Chapter 13 - What Emma Heard
Alessandro looked at Emma, not the gun.
She was crying now. Quietly. Angrily.
Rosie dangled from her arm by one wet hand.
“Remember breakfast?” Alessandro called up.
Emma nodded.
“You told me not to trust pretty food.”
Carlo frowned. “What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m talking to her.”
Enzo thrust the confession closer. “Sign.”
Alessandro took the pen.
Then Emma shouted, “The doctor said the stairs!”
Everyone froze.
Alessandro looked up. “What?”
“When they took me,” she said fast, “Mr. Carlo called someone. He said, ‘Doctor, we’re at the stairs like you said.’”
Victor.
Or someone using the title again.
Carlo slapped a hand over her mouth.
The movement gave Alessandro what he needed. He threw the pen at Enzo’s face and lunged sideways as the gun fired.
The shot punched into a steel column.
Police lights exploded through broken windows.
“Police! Drop the weapon!”
Carlo dragged Emma toward the upper stairs.
Alessandro ran.
He took the steps two at a time as officers flooded the lower floor. Carlo reached the catwalk exit and kicked open a rusted door.
Outside was a narrow roof above the loading dock.
Rain had started.
“Stay back!” Carlo yelled.
Emma struggled in his grip.
“Carlo,” Alessandro said, slowing. “You don’t want to hurt her.”
“You don’t know what I want.”
“I know you’ve spent your whole life making other people clean up after you.”
Carlo’s face twisted. “Shut up.”
“And this time your father can’t fix it.”
“Shut up!”
Emma stomped on Carlo’s foot.
He cursed and loosened his grip.
She ducked.
Alessandro grabbed her and turned his body as Carlo swung the gun.
A shot cracked.
Carlo fell backward, struck in the shoulder by a police marksman.
Alessandro hit the roof with Emma under him.
For three seconds neither moved.
Then she whispered, “You’re heavy.”
He laughed into the rain, half sobbing.
Below, police arrested Enzo.
Detective Grant reached the roof.
“We got them.”
Alessandro held Emma tighter.
Then Grant’s radio crackled.
A voice said, “We have another suspect leaving Rhode Island Hospital.”
May you like
Grant looked at Alessandro.
“Victor’s gone.”
