Chapter 10 - THE PRICE OF A MOTHER'S LOVE
“Don't give him anything.”
The words came out before Dante had finished explaining.
He fell silent.
“Elena, that's my mother.”
“And Sophie is my daughter.”
I gripped the phone.
“Your brother has spent years threatening innocent people because he knows everyone will surrender when he threatens someone they love.”
Dante exhaled sharply.
“What do you expect me to do?”
“Call Agent Reyes.”
“I already did.”
“Then let her handle it.”
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then Dante spoke quietly.
“You're right.”
I closed my eyes.
I hadn't expected him to agree.
But perhaps that was the first thing he'd learned from everything that had happened.
Love didn't give someone the right to make reckless choices with other people's lives.
Reyes contacted the investigative team assigned to Teresa's protection.
They confirmed that she'd disappeared while traveling between an attorney's office and a scheduled interview.
Her vehicle had been found near an old marina.
The driver was injured but alive.
There was no sign of Teresa.
Luca had left one message.
Bring the notebook. Come alone.
I stared at the words.
He wanted Dante frightened enough to ignore every warning.
And he was using his own mother to do it.
For the next several hours, investigators worked to locate Teresa while pursuing leads from her vehicle, phone records, and Luca's known properties.
I stayed with Sophie.
I wanted to run toward the danger.
I wanted to do something.
Anything.
But I reminded myself that my daughter needed one adult whose first priority was not revenge or pride.
She needed her mother.
At bedtime, Sophie noticed something was wrong.
“Is Grandma Teresa okay?”
I hesitated.
“We're trying to find her, sweetheart.”
Her lower lip trembled.
“Did the bad man take her?”
I sat beside her.
“We don't know everything yet.”
Sophie hugged her pillow.
“Grandma Teresa reads me stories.”
“I know.”
“She always does the funny voices.”
A painful memory surfaced.
Teresa sitting beside Sophie's bed, reading a picture book about a stubborn little bear.
My daughter laughing.
Bruno sleeping nearby.
It was difficult to reconcile that gentle woman with someone who'd hidden the truth about my husband's murder.
But both things were real.
Teresa had loved Sophie.
And she'd betrayed us.
I held my daughter closer.
“You can love Grandma Teresa and still be upset about what happened,” I told her.
Sophie considered this.
“Can we tell her that when she comes home?”
I swallowed.
“Yes, baby.”
“Okay.”
She curled against Bruno and closed her eyes.
I stayed until her breathing grew steady.
Then I stepped into the hallway and cried.
Not because I'd forgiven Teresa.
Because I was terrified that my daughter might lose another person she loved.
Shortly after midnight, Reyes called.
“We have a possible location.”
My heart jumped.
“Where?”
“An unused service building near the old Moretti marina.”
I remembered Gabriel describing the estate's old waterfront tunnels.
“The one connected to the mansion?”
“Possibly. Gabriel is reviewing the property plans with us.”
“Is Dante coming?”
“He's cooperating with the team.”
I leaned against the wall.
“Please bring her back.”
“We're doing everything we can.”
I waited.
Every minute seemed endless.
The apartment was silent except for the refrigerator humming in the kitchen and Bruno's occasional movement beside Sophie's bed.
At 1:18 a.m., my phone rang again.
It was Gabriel.
His voice sounded strained.
“Elena?”
“What happened?”
“We found Teresa.”
I pressed my hand over my chest.
“Is she alive?”
“Yes.”
My knees weakened.
“Thank God.”
“She's hurt, but she's conscious. The medical team is with her.”
I closed my eyes.
“Where's Luca?”
Gabriel hesitated.
“He escaped before the officers reached the building.”
A familiar anger rose inside me.
Another escape.
Another man slipping away while people he hurt struggled to survive.
“What about Victor?”
“We believe he helped coordinate this. Investigators are working to locate both of them.”
I heard Gabriel take a painful breath.
“Are you hurt?” I asked.
“Just bruised.”
“Gabriel.”
He sighed.
“I tried to pull Teresa away from a doorway. Luca hit me. I'll survive.”
I closed my eyes.
“You don't have to keep proving you're sorry by getting yourself killed.”
There was silence.
Then Gabriel said:
“I needed someone to tell me that.”
He hung up shortly afterward.
At dawn, Reyes arranged for Teresa to give a preliminary statement from the hospital when medical staff approved.
I went to see her.
Not because I was ready to forgive.
Because I wanted answers.
Teresa lay against white pillows with a bandage near her hairline.
She looked fragile.
When she saw me, tears filled her eyes.
“Elena.”
I remained near the doorway.
“I'm glad you're alive.”
She began crying.
“I never wanted any of this.”
I looked at her.
“Neither did Michael.”
She nodded.
“I know.”
I moved closer.
“Did Luca tell you anything?”
Her expression changed.
“He said Victor is finished trying to protect the money.”
“What does that mean?”
“Victor knows investigators found the original records. He knows he can't make the fraud disappear.”
I felt a chill.
“So what does he want now?”
Teresa looked toward the hospital window.
“Revenge.”
Against the families who could testify?
Against Dante?
Against me?
Teresa reached for my hand.
Her fingers were cold.
“Elena, there's something you need to understand about Victor.”
I leaned closer.
“What?”
“He doesn't think of Harbor House as a charity. To him, it's a liability. A building full of people who remember what happened.”
My stomach tightened.
“What people?”
“The families who lost their housing. The former workers. The volunteers who saw money disappear.”
She squeezed my hand.
“There's a community gathering tomorrow night. Victor is supposed to attend and announce the redevelopment project.”
I stared at her.
“Then Agent Reyes needs to know.”
Teresa nodded urgently.
“Tell her to protect those families.”
“Why?”
May you like
Her voice dropped to a terrified whisper.
“Because Luca said the people at Harbor House are going to learn what happens when they stand in Victor Cross's way.”
