Chapter 1
The underground garage went silent except for tennis balls slowly rolling across the concrete.
Rocco Bellandi stood between his daughter and everyone else.
Mia was wrapped inside his suit jacket, trembling against Michael Reed’s chest while Rocco stared at Bianca.
Nine hours.
His daughter had been standing beside that pillar since morning.
Bianca touched her reddening cheek.
“She embarrassed me upstairs.”
Rocco said nothing.
“She screamed during breakfast. She threw a fit in front of members. I told her she needed to learn consequences.”
“She’s three.”
Bianca looked away.
Grant pulled himself upright beside the overturned tennis cart.
“You don’t know what happened.”
Michael stepped forward.
“I know what I saw.”
Grant glared at him.
Rocco noticed it immediately.
Not anger.
Warning.
Michael swallowed but continued.
“Mrs. Bellandi brought Mia down here shortly after nine. She told the entire parking staff that nobody was allowed to speak to her, give her food, move her, or take her upstairs.”
Rocco checked his watch.
6:14 p.m.
His jaw tightened.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
Michael looked ashamed.
“Grant took our phones during your meeting.”
Rocco turned toward him.
Grant’s expression hardened.
“For security.”
“Everyone’s phones?”
“It was a closed meeting.”
Michael shook his head.
“Not mine. Mine stayed at the desk.”
That explained why Grant had lunged at him.
Rocco looked at Mia.
“What happened this morning, sweetheart?”
Mia buried her face against Michael.
Rocco waited.
Finally she whispered:
“I saw Bianca doing secret work.”
Bianca stopped breathing for half a second.
Grant immediately spoke.
“She doesn’t know what she saw.”
May you like
Rocco slowly turned toward him.
“I didn’t ask you.”
