Chapter 3 - THE ENVELOPE UNDER THE DOOR
Luna packed before dawn.
Maria helped her fold the last of her clothes into a suitcase.
“You're making the right decision,” the older woman said.
Luna sat on the edge of the bed.
“Then why does it hurt?”
“Because doing the right thing doesn't mean it feels good.”
Luna looked at her.
“Did you know?”
“About Luca?”
She nodded.
Maria sighed.
“Everyone who paid attention knew.”
“Everyone except me?”
“Especially you.”
Luna almost smiled.
Maria touched her cheek.
“Be careful, mija.”
At six-thirty, Luna found an envelope beneath her door.
Inside was a photograph.
Her mother standing outside the family grocery store in Puebla.
On the back, someone had written:
THE MORETTI NAME WILL NOT PROTECT HER.
Luna's blood went cold.
She ran to Maria.
Within minutes, Luca arrived.
He read the note.
His face became terrifyingly still.
“Who gave you this?”
“It was under my door.”
He turned toward the hallway.
“Security!”
Luna grabbed his sleeve.
“Don't.”
He looked back.
“Someone threatened your mother.”
“I know.”
“Then let me handle it.”
“No.”
Her voice shook.
“I need you to listen before you start giving orders.”
He stopped.
She held up the photograph.
“This is what your world does to people.”
Luca stared.
Luna continued.
“You said you loved me. But somebody saw that as a reason to threaten my family.”
He looked away.
“I won't let anything happen to them.”
“You can't promise that.”
Silence.
Then he nodded.
“No. I can't.”
It was the first answer she trusted.
Luca arranged for the threat to be reported to the appropriate authorities and offered to pay for independent legal assistance for Luna's family.
She accepted the legal help, but insisted that her family choose its own security arrangements.
That afternoon, Luna moved into a small apartment above a bakery owned by Maria's cousin.
It had one bedroom, a narrow kitchen, and a window overlooking a noisy street.
She loved it immediately.
At seven that evening, Luca appeared outside the bakery.
No bodyguards at her door.
No limousine.
Just a dark coat and two paper cups of coffee.
Luna opened the door halfway.
“What are you doing here?”
He held up the cups.
“Asking.”
She studied him.
Then stepped aside.
“Ten minutes.”
He smiled.
“That's more than I deserve.”
She took the coffee.
“Probably.”
Neither noticed the black sedan parked across the street.
Inside, a man photographed the apartment.
May you like
Then sent the image to Vincent Torino.
FOUND HER.
