Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT THE MANSION WENT DARK
The emergency lights flickered.
Sophie woke screaming.
I pulled her into my arms.
Bruno stood between us and the door.
Dante spoke into his radio.
"Security, report."
Static.
No answer.
He tried again.
Nothing.
Then footsteps sounded outside.
Heavy.
Fast.
Dante looked at me.
"Stay here."
I shook my head.
"No."
His expression tightened.
"Isabel—"
"I'm not leaving Sophie alone."
He nodded.
"Then stay together."
A crash sounded downstairs.
Glass breaking.
Someone shouted.
Bruno barked.
Dante moved toward the door.
Then stopped.
A voice came through the darkness.
"Don't open it, Moretti."
Dante froze.
The voice was Miguel's.
I stood.
"Miguel?"
Silence.
Then:
"Isabel, take Sophie into the bathroom."
My heart hammered.
"Where are you?"
"Please."
His voice broke.
"Just do it."
I grabbed Sophie.
We moved into the bathroom.
Bruno followed.
Dante remained near the bedroom door.
A moment later, someone slammed into the hallway wall.
A struggle.
A grunt.
Then silence.
When the lights returned, Dante stood beside the door.
His shirt was torn.
Blood marked his knuckles.
Marcus Hale lay restrained on the floor.
Two guards held him.
Dante's expression was colder than I'd ever seen.
"Where is Victor?"
Marcus said nothing.
Dante leaned closer.
"Where?"
Marcus smiled.
"You should've stayed out of this."
Dante stared.
Then stepped back.
"Take him to the authorities."
I emerged from the bathroom.
Sophie clung to me.
Dante looked at us.
"You're safe."
I stared at Marcus.
"Did he hurt Miguel?"
Marcus laughed.
I felt sick.
Dante moved between us.
"Don't answer him."
But Marcus looked directly at me.
"Your husband should've kept his mouth shut."
My blood turned cold.
Later, investigators recovered a phone from Marcus.
It contained messages with Victor Salcedo.
Payments.
Instructions.
Threats.
And one photograph.
Miguel.
Alive.
Standing inside a warehouse.
The caption read:
ASSET STILL CONTROLLED.
I stared.
"Controlled?"
Dante looked grim.
"They've been keeping him somewhere."
I covered my mouth.
"Why?"
Dante looked toward the window.
"Because he knows something they can't afford to let him tell."
At dawn, Sophie approached Dante.
She held Bruno's leash.
"Mr. Moretti?"
He knelt.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Can Bruno help find Daddy?"
Dante looked at her.
His expression softened.
"He's already helping."
Sophie nodded seriously.
Then whispered:
"Tell Daddy I'm not mad."
Dante's eyes filled.
"Why would you be mad?"
She looked down.
"Because he forgot to come home."
Dante swallowed.
May you like
Then said:
"I'll tell him."
