Chapter 8 - The Theater of Broken Promises
The police reached the theater before sunset.
Detective Walsh coordinated the response while Elena waited in a nearby vehicle with Rachel.
Every instinct urged her to run toward the building.
Rachel didn't pretend the waiting was easy.
Instead, she sat beside Elena and kept her informed whenever there was verified news.
Alessandro remained outside the police perimeter with Marco.
He had made one thing clear.
The officers were in charge.
Inside the theater, Ryan was losing patience.
Vanessa stood near a dusty stage, arguing with him in a furious whisper.
“You were supposed to frighten her.”
Ryan stared.
“That's exactly what I'm doing.”
“You took her sister.”
“Because Elena wasn't cooperating.”
Vanessa glanced toward the door.
“This is going too far.”
Ryan laughed.
“Now you have concerns?”
She grabbed his arm.
“Moretti has lawyers looking into the consulting payments.”
“Then you should have covered your tracks better.”
Vanessa's face hardened.
“You told me nobody would find the records.”
“I told you we'd be rich.”
Sophie's heart raced.
She sat quietly, trying to remember every word.
Vanessa turned toward her.
“Have you been listening?”
Sophie stared at the floor.
“No.”
Vanessa approached.
“Look at me.”
Sophie reluctantly raised her head.
Vanessa studied her.
Then she looked at Ryan.
“She knows too much.”
Ryan shrugged.
“She's a college kid.”
“She's Elena's sister.”
“So?”
Vanessa's voice sharpened.
“And Elena talks to Alessandro.”
The argument ended when a noise came from outside.
A car door.
Then another.
Ryan moved toward the window.
He looked down.
His face changed.
“Police.”
Vanessa turned white.
“You said nobody followed us.”
Ryan rushed toward the rear exit.
But a voice sounded from outside.
“Chicago Police Department.”
“Come out with your hands visible.”
Sophie began crying.
Ryan looked toward her.
For one horrible second, she thought he might drag her with him.
Instead, he stepped backward.
Vanessa whispered, “What do we do?”
Ryan glared at her.
“You wanted the ledger.”
Vanessa's eyes widened.
“Don't you dare.”
“You wanted Moretti's money.”
“Stop talking.”
“You told me Elena would be easy to control.”
Sophie stared at them.
Vanessa lunged for Ryan's phone.
He pulled away.
The device fell and struck the floor.
Another command came from outside.
Ryan finally raised his hands.
Vanessa stood frozen.
Within minutes, officers entered and secured the building.
Sophie was escorted out through the front entrance.
The moment Elena saw her, she ran.
“Sophie!”
Her sister stumbled into her arms.
They held each other so tightly that neither could speak.
Elena kissed Sophie's forehead again and again.
“I'm here.”
Sophie sobbed.
“I knew you'd come.”
Elena held her face.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Did he touch you?”
“He grabbed my arm.”
Elena's eyes filled.
Sophie shook her head.
“I'm okay.”
Behind them, officers led Ryan toward a patrol car.
He spotted Elena.
His expression twisted.
“You think this is over?”
Elena went still.
Ryan shouted louder.
“Moretti won't protect you forever!”
Alessandro started forward.
But Elena lifted her hand.
He stopped.
She looked directly at Ryan.
“You're right about one thing.”
Ryan sneered.
“What?”
“Mr. Moretti won't protect me forever.”
Her voice trembled.
Then grew stronger.
“Because I'm going to learn how to protect myself.”
Ryan's smile disappeared.
Detective Walsh guided him into the vehicle.
Vanessa emerged several minutes later.
Her beautiful coat was dusty.
Her carefully arranged hair had come loose.
She saw Alessandro waiting beyond the police line.
“Alessandro!”
He did not move.
“Darling, thank God you're here.”
She hurried toward him, but an officer directed her to remain nearby.
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“Ryan forced me to come.”
Alessandro looked at her.
“Did he?”
“Yes.”
“Then tell the detective.”
Vanessa hesitated.
“I need you to believe me.”
Alessandro's expression was unreadable.
“I believed you for four years.”
She stared at him.
He removed the engagement ring he wore on a chain beneath his shirt.
It had belonged to his mother.
Vanessa had insisted he keep it there until the wedding.
He held it in his palm.
“I'm not making another decision based on your word alone.”
Vanessa's face hardened.
“You're choosing a housemaid over me?”
Alessandro looked toward Elena, who was still holding Sophie.
“No.”
He turned back.
“I'm choosing to find out what happened.”
Vanessa began to protest.
But he was already walking away.
That evening, Sophie gave her statement to Detective Walsh.
She described the theater, the argument, and the names she had heard.
Then she remembered something.
Ryan had repeatedly mentioned a storage unit.
Number 214.
At a facility near the river.
When Sophie told Elena, her sister immediately called the detective.
An hour later, Walsh called Alessandro.
“We located the facility.”
“Did you find the unit?”
“Yes.”
“What was inside?”
A long pause.
“Documents.”
Alessandro stood.
“What kind?”
“Financial records.”
Another pause.
“And a photograph of your father standing beside Charles Mercer.”
Alessandro closed his eyes.
Then Walsh said something that changed everything.
“Mr. Moretti, there's a handwritten note on the back.”
“What does it say?”
May you like
The detective read it aloud.
If anything happens to me, ask Alessandro why he was the last person to see his father alive.
