Chapter 5: The Vescari Problem
Dominic had two cars outside Sophia's building within eleven minutes.
He was in the third.
The man on the street was gone by the time they arrived, but one of Dominic's men had gotten a photograph.
Dominic looked at it in the back of the car.
He recognized the face.
Not personally.
But the tattoo visible above the collar — a small geometric pattern, three interlocking triangles — was Vescari.
He had seen it before on men who worked directly for Enzo Vescari's inner circle.
This was not a coincidence.
He called his head of security, a quiet man named Caruso who had been with the Moretti family for nineteen years.
"The Vescaris know about Sophia," Dominic said.
A pause.
"How long?"
"Unknown.
Long enough to put someone on her building tonight." He looked out the window at the Brooklyn street.
"She needs to move."
"She won't want to."
"I know."
He got out of the car.
Sophia was waiting at the door of her apartment, Lily already asleep in the bedroom behind her.
She had changed into the same worn grey sweater.
She looked at him, then at the two men who had taken positions in the hallway without being asked.
"Come in," she said.
Not warmly.
But she stepped aside.
He told her quickly and without softening it.
The Vescari organization.
The war that had started six years ago with bullets through his sister's car.
The reason he had ended things the way he had.
She listened without interrupting.
When he finished, she was quiet for a moment.
"You broke my heart," she said, "to protect me from people who are now standing outside my building anyway."
"Yes."
"So it didn't work."
"No."
She sat down on the arm of the couch.
Not fully sitting.
Perched, like someone who might need to stand up again quickly.
"How did they find out about me?" she asked.
"I don't know yet.
My best guess is Webb.
He may have talked to the wrong person, or someone may have been watching him watching you." Dominic sat down across from her.
"It doesn't matter right now.
What matters is that you and Lily are not safe here tonight."
"Where are we supposed to go?"
"I have a property in Connecticut.
Quiet.
Secure.
My sister Elena uses it when she needs space.
No one outside my immediate circle knows it exists."
Sophia looked at him.
"You want me to take my daughter to a house owned by a man I haven't spoken to in six years because someone was standing on my street."
"Yes."
"Dominic—"
"I know how it sounds."
"Do you?" She stood up.
"Because it sounds like the same logic you used six years ago.
I'll make the decision.
You follow the plan.
You don't get a vote because I'm protecting you."
"That's not what I'm doing."
"Then what are you doing?"
"I'm telling you there is a real threat and asking you to let me help.
Not ordering.
Asking." He met her eyes.
"You can say no.
But I need you to understand what you're saying no to."
She looked at the hallway where Lily was sleeping.
"One night," she said.
"I'll take Lily there tonight.
Tomorrow I want answers.
Who they are, why now, and what your plan is to make this stop."
"Agreed."
"And I want it in writing that Lily and I can leave whenever we choose."
"I'll have Caruso write it on a napkin if that's what you need."
Something crossed her face that was almost, almost a different expression entirely.
"Don't do that," she said.
"What?"
"Make me almost smile.
I'm angry with you."
"I know."
"Good." She turned toward the hallway.
"Give me twenty minutes to pack."
While she packed, Dominic stood in the small living room and looked at the crayon drawing above the radiator.
The woman with yellow hair.
The girl with yellow boots.
The large orange sun.
Caruso appeared at his shoulder.
"Sir.
Webb sent the files.
All of them." A pause.
"There were three other women in that office he removed over the past eighteen months.
Same pattern."
"Get their names.
Reinstate them if they want to come back.
Full back pay."
"Yes, sir." Another pause.
"There's something else in the files.
A communication between Webb and a Vescari intermediary.
Dated four months ago."
Dominic turned.
"Webb was feeding them information," Caruso said.
"About the Manhattan accounts.
About staffing.
About—" he stopped.
"About Sophia."
"Yes, sir."
Dominic looked at the drawing on the wall.
"Is Webb still in his apartment?"
"As of twenty minutes ago."
"Keep someone on him.
He doesn't leave the city."
"Understood." Caruso hesitated.
"Sir.
If the Vescaris know about the child—"
"I know."
"They'll use her."
"I know, Caruso."
The bedroom door opened.
Sophia came out with a small bag over one shoulder and Lily half-awake against her other shoulder, the stuffed rabbit dangling from one small fist.
Lily saw Dominic and blinked slowly.
"Are we going somewhere?" she murmured.
"For a little while," Sophia said.
Lily looked at Dominic.
"Is it because of the sad man outside?"
Sophia's eyes went to Dominic.
"You saw him?" Dominic asked.
"From the window," Lily said.
"He was looking up at our apartment.
He had a funny mark on his neck." She touched her own neck, just below her ear.
"Like three triangles."
Dominic looked at Caruso.
Caruso's expression confirmed it before he said a word.
The man had not been watching the building.
May you like
He had been watching the window.
He had been watching Lily.
