Chapter 7 – THE ROSARY IN THE LOCKBOX

Vincent’s gun didn’t waver.

Rossi reached for his holster, but Vincent cocked the hammer.

“Ah, ah. Hands where I can see them, Rossi,” Vincent warned.

Vanessa looked at Luca, her eyes frantic.

“Luca, just give him the diamonds. Please. He said nobody had to get hurt.”

Luca stared at the woman he almost married.

“You brought him here.”

Vanessa swallowed hard. “He’s my father. He promised if we got the diamonds, he would let you go.”

“She’s a naive girl,” Vincent chuckled. “But she was useful. Kick the box, Luca.”

Luca slowly lowered the lockbox to the ash-covered floor.

He pushed it with his boot. It slid across the debris, stopping at Vincent’s feet.

Vincent didn’t take his eyes off Luca as he knelt and picked up the velvet pouch. He weighed it in his hand, smiling greedily.

“Two million dollars,” Vincent said. “A perfect end to a long business relationship.”

“The debt is paid,” Luca said coldly. “Tear up the contract on Megan’s mother.”

Vincent laughed.

“You think I carry contracts in my pocket? And besides, why would I tear it up? You just paid the principal. The girl’s mother is mine until you pay the interest.”

Arthur stepped forward, his fists trembling.

“You are a monster.”

“I’m a pragmatist,” Vincent corrected. He aimed the gun at Luca’s chest. “Now. I can’t leave witnesses. Especially not the boss of the Moretti family.”

Vanessa screamed, grabbing her father’s arm.

“Dad, no! You promised!”

“Shut up, Vanessa,” Vincent snapped, throwing her to the ground.

He aimed the gun back at Luca.

“Goodbye, son.”

“Wait,” Arthur shouted.

Arthur reached into his coat and pulled out the brass service bell.

“Vincent! Look at the lockbox!” Arthur yelled.

Vincent frowned, glancing down at the heavy metal box at his feet.

“There’s something else inside,” Arthur said, his voice surprisingly steady. “Your diamonds are worthless if you don’t take the rosary.”

Vincent hesitated. He kicked the lid of the lockbox fully open.

Resting at the very bottom of the box was an old, wooden rosary.

“A rosary?” Vincent sneered. “I don’t need prayers.”

“It’s not for prayers,” Luca realized, his eyes widening. He looked at Arthur, finally understanding. “It’s the ledger.”

Vincent lowered the gun an inch. “What ledger?”

“My father didn’t just keep his own secrets,” Luca said, his voice growing confident. “He kept the syndicate’s secrets. The accounts. The bribes. Everything.”

Vincent’s face paled. If the syndicate’s ledger was in that box, it was worth ten times the diamonds. It was ultimate power.

Vincent bent down to grab the rosary.

It was a fatal mistake.

In that split second of distraction, Luca kicked a charred piece of rebar straight at Vincent’s knees.

Vincent cried out, stumbling backward. The gun fired into the ceiling.

Rossi lunged, tackling Vincent to the ground. The gun skittered across the ash.

Luca stood over Vincent, looking down at the defeated man.

Vanessa sobbed on the floor, clutching her face.

Luca picked up the velvet pouch of diamonds, then reached down and picked up the wooden rosary.

He didn’t look at Vincent. He looked at Arthur.

“Call the syndicate,” Luca told Rossi. “Tell them Vincent Bellini tried to steal their ledger.”

Vincent’s eyes widened in sheer terror.

“Luca! No! They’ll kill my entire family!”

“You should have thought of that before you threatened mine,” Luca said.

He turned away, walking toward the exit.

Arthur and I followed him out into the morning light.

The nightmare was over.

But as we walked to the car, Luca stopped.

He looked down at the wooden rosary in his hand.

He rubbed his thumb over the wooden beads.

He frowned.

“Arthur,” Luca said quietly.

“Yes, Mr. Moretti?”

“These aren’t account numbers carved into these beads.”

Arthur froze. “They aren’t?”

Luca looked up, staring at the older man who had run his father’s restaurant for twenty-seven years.

“No. They’re coordinates. And they lead to a grave.”