Chapter 3 - The Crossfire
Adriano tackled Clara to the wet pavement.
The concrete scraped her knees, but she couldn't feel the pain.
Another gunshot echoed through the avenue.
Sparks flew off the armored door of the SUV.
"Stay down!" Adriano roared.
His heavy coat covered her, his body shielding hers completely.
His two bodyguards had already drawn their weapons.
They returned fire toward the dark sedan.
The deafening pops of gunfire made Clara scream, her hands covering her ears.
Tires screeched violently across the wet asphalt.
The mysterious sedan peeled away, speeding off into the rain.
Adriano grabbed Clara by the waist and hoisted her up.
"Go, go, go!"
He shoved her into the back seat of the SUV and dove in right behind her.
The driver slammed on the gas before the doors even closed.
Clara fell against the leather seats, trembling uncontrollably.
Her beautiful black dress was soaked in rain and street grime.
"Are you hit?" Adriano demanded, his hands quickly checking her arms and shoulders.
"I'm fine," she choked out, fighting a wave of nausea.
"Who were they?"
"Were they your enemies?"
Adriano pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped a smear of blood from his own cheek.
"They weren't aiming at me, Clara."
"They were aiming at you."
Clara stared at him in pure horror.
"Martin knows you have access to the physical ledger."
"The moment you walked away with me, you became a liability."
"He just ordered a hit on his own secretary."
Clara couldn't process the words.
Martin was arrogant and cruel, but a murderer?
"I don't have any ledger," she said frantically.
"I only handle the digital files."
Adriano's eyes narrowed.
"Don't lie to me."
"My people tracked the paper trail."
"There is a physical black book, and Martin keeps it hidden."
"If you don't have it, we have nothing to trade to the feds to keep you out of a cell."
Clara closed her eyes, a sickening realization washing over her.
She remembered the strange, heavy metal key Martin wore on a chain around his neck.
"I know where the book is," she whispered.
Adriano leaned closer, his expression intense.
"Where?"
"It's in a private safety deposit box."
"But Martin wears the only key."
Adriano pulled a burner phone from his jacket.
"Then we have to cut it off his corpse."
Suddenly, Clara's own cell phone buzzed in her purse.
She pulled it out with trembling hands.
May you like
The caller ID made her blood run cold.
It was Martin.
