Chapter 7 - The Safehouse
Vincent stared at the card in Emma’s small hand.
It was a business card for a Detective David Russo of the NYPD Organized Crime Bureau.
“Your mother is friends with a detective who hunts the mafia?” Vincent asked, his mind racing.
Emma nodded.
“He comes over for dinner on Sundays.”
“He brings me lollipops.”
Vincent leaned back against the leather seat of the cab.
The situation had just become infinitely more complicated.
Claire Bennett wasn't just a random emergency room nurse.
She was connected to the exact police division that had been trying to build a RICO case against the Calder family for five years.
“Driver, take us to Brooklyn,” Vincent commanded, reading the address on the card.
They arrived at a quiet rowhouse in Bay Ridge forty minutes later.
Vincent told the cab to wait.
He carried Emma up the front steps and knocked heavily on the wooden door.
A moment later, the door swung open.
Detective David Russo stood in the doorway, holding a baseball bat.
He was in his fifties, with graying hair and the tired eyes of a career cop.
Russo looked at Emma, then raised his eyes to Vincent.
Recognition flashed in the detective’s face instantly.
Russo dropped the bat and reached for his service weapon holstered at his hip.
“Take your hands off her, Calder,” Russo snarled, aiming his gun at Vincent’s chest.
Vincent did not flinch.
He gently set Emma down on the porch.
“Uncle David!” Emma cried, running to hug the detective’s leg.
“The bad men blew up the building, but Mr. Calder saved me!”
Russo froze, looking down at the terrified child.
He kept his gun trained on Vincent.
“What the hell is going on, Vincent?” Russo demanded.
“Silas Thorne took Claire,” Vincent said calmly, keeping his hands perfectly visible.
“He used a blind date to lure me out, and he used his men to kidnap her.”
“He just tried to kill me and Emma to force me to hand over the docks.”
Russo’s face went pale.
He lowered his weapon slightly.
“Silas has Claire?”
“Yes.”
“And my own enforcer, Thomas, betrayed me to help him.”
Vincent took a step forward.
“I need you to watch Emma.”
“I am going to get Claire back.”
Russo shook his head.
“You go in there alone, Silas will execute her.”
“I’m calling in a SWAT team.”
“If you call the police, Silas’s moles in the department will tip him off,” Vincent countered coldly.
“Claire will be dead before your cruisers cross the bridge.”
Russo knew Vincent was right.
The department was leaking like a sieve.
“I know where Silas operates,” Vincent said, turning back toward the waiting cab.
“Keep the girl safe.”
Before Vincent could walk away, Russo grabbed his shoulder.
“Calder.”
Vincent stopped.
May you like
“Bring her back,” Russo pleaded, his voice breaking.
“She’s my little sister.”
