Chapter 10 - The Apartment Across the StreetEmma returned to Grace immediately after the meeting.
She had been away for less than three hours.
It felt like three days.
Grace slept in the temporary crib beside the window while Emma sat on the couch.
Luca stood near the kitchen.
He had been unusually quiet since Vincent left.
Emma finally spoke.
"Marco trusted you."
Luca looked at her.
"You keep saying that."
"Because you keep acting like you don't believe it."
"I failed him."
Emma stared at him.
"You don't know that."
"I was supposed to meet him the night he died."
"What happened?"
Luca looked toward the city.
"He texted me at eight fourteen."
"He said he had found the person behind Connor."
"I told him to come to the lake house."
"When did he crash?"
"Nine thirty-seven."
"Did you call him?"
"Twice."
"No answer."
Emma looked down.
"Why were you at the lake house?"
"My father and Adrian were supposed to meet me there."
Emma's eyes lifted.
"Both of them?"
"Yes."
"Did they?"
"My father canceled."
"Adrian arrived around ten."
"After Marco died."
"Yes."
"What did Adrian say?"
"That he'd heard about the crash from my father."
Emma stared at him.
"How would your father know that quickly?"
Luca's expression changed.
"I never asked."
Emma felt a chill.
"Why not?"
"Because the police called me at nine fifty-two."
"My father called at nine fifty-six."
Emma did the math.
"Four minutes."
Luca nodded slowly.
A knock came from the apartment door.
Daniel's voice followed.
"It's me."
Luca opened it.
Daniel entered carrying groceries.
He placed them on the counter.
Then he looked toward the windows.
"Close the blinds."
Luca immediately did.
Emma stood.
"What happened?"
Daniel removed his phone.
"Security downstairs noticed someone in the building across the street."
"Someone watching us?"
"Possibly."
He showed Luca a photograph.
The opposite building was mostly offices.
One window reflected sunlight.
Behind the glass stood a figure holding a camera.
Emma's stomach tightened.
"Connor is in custody."
Luca nodded.
"Which means this isn't Connor."
Daniel looked at Emma.
"We're moving you."
Emma almost laughed.
"Again?"
"Immediately."
"No."
Luca looked at her.
"Emma."
"I'm tired of running."
"So am I."
"Then stop moving me."
Luca stepped closer.
"Running is not surrender."
"It's buying time."
"For what?"
"To figure out who is still watching you."
Emma looked toward Grace.
She hated that every decision now had to be measured against risk.
"Where?"
"My father's house."
Emma stared at him.
"Absolutely not."
"It's the most secure property available."
"Your father may be involved."
"I don't believe he is."
"That's comforting."
Luca accepted the sarcasm.
"Daniel has another suggestion."
Daniel nodded.
"There's a small townhouse owned by a trust."
"No company connection."
"Few people know it exists."
Emma looked between them.
"Few?"
"Me."
"Luca."
"Marco."
The last name changed everything.
"Marco knew it?"
Daniel nodded.
"He stayed there once."
Emma thought for a moment.
"Take me there."
They left through an underground service tunnel connecting the office tower to a neighboring parking structure.
Grace remained asleep through almost everything.
The townhouse was in Lincoln Park.
Brick exterior.
Small fenced courtyard.
Nothing about it looked connected to billion-dollar companies.
Emma liked it immediately.
Inside, she noticed a photograph on the mantel.
Marco.
Luca.
And a younger woman.
Sofia.
They were laughing beside a lake.
Emma picked it up.
"That's her?"
Luca nodded.
"Your sister?"
"Yes."
Emma looked at Sofia's smile.
"I'm sorry."
"So am I."
A sound came from upstairs.
Luca immediately raised one hand.
Daniel moved toward the staircase.
Emma held Grace close.
"What was that?"
No one answered.
Another sound.
A floorboard.
Someone was inside.
Luca motioned for Emma to move toward the kitchen.
Daniel climbed the stairs quietly.
A door opened above them.
Then Daniel's voice.
"Luca."
"What?"
"You need to see this."
Luca looked at Emma.
"Stay here."
She ignored him and followed several steps behind.
The upstairs bedroom was empty.
The window was open.
On the bed sat a single white envelope.
Luca picked it up carefully.
His name was written across the front.
Inside was a photograph.
Marco's car.
Taken on the night of the crash.
Behind Marco's car was another vehicle.
A black SUV.
Emma looked at Luca.
"Whose car is that?"
Luca recognized it immediately.
May you like
His face went completely still.
"It belonged to Adrian."
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