Chapter 7 - The Gunshot Sofia Never Explained

We escaped through the garage.

No one followed.

That worried Gregory.

“They wanted us to run.”

Luca looked at Sofia.

“Who fired the gun?”

She did not answer.

Enzo stepped between them.

“Luca.”

“No.”

He looked at his mother.

“Twenty years ago.

West gate.

Who fired?”

Sofia closed her eyes.

“I did.”

Silence.

Luca stared.

“At Vittorio?”

“No.”

Enzo whispered:

“Sofia.”

She raised her hand.

“I am done lying.”

Then she looked at her son.

“I fired at your father.”

Luca’s face emptied.

“Why?”

“Because I thought he betrayed me.”

Enzo looked down.

Sofia continued.

“Vittorio planted evidence that Enzo had given him my witness location.”

Luca looked at Enzo.

“And you never told me this?”

“I wanted your first memory of your mother to be something other than that night.”

“I don’t remember that night.”

“Exactly.”

Sofia stepped closer.

“The bullet missed.”

Enzo almost smiled.

“Barely.”

“But the gunshot brought guards.”

Gregory nodded.

“And Vittorio arrived.”

Luca looked at him.

“With me.”

“Yes.”

Sofia’s voice trembled.

“Vittorio said he had rescued you from Enzo’s men.”

Luca shook his head.

“He manufactured the entire thing.”

“Yes.”

“He made you think Dad betrayed you.

He made Dad think you were dead.

He took me.

Then spent twenty years telling each of us the others had chosen to disappear.”

No one answered.

Luca looked toward the dark estate.

“I spent my life trying to become the man he respected.”

Enzo whispered:

“You became the man he feared.”

That landed differently.

Luca looked at him.

Enzo continued.

“He could control a frightened boy.

He cannot control you now.”

Isabella stepped forward.

“We still need my father.”

Luca nodded.

“And proof.”

Michael handed him a flash drive.

“What is this?”

“Shipping manifests.”

“Enough?”

“Enough to start.”

“Not enough to finish.”

Michael nodded toward Isabella’s purse.

“The ledger finishes it.”

Gregory said:

“And Romano can identify the officials.”

Luca looked at everyone.

“No one goes to the airfield except me.”

Isabella laughed without humor.

“No.”

“He wants the keys.”

“They are mine too.”

“He wants Enzo.”

Enzo said:

“I’m going.”

Sofia crossed her arms.

“So am I.”

Gregory raised a hand.

“Apparently retirement has been canceled.”

Luca looked at me.

“You stay.”

I stared at him.

“No.”

“Amelia.”

“My grandfather walked into your engagement ball with a VHS tape after hiding for six months.”

Gregory looked proud.

I continued.

“My mother spent her life running because of this family.

Michael put me in your house because he thought I was useful.

I would like to decide that for myself now.”

Luca stared at me.

Then nodded.

“Fine.”

At 11:38 p.m., we reached Bellini Aviation.

Private hangars.

Empty runway.

One jet waiting.

Vittorio stood beneath the wing.

Beside him:

Detective Marco Romano.

Older.

Thinner.

Alive.

Isabella made a sound I had never heard from another person.

“Dad.”

Romano lifted his head.

Vittorio smiled.

“Family reunion.”

Luca stepped forward.

“Let him go.”

“Keys.”

Sofia held up hers.

Isabella held up the second.

Vittorio looked satisfied.

“Ledger.”

Gregory carried it.

“Enzo.”

Enzo stepped into the light.

Vittorio’s smile widened.

“Twenty years.”

Enzo said nothing.

Vittorio looked at Luca.

“You see?

Everyone came when I asked.”

Luca’s hands remained at his sides.

“No.”

Vittorio tilted his head.

Luca looked toward the hangar.

“You came when I asked.”

Lights turned on across the runway.

Black vehicles surrounded the airfield.

Vittorio’s smile vanished.

A woman stepped from the nearest SUV.

Forties.

Dark coat.

Federal badge.

Elena Cross.

Isabella stared.

“You answered.”

Elena looked at Vittorio.

“I answered your father five years ago.”

Romano smiled weakly.

Vittorio raised his gun.

Not at Luca.

At Isabella.

Luca moved.

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The gun fired.

And someone fell.