Chapter 4 - The Woman in the Photograph
By midnight, L’Osteria was empty.
Every patron had been escorted out.
Every employee had been questioned.
Gregory had disappeared before security could stop him.
That was Ethan's first mistake.
His second was assuming the enemy wanted money.
They wanted something else.
A photograph.
Finn placed it on the conference table.
It showed Sophia standing beside a silver sedan.
She was visibly pregnant.
Beside her stood Daniel.
Norah stared at the photograph.
“That was taken before I met him.”
Ethan looked at her.
“How do you know?”
Norah pointed to the coat.
“He wore that when we met.”
“What year?”
“Three years ago.”
Ethan frowned.
“That photograph is eleven years old.”
Daniel had been younger.
But it was clearly him.
Norah leaned closer.
Then she noticed another detail.
Sophia was holding something.
A hospital envelope.
Stamped with a name.
Norah's face changed.
“What?”
Ethan asked.
“She gave me that.”
“Who?”
“Sophia.”
Every person in the room froze.
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
Ethan grabbed her shoulders.
“You saw Sophia three months ago?”
“I didn't know who she was.”
“Where?”
“Outside a grocery store.”
“What did she say?”
Norah's memory returned.
An elegant woman with dark hair.
Large sunglasses.
A scar near her chin.
She had handed Norah the envelope.
“Protect him.”
Those were the exact words.
Ethan stared at Norah.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know you existed.”
“What was inside the envelope?”
Norah shook her head.
“I gave it to Daniel.”
Ethan's face hardened.
“And what did he do?”
“He told me to forget it.”
Then a horrible realization appeared.
“If Sophia was alive…”
Norah whispered.
“…Daniel knew.”
Ethan stood.
“My brother lied to you.”
“He lied to everyone.”
“He may have been protecting her.”
“From whom?”
Ethan looked toward the window.
“My father.”
Evelyn stood abruptly.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
She was staring at the photograph.
“There was something else.”
Ethan moved toward her.
“What?”
Evelyn pointed to Sophia's necklace.
A small silver key.
“It belonged to your grandfather.”
Ethan frowned.
“My grandfather died before I was born.”
“And he left something behind.”
“What?”
“A trust.”
“For Sophia.”
“How much?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Enough that your father spent years trying to find it.”
Norah looked at Ethan.
“So this isn't about me.”
“No.”
Ethan's voice was quiet.
“It is about something your family buried.”
Then the lights went out.
Gunfire erupted outside.
Glass exploded.
Ethan grabbed Norah and pulled her behind the table.
Finn drew his weapon.
Mateo shouted.
“Rear entrance!”
More gunfire.
Ethan looked at Norah.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“That's not a suggestion.”
“I have my son.”
Ethan's eyes went to Sam.
He understood.
He crouched.
“You stay behind me.”
Norah held Sam against her chest.
The room filled with smoke.
Someone screamed outside.
Then the fire alarm began.
Finn kicked open a service door.
“We move now.”
They ran through the kitchen.
Norah slipped.
Ethan caught her.
“Can you walk?”
“Yes.”
“Then don't stop.”
They emerged into the alley.
A black SUV waited.
Mateo opened the rear door.
Norah got inside with Sam.
Ethan followed.
Bullets struck the vehicle.
The driver accelerated.
Norah looked out the window.
A figure stood at the far end of the alley.
Tall.
Still.
Holding an umbrella.
The face was hidden.
But the person raised one hand.
A silver key hung from their fingers.
Ethan saw it.
So did Evelyn.
The older woman whispered from the front seat:
“Sophia.”
May you like
The figure smiled.
Then vanished into the rain.
