Chapter 7 - The Final Ransom
I stared at the photo of Lily, my vision blurring with tears.
“They found her,” I choked out.
“Dominic, they took my baby.”
Dominic snatched the phone from my hand.
His eyes narrowed in pure fury as he looked at the picture.
“That’s impossible,” he growled.
“My sister’s safe house is impenetrable.”
He immediately dialed his sister’s number.
It went straight to voicemail.
“Who has her?” I screamed in panic.
“If Reynolds was at the hospital, who took Lily?”
Dominic slammed his fist against the car window.
“There is only one other person who knew about that safe house,” he said softly.
“Who?” I demanded.
“My younger brother, Leo,” Dominic confessed.
The betrayal hung heavily in the air.
“Leo has been trying to push me out of the family business for years,” Dominic explained.
“He must have allied with Reynolds.”
I didn’t care about mob politics or family betrayals.
I only cared about my daughter.
“Tell the driver to go to Pier 40,” I ordered.
“I am giving them the key.”
Dominic shook his head.
“If you give them the ledger, they will kill you both anyway to tie up loose ends.”
“Then what do we do?” I sobbed.
“We give them a war,” Dominic said coldly.
He reached under the car seat and pulled out a heavy tactical bag.
He began loading extra magazines and handing me a bulletproof vest.
“Put this on,” he commanded.
We arrived at Pier 40 just as a heavy fog rolled in from the river.
The docks were silent and eerie.
A single cargo ship was moored at the end of the pier.
A black SUV sat with its headlights illuminating a wooden crate.
Standing in front of the SUV was Leo Moretti.
He was holding Lily by her small hand.
She looked terrified, clutching Mr. Buttons to her chest.
“Mommy!” Lily cried out when she saw me step out of the car.
I tried to run to her, but Dominic held me back.
“Stop right there, Sarah,” Leo yelled across the dock.
“Toss the key on the ground and kick it over.”
Dominic stepped in front of me.
“Let the girl go, Leo,” Dominic commanded.
“This is between you and me.”
Leo laughed bitterly.
“You always were soft, Dominic.”
“Reynolds promised me the city if I delivered the ledger.”
“Where is Reynolds?” Leo asked, looking around.
“Reynolds is tied up in a locker room,” Dominic replied.
“You backed the wrong horse, little brother.”
Leo’s smile faltered, but he pulled a gun and aimed it at Lily.
“Give me the key now, or she dies!”
Suddenly, the cargo ship’s massive horn blasted loudly.
A dozen armed men swarmed out from the shipping containers, surrounding Leo completely.
May you like
They were not Dominic’s men.
They were wearing tactical gear with FBI printed in bright yellow letters.
