Chapter 4 - BEHIND THE CONFESSIONAL
Vincent went to Saint Agnes anyway.
Not because he was fearless.
Because Evelyn insisted.
Nora rode with them because Evelyn refused to communicate through anyone else.
The church was empty except for Father Daniel Russo, who had baptized Vincent as an infant.
When Vincent explained, the priest looked older in seconds.
"I promised Carlo."
Vincent's voice sharpened.
"Promised him what?"
Father Daniel led them to the old confessional.
Behind a wooden panel sat a narrow metal box.
Inside was a black ledger.
A letter in Evelyn's handwriting.
And a cassette tape.
It was dated two days before the explosion.
Vincent,
If anything happens, ask your father why Marcus Reed has two payroll numbers.
Marcus had been nineteen then.
A driver for Carlo.
Almost family.
The ledger showed payments from Caldero shipping companies to shell vendors.
One name repeated.
RAVEN SECURITY.
Arthur Bell had authorized the legal transfers.
Marcus had collected cash.
But the largest payments went to someone coded only as V.C.
"My initials."
V-I-T-O C-A-L-D-E-R-O.
Vincent's uncle.
Carlo's younger brother.
Vito had died twelve years ago from a heart attack.
Or so Vincent believed.
The cassette recorder in the sacristy still worked.
Carlo's voice crackled through the speaker.
"If you're hearing this, Vito has moved against us."
"He thinks I made the family weak by moving too much business legitimate. He has Arthur inside the books. Marcus is young and scared. I don't know yet whether he's with them or being used."
"The warehouse meeting tomorrow is a trap."
The explosion happened at that meeting.
Why?
The tape answered.
"They think Evelyn will be there."
I was.
"I'm going to get her out."
A crash echoed somewhere inside the church.
The side door stood open.
The black ledger was still in Vincent's hand.
But the cassette box was empty.
Someone had taken the original tape.
A man raised a gun.
May you like
Not at Vincent.
At Evelyn.
