Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT THEY CAME FOR GRACE
They did not come for Mia.
That mattered.
Carlo was not stupid enough to grab a child from my property.
They came for Daniel’s toolbox.
At 11:08 p.m., two men entered the staff cottage through the rear window.
Grace and the girls were not there.
My choice?
No.
Hers.
After Daniel’s footage surfaced, Grace decided to stay with her sister in Cambridge.
I offered a secure Moretti apartment.
She refused.
“I want a place Carlo doesn’t associate with you.”
Excellent point.
So she chose.
We watched the cottage remotely.
The men searched everything.
Mattress.
Closets.
Kitchen cabinets.
Then toolbox shelf.
Empty.
They left furious.
Police intercepted them two blocks away.
Both had worked for Carlo’s old security captain.
Evidence moved again.
Carlo responded by running.
Almost.
His passport generated an alert at Logan.
But he never boarded.
That meant he still wanted something.
Nico’s external ledger.
He knew Nico had not returned empty-handed.
Family council was tomorrow.
I understood.
Carlo believed I would bring evidence there.
He was right.
Just not the way he expected.
Grace called that night.
“Mia wants to speak to you.”
“Why?”
“Because she's six.”
Reasonable.
Mia got on.
“Mr. Duca?”
“Yes?”
“Did bad men break my window?”
Children hear everything.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
I looked at Grace’s silhouette on the video screen.
She nodded slightly.
Truth.
“They wanted something your dad left.”
“Did they get it?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Pause.
“Are you going to fight them?”
Grace looked alarmed.
I said:
“I’m going to make sure they can’t hurt your family.”
“That wasn't answer.”
Smart child.
“No.”
“Good.”
Interesting.
“Why?”
“Mommy says fighting makes furniture expensive.”
I laughed.
Actually laughed.
Grace groaned.
“That is not what I said.”
Close enough.
After the call, Nico entered my study.
He looked at the open bookcase.
The hidden corridor remained unsealed for investigators.
“You keeping it?”
“No.”
“Shame.”
“I’m turning it into something visible.”
“What?”
“I don't know yet.”
He smiled.
“Good.”
Then:
“Tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
“You sure about this?”
“No.”
“Excellent leadership.”
I looked at him.
“If Carlo gets violent—”
“He will.”
“Then you stay behind security.”
Nico scoffed.
“I was locked inside your wall for five days.”
“Exactly.”
“I’m not hiding again.”
That word landed.
I stopped.
He continued:
“I spent seven years running because I believed nobody would believe me.”
His eyes held mine.
“You want to fix what happened between us?”
“Yes.”
“Then let me walk into that room under my own name.”
My instinct screamed no.
Protect.
Control.
Decide.
Then Grace’s voice came back to me.
Tell me enough to make my own choice.
I nodded.
“Fine.”
Nico smiled.
“You say that badly.”
May you like
Apparently everyone had opinions now.
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