“Ten minutes ago.”
“What did he want?”
“The music box.”
“Anything else?”
“He said he knows where Calvin is.”
“Pier Nine.”
“No.”
Roman froze.
“Where?”
“Your house.”
Sadie looked up.
Roman felt cold.
The estate.
Beatrice.
Clara.
Staff.
Anthony.
Roman immediately called security.
No answer.
Called another guard.
Nothing.
A third.
Nothing.
Roman headed for the door.
Matteo stopped him.
“Trap.”
“Yes.”
“You know that.”
“Yes.”
“And you’re going.”
Roman looked at him.
“Yes.”
Sadie followed.
Roman turned.
“No.”
She raised her cast.
“Don’t.”
“What?”
“Start.”
Roman stared.
Sadie continued.
“My mother died because people kept secrets to protect each other. Your wife died doing the same. My father spent years blamed for something he didn’t do.”
Her eyes hardened.
“We stop doing that.”
Roman had no answer.
So she came.
They reached the estate.
Front gates open.
No guards.
Roman’s stomach tightened.
Inside, the house was dark.
He drew his weapon.
Sadie stayed behind him.
Dining room empty.
Library empty.
Ballroom empty.
Then they heard voices from the lower corridor.
Wine cellar.
Of course.
They descended.
The hidden steel door stood open.
Inside the secret room sat Anthony.
Alone.
No Calvin.
Roman raised the gun.
Anthony laughed bitterly.
“You finally believe them.”
“Where is everyone?”
“Safe.”
“Beatrice?”
“Safe.”
“Clara?”
“Safe.”
“Staff?”
“West guest wing.”
Roman narrowed his eyes.
“Why?”
“Because Calvin is coming.”
Sadie whispered, “Ben said you told him Calvin was here.”
“I needed Roman home.”
Roman’s jaw hardened.
“So you lied.”
“Yes.”
“Again.”
“Yes.”
Anthony looked exhausted.
“I don’t expect forgiveness.”
“Good.”
“But I can give you Calvin.”
Roman lowered the gun slightly.
“How?”
“Pier Nine.”
“You said he’s coming here.”
“No.”
“I made him think you’re going there.”
Roman understood.
“You moved the trap.”
Anthony nodded.
“Calvin believes you’re taking Sadie to Pier Nine.”
Sadie frowned.
“Why would he believe that?”
Anthony looked at her.
“Because someone just left the estate wearing your coat.”
Roman stared.
“Who?”
“Clara.”
Sadie went pale.
Roman’s voice dropped.
“You used Clara as bait?”
“She volunteered.”
Roman almost hit him.
Anthony raised both hands.
“I told her no.”
“And?”
“She said Elena once saved her sister.”
Roman stopped.
Clara.
Of course.
The rescue network.
Everything connected.
Anthony continued.
“Calvin will take Clara to the warehouse. Tomas and Ben are watching.”
Roman asked, “Where is Lucy?”
Anthony looked away.
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“You’ll know when this is over.”
Roman stepped closer.
“My patience is gone.”
Anthony met his eyes.
“So is mine.”
For the first time, Roman saw something familiar.
Not manipulation.
Shame.
Anthony whispered:
“I did help Calvin at first.”
Roman went still.
Sadie listened.
“I gambled. I stole. He offered a way out. I told myself routes were just routes.”
Anthony’s voice broke.
“Then I learned what he was moving.”
Roman said nothing.
“I tried to leave. He threatened Lucy. I hid her before he could reach her.”
“So the kidnapping story?”
“Half true.”
Roman hated half truths most.
Anthony continued.
“I spent three months sabotaging him.”
“The ledger?”
“Yes.”
“The clinic?”
“I leaked it.”
“Tomas?”
“Working with me.”
Roman looked toward Sadie.
So many secret alliances.
So many lies disguised as protection.
Anthony stood.
“We can end it tonight.”
Roman asked, “How?”
“Calvin keeps the full client list at Pier Nine.”
“Why?”
“Insurance.”
Sadie looked sick.
“People buying women?”
Anthony nodded.
“Politicians. Executives. Criminals.”
Roman’s face became stone.
“If we get it?”
“His network dies.”
Roman thought.
“And if he destroys it?”
Anthony looked at the clock.
“That’s why Clara is buying us time.”
Roman cursed.
They raced toward Pier Nine.
No sirens.
No convoy.
Four cars.
Trusted people only.
The harbor spread beneath sodium lights.
Warehouse nine sat near the water.
Roman saw Tomas in the distance.
Alive.
Good.
Ben beside him.
Also alive.
Sadie ran to her brother.
They collided awkwardly because of her cast.
Ben cried.
Sadie hit his shoulder with her good hand.
“You idiot.”
“I know.”
Roman looked toward Tomas.
“Report.”
“Calvin inside. Eight men.”
“Clara?”
“Inside.”
“Alive?”
“As of five minutes ago.”
Roman’s expression hardened.
They moved.
Anthony led them through a maintenance entrance.
Inside, voices echoed.
Calvin stood near a table.
Clara sat tied to a chair wearing Sadie’s coat.
Calvin ripped off the hood covering her head.
His face changed.
“Wrong maid.”
Clara smiled.
“Story of my life.”
Roman almost admired her.
Then a red laser appeared on Clara’s chest.
Roman froze.
Calvin looked toward the shadows.
“I knew you’d come.”
Roman stepped out.
“So did I.”
Calvin smiled.
“Where’s Sadie?”
“Not yours.”
Calvin laughed.
“Always dramatic.”
Roman raised his weapon.
Calvin raised one hand.
“Before you shoot me, you should know something.”
Roman waited.
Calvin pointed toward a shipping container.
“Your wife’s third name.”
Roman’s heart stopped.
A figure stepped out of the darkness.
Someone Roman had known his entire life.
May you like
And Sadie, watching from the doorway, whispered:
“Oh my God.”
