Chapter 2 - THE WOMAN WHO HAD BEEN DEAD FOR TWELVE YEARS
Nicolo had seen violence before.
He had ordered it.
Survived it.
Profited from it.
But he had never seen a waitress move like Sofia Bellini.
She didn't fight like someone trying to win.
She moved like someone trying to get people out alive.
She dragged Nicolo behind the counter while bullets struck the espresso machine.
Steam burst into the air.
The café filled with a white cloud.
"Move," she ordered.
Nicolo stumbled.
She caught his jacket.
"Kitchen. Now."
They ran.
Behind them, one of the attackers shouted.
"Find the woman!"
Nicolo froze.
The woman?
Not him?
Sofia shoved him through the swinging kitchen door.
A cook stood near the stove, shaking.
"Get down," Sofia told him.
She pointed toward the rear storage room.
"There's an exit through the loading corridor. Go."
The cook ran.
Nicolo grabbed her arm.
"They're after you."
Sofia looked at his hand.
He released her.
"Yes," she said.
"Why?"
"Because somebody discovered I was alive."
Another explosion shook the building.
Sofia pushed him toward a refrigerated storage room.
They ducked inside.
She locked the door.
Nicolo stared at her.
"Sofia Bellini died in Prague."
"That's what the report said."
"I attended a meeting about your death."
"Congratulations."
He looked at her.
"You destroyed the Varga network."
"Helped dismantle it."
"Sixty-seven men."
"Sixty-seven arrests," she corrected. "Not sixty-seven bodies."
Nicolo stared.
She continued.
"People like you always remember the number. You never remember the witnesses who made the cases possible."
He felt something twist in his chest.
"Why were you working in my café?"
Sofia hesitated.
Then looked at him.
"Because I was waiting for Marco."
Nicolo's face hardened.
"My brother?"
She nodded.
"He's been selling information about you for eighteen months."
"You're lying."
Sofia's expression didn't change.
"Your brother arranged this meeting."
Nicolo shook his head.
"No."
"He knew you'd come alone except for two guards. He knew which table you'd choose."
Nicolo stared.
"That's impossible."
Sofia looked toward the door.
"Then explain why the attackers arrived exactly when he told you to wait."
A metallic sound came from the hallway.
Someone was testing the storage-room door.
Sofia lowered her voice.
"We can argue about your brother after we survive."
Nicolo swallowed.
"What do you need me to do?"
She looked at him.
"First, stop assuming you know who's loyal."
The door handle turned again.
Then a voice called through the metal.
"Sofia."
Her expression changed.
Nicolo watched her face.
For the first time, he saw something resembling fear.
The voice continued.
"We know you're in there."
A pause.
Then:
May you like
"Come out, and we'll tell you where your daughter is."
Sofia went completely still.
