AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sir,” Noah says as he passes him and disappears down the steps.
“Dad,” I say nervously. “I thought you were meeting with—”
He doesn’t let me finish, shoving past me without saying a thing. Doesn’t have to. The disappointment is written all over his face.
I’m left staring after him as he goes into his room and slams the door in his wake.
11
NOAH
Ihastily make my way downstairs. Above me, I hear Emily say something to her father, and a moment later, a door slams.
Though I commend him on his self-control, Jackson’s rage was clearly evident in his blue eyes. I’d feel the same way if I found a strange man with my daughter and suspected simply by looking at her that he’d been all over her.
If it hadn’t been for Gunn’s call, he would have more than suspected. He would have had visual confirmation. I would have been deep inside Emily, pounding into her. Fucking her there, watched by all those eyes she’s so perfectly captured on paper, including those of a woman who doesn’t deserve her longing. We would have ruined those sketches, scattered them all over the floor.
Though the interruption was like a bucket of ice dumped on me, I can’t say it was wholly unwelcome. Because Emily wasn’t telling me to stop, and I wasn’t sure I could even if she did.
Jackson finding me buried in his daughter would have greatly risked my agenda. And after what I just saw, I’m more determined than ever to follow through with my plans.
I pause in front of the study, peering toward the display Emily showed me. But that’s not what I’m truly observing. It’s the security camera on the ceiling trained on it, a tiny red light blinking rapidly, confirming it’s recording.
It’s not the only camera in the house. On the way up to the third floor, I spotted a few others set at intervals. Key points of the house, where an intruder may enter, or where things of value might be stored.
None of those matter to me. Only this one with it’s perfect view of the gun case and the window beside it. A window from which hang ivory curtains that have three almost unnoticeable brownish-red spots. Unnoticeable, that is, to the untrained eye.
I, however, have been taught to be perceptive. Those spots stood out like a neon beacon. Blood. They’re blood. I’ve seen enough of it to be able to identify it from a mile away.
But what stood out more is the bullet casing lodged in a crevice between the wooden floor and baseboard. A barely visible thing that caught my eye when I moved and the light hit it just right. A nine millimeter bullet shell.
That’s the thing about old houses like this one. They hold secrets, have tons of stories to tell. You just have to know where to look.
It takes a lot of willpower not to go in there and dig the casing out. But the camera is watching. Which is a bad thing now. However, that also means it was watching months ago, on the day my father was killed. And if this is where it happened, the camera recorded it.
I leave, heading straight to my car, all the while scanning the exterior for any other cameras. The moment I enter my vehicle, I dial Justin.
“Shaw’s home is equipped with the same security system as the gallery. I need you to hack it.”
He groans. “I just broke through the S Gallery’s firewall. I’m still not done going through all that footage.”
“Put all your efforts into the house. I found something that could be proof my father was killed in the study.”
“Shit.” Letting out a long breath, he adds, “I’ll get right on it.”
When we hang up, I send a message to both Matteo and Alex.
Me:Meet me at Francesco’s.
I don’t say Renzo’s place, because to me, it never was. It’s the house my uncle built. The Gianni stronghold.
I’m not sure if the capos will show up simply because I ask them to. But it doesn’t matter. I gave my word to join the Sinacores in the fight against Gideon Black, and I’m going to keep it. Francesco’s house has the weapons I need to be able to do that.
To my relief, both the capos are already there when I arrive. The study that was destroyed by Renzo has been cleaned up, and both men are sitting, waiting for me.
I fill them in on everything—the findings on the deaths of the Dons, Stephen and Gideon Black, and how the Sinacores fit into the picture. I tell them that until The Ferryman is dead, no one can take the Gianni throne. Not them, not me. Not anyone.
And I tell them that it was me who killed Renzo.
