Chapter 4: The Message in Marco’s Pocket
“Take your hand out slowly,” Rico said.
Marco’s fingers emerged holding a phone, not a w*apon.
He placed it on the table and pushed it toward Rico.
“I was trying to show you this.”
A photograph filled the screen.
Clara’s brother, Evan, stood outside his workplace, unaware that someone was watching him.
Clara tightened both arms around Leo.
“Why do you have a picture of my brother?”
“It arrived thirty seconds ago,” Marco said.
“Read the message.”
Rico picked up the phone.
MAKE THE WAITRESS QUIET, OR EVAN VANCE PAYS FOR WHAT SHE HEARD.
Clara rose so quickly that the glass tipped over.
Leo clung to her apron.
“Call him,” she said.
“Call Evan now.”
Dante already had his phone out.
“What’s his number?”
Clara recited it twice before her voice stopped shaking.
Dante put the call on speaker.
“Clara?” Evan answered.
“Why is some huge man telling me to stay inside?”
“Are you safe?”
“I’m at work.
What happened?”
“Lock the door and do what he says.”
Marco reached for his phone.
“You see?
Someone is watching all of us.”
Rico covered it with his hand.
“You knew Leo wasn’t in Elena’s car.”
“Everyone knew.”
“No,” Dante said.
“That detail never reached the newspapers.”
Marco’s mouth opened, then closed.
Rico stepped closer.
“Who told you?”
“I heard it from the staff.”
“Which staff member?”
“I don’t remember.”
Clara moved Leo behind her.
“You remembered enough to shout it the moment he mentioned the phone call.”
Marco pointed at the silver button.
“She could have planted that.”
“I was holding a tray when Leo pulled it from his shirt.”
“You’ve worked here four months,” Marco said.
“Plenty of time to learn names and uniforms.”
Sarah came out from beside the kitchen doors.
“She didn’t know Bellini Security existed.”
Marco glared at her.
“Go back to work.”
“No,” Sarah said.
“You asked me last week whether Leo ever spoke to Clara.
I thought it was strange because they had never met.”
The diners nearest the door stopped pretending not to listen.
Marco’s voice dropped.
“Be careful, Sarah.”
Rico took one step between them.
“Was that a threat?”
“It was advice.”
“Here is mine,” Rico said.
“Do not move.”
Marco gave a strained laugh.
“You’re trusting a frightened child and two waitresses over the man who has run this restaurant for eight years?”
“I’m trusting the mistake you just made.”
“What mistake?”
Rico held up the phone.
“This message names Evan Vance.
Clara never said her brother’s last name.”
Marco looked toward the kitchen exit.
Dante blocked it.
“Going somewhere?”
“I want my attorney.”
“You may call him,” Rico said.
“After the police copy that phone.”
Marco’s confidence returned in a thin smile.
“The police?
Shall we invite them to inspect all your businesses while they are here?”
Rico’s hand curled, but Clara spoke first.
“If you’re innocent, why does calling the police frighten you?”
“It doesn’t frighten me.”
“Then unlock the phone.”
Marco snatched it from the table and hurled it toward the marble floor.
Dante caught his wrist before the phone struck.
Leo screamed.
Clara immediately crouched.
“Look at me, Leo.
Breathe with me.”
“Get him out of here,” Rico ordered.
“Not without Clara,” Leo cried.
Rico’s face tightened.
“Then Clara comes too.”
Marco struggled against Dante.
“If she leaves this room, you will never learn what Elena was hiding from you.”
Rico stopped at the doorway.
“What did you say?”
Marco’s smile returned.
“Your wife wasn’t going to that charity event, Rico.
She was going to meet someone—and she had packed a bag for Leo.”
May you like
Then Marco looked directly at Clara.
“She was planning to take your son away from you.”
