Chapter 9 - Roman’s One Unbreakable Rule
Roman called Tomas.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Sadie stared at the message.
“Where’s Ben’s apartment?”
“South side.”
Roman was already moving.
Beatrice followed.
“No.”
Roman turned.
“You stay.”
“I waited fourteen years.”
“And I’m not letting Calvin kill you in year fifteen.”
Beatrice stopped.
Roman pointed to two guards.
“Take her home.”
Sadie climbed into Roman’s car.
He looked at her.
“I’m not arguing.”
“Good.”
“That means you stay here.”
“No.”
Roman closed his eyes.
Sadie buckled her seat belt.
“Drive.”
He almost admired the efficiency.
They reached Ben’s apartment in eleven minutes.
Door broken.
Furniture overturned.
Mattress slashed.
Roman entered first.
Sadie followed.
“Music box?”
“Bedroom closet.”
They found the closet empty.
No box.
Blood marked the floor.
Sadie whispered, “Tomas?”
Roman crouched.
Fresh.
A shell casing near the wall.
No body.
Good.
Maybe.
Sadie searched drawers.
“Ben kept it here.”
Roman noticed a childhood photograph.
Sadie.
Benjamin.
Their father.
Daniel held a small wooden music box.
Roman picked up the frame.
The box had a painted red bird on top.
“Describe it.”
“Wood. Brass hinge. Plays ‘Moon River.’”
Roman looked at her.
“Your father gave your brother a music box playing ‘Moon River’?”
“He was sentimental.”
Roman almost smiled.
Then noticed something.
In the photograph, Daniel’s thumb covered one side.
Beneath it was a small keyhole.
Not normal for music boxes.
“Did it lock?”
Sadie frowned.
“I don’t remember.”
Roman searched the closet.
Nothing.
Sadie checked beneath floorboards.
Nothing.
Roman looked at the broken window.
Fire escape.
Someone left quickly.
He stepped outside.
On the metal stairs lay drops of blood.
Descending.
They followed.
At the alley bottom was Tomas’s phone.
Screen cracked.
One draft message:
NOT CALVIN.
Roman stared.
Sadie read.
“What does that mean?”
Roman’s instincts screamed.
Calvin was guilty.
But maybe not alone.
Maybe not the person who took Tomas.
Roman looked at surrounding cameras.
One convenience store across the alley.
They entered.
Owner recognized Roman immediately.
Fear helped.
Five minutes later they watched footage.
Tomas exited Ben’s building carrying the music box.
Then a black SUV arrived.
Two men emerged.
Tomas drew his weapon.
The passenger door opened.
Tomas froze.
He lowered the gun voluntarily.
Sadie leaned toward the screen.
“Who got out?”
The footage angle blocked the face.
Only clothing.
Black coat.
Silver cross.
Roman’s blood turned cold.
Father Matteo.
Sadie whispered, “The priest?”
Roman said nothing.
His oldest friend.
The man who knew Elena.
Knew Beatrice.
Knew the secrets.
Could walk into any Vescari property without being searched.
Perfect.
Roman called Matteo.
Voicemail.
Again.
Nothing.
Sadie asked, “Where would he take Tomas?”
Roman knew one place.
Church.
St. Michael’s.
Matteo’s parish.
They arrived near dusk.
Doors unlocked.
Candles burned.
Empty pews.
Roman entered with his pistol hidden beneath his jacket.
Sadie walked beside him.
“Should I wait?”
“Yes.”
“I wasn’t offering.”
Roman gave her a look.
They found Matteo near the altar.
Alone.
He knelt.
Roman approached.
“Where is Tomas?”
Matteo did not turn.
“Alive.”
“Music box?”
“Safe.”
“Stand up.”
Matteo did.
He looked older.
Sad.
Not frightened.
Roman hated that.
“Did you betray me?”
“No.”
“Then explain the SUV.”
“Tomas was followed.”
“By Calvin?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Matteo glanced at Sadie.
“Her brother.”
Sadie stared.
“Ben?”
Roman’s gun lowered slightly.
Matteo nodded.
“Benjamin escaped yesterday.”
Sadie stepped forward.
“What?”
“He called me.”
“Why didn’t he call me?”
“He believed your phone was monitored.”
Roman asked, “Was it?”
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
Matteo looked at him.
“Anthony.”
Sadie whispered, “But Anthony said Calvin forced him.”
“He did.”
Matteo sighed.
“Both things can be true.”
Roman’s face hardened.
“Stop speaking like a priest and start speaking like a witness.”
Matteo almost smiled.
“Anthony planted tracking software on Sadie’s phone under Calvin’s orders. He later tried to remove it. Benjamin discovered it.”
“Where is Ben now?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
Matteo shook his head.
Roman stepped closer.
“One rule, Matteo.”
The priest looked at him.
“You know it.”
Matteo nodded.
Roman’s one unbreakable rule.
Children were untouchable.
Always.
Even enemies’ children.
Matteo whispered, “Lucy.”
Roman’s face changed.
Anthony’s daughter.
“What about her?”
“Benjamin found her.”
Sadie gasped.
“Where?”
“Not where Calvin said.”
Roman stared.
Matteo continued.
“Lucy was never kidnapped by Calvin.”
Silence.
Roman felt the next betrayal coming before Matteo said it.
“Anthony hid her himself.”
Sadie whispered, “Why?”
“To make you believe Calvin had leverage.”
Roman shook his head.
“That makes no sense.”
“It does if Anthony and Calvin were partners from the beginning.”
Roman’s jaw clenched.
“No.”
Matteo said quietly:
“Roman, your brother wasn’t forced into the operation.”
Roman’s eyes went cold.
“He built it.”
Sadie looked at Roman.
Roman looked toward the crucifix.
Everything Anthony had said at the clinic.
The tears.
The injuries.
Could be real.
Could still be manipulation.
Roman asked, “Why would Calvin torture his partner?”
“Because partnerships end.”
Matteo reached behind the altar.
Roman raised his gun.
Matteo froze.
“Easy.”
He pulled out the music box.
Red bird.
Brass hinge.
Sadie took one step.
“My father’s.”
Matteo handed it to her.
She opened it.
The melody began.
Soft.
Old.
The sound filled the church.
Nothing else.
Roman frowned.
Matteo pointed underneath.
A keyhole.
Sadie searched her memory.
“My mother wore a key.”
Roman looked at her bracelet.
“No.”
Sadie touched it.
Ben’s friendship bracelet.
The clasp was unusually thick.
She pulled.
A tiny brass key slid free.
Her eyes widened.
“Ben gave me this last Christmas.”
She inserted it into the music box.
Click.
A false bottom opened.
Inside was a memory card.
Roman stared.
Daniel Miller had hidden evidence for fourteen years.
Sadie removed it.
A laptop waited in the sacristy.
They inserted the card.
Folders appeared.
Photographs.
Bank records.
Audio files.
One video.
Dated the night Elena died.
Roman clicked.
The footage showed Elena speaking directly to camera.
“If anything happens to me, Calvin Rusk and Anthony Vescari are responsible.”
Roman stopped breathing.
Sadie covered her mouth.
Elena continued.
“Anthony believes Roman will protect him no matter what.”
Roman stared.
His dead wife’s voice filled the room.
“He is wrong.”
Then Elena leaned closer.
“There is one more person involved.”
The video glitched.
Static.
Roman whispered, “Come on.”
The image returned.
May you like
Elena spoke the name.
And every light in the church went out.
