Chapter 6 - THE BLOOD RECKONING
The standoff felt like it lasted a lifetime. Marco’s hand trembled, his gun shifting between Luca and Anthony. “You pull that trigger, you die before the casing hits the floor,” Anthony said, racking the shotgun with a deafening clack. Marco looked at the two brothers. He looked at Vanessa, who was shielding her daughter. Then he looked at Eleanor. “You always were a stubborn old woman,” Marco spat. He turned the gun toward Eleanor. I didn’t think. I just reacted. I threw my body across Eleanor’s wheelchair just as the gunshot deafened the room. Wood splintered. Plaster exploded from the wall behind us. Then, a second shot rang out. Much louder. Much deeper. I opened my eyes. Marco was on the floor, his weapon skittering across the marble. Anthony lowered the shotgun, his breathing heavy. Luca immediately rushed to me, pulling me up by my shoulders. “Are you hit? Claire, are you hit?” I checked my arms, my chest. “No. I’m okay. I’m okay.” Eleanor reached up and grabbed my hand, squeezing it with surprising strength. Her eyes were full of fierce gratitude. Anthony slowly walked into the room, stepping over Marco’s body. He looked at Luca. Twenty years of grief, anger, and mourning hung in the air between them. Luca, the feared businessman, the man who never showed emotion, broke. He pulled his older brother into a crushing embrace. I stepped back, giving them space, when I felt a small hand tug on my apron. It was Mia. She held out a small, folded envelope. “The man dropped this when he broke my window,” she whispered. I took the envelope. It was sealed with wax. I broke it open and pulled out a single sheet of paper. It was a bank transfer receipt. Authorized for two million dollars. Paid to Marco’s offshore account. But Marco wasn’t the one who authorized the payment. I looked at the signature at the bottom. My blood ran cold. It was signed by Vanessa.
