Chapter 3 - DON’T LET MOMMY DISAPPEAR
Lorenzo Moretti walked through the front doors like a storm.
Tall.
Dark suit.
No tie.
Expression carved from stone.
Emma reached him first.
“Daddy!”
He caught his daughter against his chest.
For half a second, the intimidating businessman disappeared.
Then Emma pointed down the hall.
“Sophia’s hurt.”
Lorenzo looked up.
Sophia stood near the service corridor.
Valentina had given her three minutes to wash the blood from her mouth.
Three minutes wasn’t enough.
Lorenzo’s eyes narrowed.
“What happened?”
Valentina appeared behind Sophia.
“She slipped.”
Sophia looked at her.
Valentina smiled pleasantly.
“In the laundry room.”
Lorenzo’s gaze dropped to Sophia’s swollen hand.
“You hurt your hand falling?”
Sophia opened her mouth.
Valentina placed a gentle hand on Emma’s shoulder.
“Mia must be waiting for you, Sophia.”
The threat was perfectly disguised.
Sophia understood it.
So did Emma.
The little girl suddenly pulled away from Valentina.
“Don’t touch me.”
Valentina blinked.
“Emma?”
Emma ran behind Lorenzo.
Her face crumpled.
“Daddy, don’t let Mommy disappear.”
Everyone stopped.
Lorenzo turned.
“What did you say?”
Emma pointed at Valentina.
“She told Mr. Carlo Sophia would disappear like the dock man.”
Sophia felt the room tilt.
Valentina laughed too quickly.
“She’s confused.”
“I’m not!” Emma shouted.
Lorenzo crouched.
“What dock man?”
Emma looked terrified now.
“I heard them in the wine room.”
Valentina stepped forward.
“Lorenzo, she has nightmares. You know that.”
Lorenzo raised one hand.
Valentina stopped.
He looked at Sophia.
The room went silent.
“What happened to you?”
Sophia thought of Mia.
Three-fifteen dismissal.
Children make excellent insurance policies.
She checked the clock.
2:38 p.m.
Thirty-seven minutes.
Her fear made the decision for her.
“My daughter.”
Lorenzo stood.
“What about her?”
“They’re going to take her.”
Valentina’s face changed.
“Sophia.”
“No.”
Sophia reached into her apron.
During the struggle on the stairs, something had fallen from Valentina’s pocket.
A bronze key.
Sophia had picked it up before Carlo dragged her away.
She placed it in Lorenzo’s hand.
“I heard them talking about Pier Twelve. Secret shipments. A vault under your chapel.”
Lorenzo stared at the key.
Valentina said, “She’s lying.”
Sophia turned to her.
“You knew my husband.”
Valentina’s jaw tightened.
“Daniel Hale.”
Lorenzo looked sharply at Valentina.
“You knew Daniel Hale?”
“He worked for the company. Thousands of people work for us.”
“He died at Pier Twelve,” Sophia said.
Lorenzo’s expression changed.
He knew the location.
“What’s under the chapel?” Sophia asked.
Lorenzo looked down at the bronze key.
“My father sealed that room twenty years ago.”
Valentina stepped toward him.
“You cannot seriously believe a housekeeper over me.”
Lorenzo looked at Sophia’s bruised wrist.
Then at his daughter.
Then back at Valentina.
“I believe injuries.”
He pulled out his phone.
“Security.”
Sophia grabbed his arm.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“Carlo runs security.”
Silence.
Lorenzo lowered the phone.
Then he pressed another number.
“My driver.”
He spoke fast.
“Take the east car. Go to St. Catherine’s Elementary. Pick up Mia Hale. Do not let anyone else near her.”
Sophia nearly collapsed with relief.
Then Lorenzo said, “Bring her here.”
Valentina’s face drained of color.
Emma squeezed Sophia’s hand.
Lorenzo turned toward the chapel corridor.
“Show me where the vault is.”
Valentina shouted.
“Lorenzo, don’t.”
He looked back at her.
May you like
That was when the front gates exploded.
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