Chapter 19 - The Choice
Dominic’s brother leaned against the car, pale from the bullet wound and wearing a stolen medical jacket.
Rocco spun.
“You should be dead.”
Michael laughed weakly. “You keep saying that about people.”
Vincent understood. The bullet at the dock had passed through. Michael had escaped the ambulance transfer.
Rocco raised his gun.
Michael lifted both hands.
“I brought you something.”
He tossed a phone onto the gravel.
Rocco glanced down.
Dominic’s voice played from the speaker.
“Mike, if you can hear me, I’m done choosing you over innocent people. But I’m still your brother. Come home or don’t. Just stop being his dog.”
Michael stared at Rocco.
“For twelve years, you told me Dom abandoned me.”
“He did.”
“No. You needed me angry enough to belong to you.”
Rocco’s gun trembled.
Sofia moved one step toward Linda.
Rocco saw it.
“Don’t.”
Vincent said, “Shoot me instead.”
Sofia snapped, “Vince.”
Rocco smiled. “Still dramatic.”
“You wanted the head of the family. Here I am.”
Rocco turned the gun toward him.
That was the opening.
Michael tackled Rocco from behind.
Sofia ran to Linda.
Vincent lunged for the ledger.
The gun fired.
Michael cried out.
Rocco and Vincent hit the gravel together. Rocco was old, but rage made him strong. He clawed for the pistol.
Vincent reached it first.
He stood over his uncle.
Rocco looked up and smiled through blood on his teeth.
“Do it.”
Vincent aimed at his chest.
Sirens rose in the distance.
“Do it!” Rocco shouted. “Show her what you are!”
Vincent’s hand shook.
He remembered his father teaching him to shoot on this same ground. Don’t hesitate, the old man had said. Hesitation is weakness.
Vincent lowered the gun.
“No.”
Rocco’s smile vanished.
“You don’t get to decide what I become.”
Federal agents poured over the ridge.
Hale reached them first and cuffed Rocco.
Michael lay nearby, holding his side. Dominic arrived seconds later and dropped beside him.
“You idiot,” Dominic said, crying.
Michael laughed faintly. “Runs in the family.”
Sofia untied Linda.
Vincent picked up the black ledger.
For the first time in three years, the truth was literally in his hands.
Then Hale took it from him.
“Vincent,” he said quietly, “there’s something else you need to know.”
He opened the ledger to a marked page.
At the top was Vincent Moretti’s name.
May you like
Below it were records of payments made after Sofia disappeared.
Payments authorized with Vincent’s private access code.
