Chapter 8 - LOOK AT ME, NINO
Dominic escaped arrest that afternoon because prosecutors had not yet filed every charge tied to the old fire.
Financial counts were coming.
His attorney secured a narrow window.
Dominic used it badly.
He went to Duca Manor.
Hannah happened to be there with Rachel signing estate-recovery documents concerning Clara.
Bad timing.
Security flagged Dominic at the gate.
Vincent told them not to admit him.
Dominic entered through an old garden service route.
A route he had known fifteen years.
Hannah saw him first.
He stepped into the library.
No gun visible.
That did not make him safe.
“Where's the key?”
Hannah stood.
Rachel reached for her phone.
Dominic knocked it from her hand.
Hannah moved between them.
“Don't touch her.”
Dominic smiled.
“Clara used to do that.”
Hannah’s stomach turned.
“I’m not Clara.”
“No.”
He looked at her face.
“That’s the tragedy.”
He reached for her wrist.
She pulled back.
“Don't.”
He grabbed anyway.
Then Vincent entered.
“Take your hand off her.”
Dominic released Hannah and turned.
“Nino.”
Vincent’s face went cold.
“Don't call me that.”
“Why? She does?”
Hannah said:
“I did once.”
Dominic laughed.
“Of course.”
Then everything moved.
Dominic shoved Hannah aside and lunged toward the desk where Rachel’s document bag sat.
First attack.
Vincent intercepted him.
Caught his shoulder.
Drove him away from Hannah.
Dominic hit the edge of a chair and fell.
Marcus entered from the corridor.
“Stay down.”
Dominic did not.
He rose.
Second charge.
This time directly at Vincent.
A small knife appeared from inside his sleeve.
Marcus shouted.
Hannah’s heart stopped.
Vincent sidestepped.
Caught Dominic’s wrist with both hands.
Marcus hit the forearm.
Knife dropped.
Vincent forced Dominic against the desk until security arrived.
Non-graphic.
Fast.
Done.
Dominic breathed hard.
“Do it.”
Vincent stared.
“What?”
“Kill me.”
Hannah saw something ancient cross Vincent’s face.
Sixteen.
Fire.
Lucia.
Clara.
Twenty-four stolen years.
Dominic smiled bitterly.
“Isn't that what Duca men do?”
Vincent’s grip tightened.
Then Hannah said one word.
“Nino.”
Everyone stopped.
Vincent looked toward her.
She remembered Clara’s letter.
The line.
The fire.
So Hannah said it.
“Look at me.”
Vincent did.
“Not the past.”
Her voice steadied.
“Me.”
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Vincent released Dominic.
Stepped back.
Security took over.
Detective Moreno arrived minutes later.
Dominic was arrested.
As officers led him away, Vincent said:
“My mother died because men like us believed silence was stronger than evidence.”
Dominic looked back.
Vincent continued:
“I’m not repeating that.”
The door closed.
Hannah looked at him.
“You okay?”
“No.”
Good.
Truth.
Then Vincent laughed softly.
“What?”
“You used her line.”
“Technically she left it to me.”
He looked at her.
“Thank you.”
Hannah shook her head.
“Thank my mother.”
May you like
“I have been trying for twenty-four years.”
---
