Chapter 7
Massimo cleared the study.
Only family remained.
If that word still meant anything.
The tunnel man was taken downstairs.
Vincent went with him.
Robert and Grant were placed under separate guard.
I stayed.
Josephine slept in my father's chair, wrapped in his suit jacket.
She had finally stopped crying.
Massimo stood by the window.
“What does Voss want me to trade?”
Nobody answered.
Because the men who knew enough didn't know everything.
That was the problem.
Grant had pieces.
Robert had pieces.
Vincent had pieces.
Someone else had the whole plan.
My father turned toward me.
“What did Grant ask you besides the red key?”
I thought.
Months of questions.
Most had felt random.
“Which men Dad trusted.”
Massimo nodded.
“What else?”
“Who came to family dinners.”
“What else?”
“Who stayed overnight.”
He turned.
“What else?”
“Where Josephine slept when we visited.”
My stomach dropped before I finished saying it.
My father went completely still.
“Again.”
“Where Josephine slept.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
Massimo looked toward his sleeping granddaughter.
Then at Grant through the glass door across the hall.
“Bring him back.”
Grant returned two minutes later.
His hands were restrained.
His arrogance wasn't.
Massimo didn't sit.
“Why Josephine's room?”
Grant said nothing.
My father repeated it.
“Why did you need to know where my granddaughter slept?”
Still nothing.
I walked toward him.
“Answer.”
He looked at me.
Something flickered.
Pity.
That terrified me.
“Isabella.”
“No.”
“I'm sorry.”
“You aren't.”
“I didn't know it would become this.”
Massimo's voice dropped.
“Become what?”
Grant swallowed.
“The original plan wasn't to hurt her.”
I felt sick.
“Her?”
Josephine.
My father took one step forward.
“What was the original plan?”
Grant looked toward Robert.
Robert stared at the floor.
“Take her.”
Everything inside me stopped.
“What?”
Grant spoke quickly now.
“Not forever.”
I hit him.
Across the face.
Harder than I thought I could.
Grant stared at me.
I was shaking.
“You were going to take my daughter?”
“It was leverage.”
Massimo's voice was almost a whisper.
“Against me.”
Grant nodded.
“What would you demand?”
“The docks.”
“That's Voss.”
“Yes.”
“Vincent wanted the east crews.”
Grant's expression changed.
He hadn't known.
Massimo noticed.
“Interesting.”
My father continued.
“Robert wanted influence.”
Grant looked at his father.
Another surprise.
Everyone had been promised something different.
No one knew the full plan.
Massimo smiled faintly.
“You weren't partners.”
Silence.
“You were pieces.”
Grant looked angry now.
At Robert.
At Vincent.
At whoever had lied to him.
My father leaned closer.
“Who arranged it?”
“No idea.”
“Wrong.”
“Voss's people.”
Massimo shook his head.
“You don't believe that anymore.”
Grant said nothing.
“Who contacted you first?”
Long silence.
Then:
“A woman.”
My blood turned cold.
“Who?”
“She never gave a name.”
“How?”
“Calls.”
“Voice?”
“Altered.”
Massimo's expression hardened.
“What did she tell you?”
“That Isabella was the easiest way inside.”
I stared at him.
He couldn't look at me.
“And Josephine?”
“She said if Massimo wouldn't bargain for territory…”
His voice weakened.
“…he'd bargain for blood.”
I closed my eyes.
That was the real plan.
Not simply killing my father.
Not attacking the estate.
Taking Josephine.
Holding her somewhere Massimo couldn't reach.
Then making him trade pieces of his world to get her back.
Grant continued.
“But after Josephine overheard us…”
“Us?”
I opened my eyes.
“Who was with you?”
He stopped.
Massimo stepped closer.
“Who?”
Grant's face drained.
Then Josephine woke.
She looked across the room.
At her father.
And whispered:
“The lady with Grandma's necklace.”
Nobody moved.
My mother had been dead eleven years.
I stared at Josephine.
“What lady?”
She pointed toward the hallway.
“She talks to Daddy.”
Massimo's expression changed.
Because there was only one woman in the house wearing my mother's necklace.
May you like
My father's younger sister.
Aunt Celeste.
