Chapter 4 - SOFIA
Sofia Castellano had called Vincent six times the night she died.
He answered none.
He had been negotiating a deal.
By the time he listened to her voicemail, she was already dead.
Her boyfriend claimed she fell down the stairs.
Police arrested him.
Then evidence disappeared.
Charges collapsed.
Vincent had always blamed corruption.
Now he had a name.
Raymond Fletcher.
Amelia listened as Vincent played Sofia’s final voicemail.
“Vinny, please call me.”
Five words.
Vincent stopped the recording.
“That’s enough.”
Amelia said nothing.
He looked toward the window.
“I spent eight years thinking I failed her.”
“You did.”
Vincent turned.
Most people would have comforted him.
Amelia didn’t.
“You didn’t answer,” she said. “You have to live with that.”
His jaw tightened.
“But Raymond made choices too. Her boyfriend made choices. The police who buried evidence made choices.”
She stepped closer.
“You don’t have to carry theirs just because you carry yours.”
Vincent stared at her.
No one had ever spoken to him like that.
He liked it.
He hated it.
It helped.
That evening Raymond called Amelia.
“Hello, Amy.”
Her blood turned cold.
Vincent reached for the phone.
She stopped him.
“What do you want?”
“My property.”
“I’m not your property.”
“The drive.”
Raymond laughed.
“Did you really think I cared where you worked?”
Amelia looked at Vincent.
Raymond continued.
“I’ve known for months.”
“Then why wait?”
“Because I wanted to know where you hid it.”
Amelia’s stomach dropped.
The cemetery.
They had been followed.
Vincent understood at the same moment.
A blast shook the building.
Windows exploded.
The lights died.
May you like
Raymond had found them.
---
