Chapter 10 - PIER SEVENTEEN
Z
Rain began at eleven-forty.
Cold October rain.
The kind that turned Brooklyn pavement black and made the East River look endless.
Pier Seventeen had been abandoned for twelve years.
Broken windows.
Rusting gates.
An old ferry terminal leaning toward the water.
Claire sat in the rear of the SUV beside Marco.
Her hands would not stop shaking.
Marco noticed.
“Fear keeps you alive.”
“That something your father taught you?”
“My mother.”
Claire looked at him.
“She sounds smarter.”
“She was.”
Daniel’s voice came through Marco’s earpiece.
“Two vehicles inside. Four heat signatures first floor. Three second.”
“Lily?”
“Small signature upstairs.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Alive.
Marco touched her wrist.
“Listen to me.”
She opened her eyes.
“You stay with Daniel.”
“No heroics.”
“I know.”
“Claire.”
“I know.”
He looked as if he wanted to say something else.
Instead he opened the door.
The next several minutes moved strangely.
Too fast and too slow.
Marco’s men entered from the river side.
Daniel took Claire through a service entrance.
Shouts echoed.
Someone fired.
Claire flinched but kept moving.
Upstairs, a man appeared.
Daniel struck him before Claire even registered what happened.
They reached a corridor.
Then she heard crying.
Lily.
“Mommy!”
Claire ran.
Daniel caught her arm.
“Wait.”
He checked the doorway.
Clear.
Claire entered.
Lily sat tied to a chair.
Evan was beside her.
Blood covered one side of his face.
“Claire.”
She rushed to Lily.
“Mommy!”
Claire cut the rope with a knife Daniel gave her.
She pulled Lily against her chest.
“I’m here.”
“I was scared.”
“I know, baby.”
“Daddy came back.”
Claire froze.
Evan looked away.
Lily continued.
“He told the bad men not to take me.”
Claire stared at Evan.
“You tried to stop them?”
“They were going to take her whether I helped or not.”
“You kidnapped her.”
“I got her out before Victor’s men reached the house.”
“You could have called us.”
“They were monitoring every line.”
“You could have done anything except drive away with my child!”
“I was trying to take her to the police.”
Claire wanted to believe nothing he said.
Then gunfire erupted below.
Evan stood.
“Victor knows you’re here.”
Daniel spoke into his radio.
No answer.
Static.
Claire’s pulse jumped.
Evan looked terrified.
“He has more men downstairs than you think.”
“Where?”
“Tunnels. The terminal connects to the old loading warehouse.”
Claire grabbed Lily.
“We need Marco.”
Evan blocked the doorway.
“Marco is exactly where Victor wants him.”
Claire’s expression hardened.
“Move.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain quickly.”
Evan looked at Lily.
“Victor doesn’t just want the ledger.”
“What else?”
“He wants Marco dead in the same place Antonio killed another Keane loyalist twenty years ago.”
Daniel’s radio suddenly cleared.
Marco’s voice.
“Daniel?”
“We have Lily.”
Silence.
Then Marco exhaled.
“Bring them out.”
A gunshot exploded at the end of the hall.
Daniel pushed Claire and Lily into the room.
Evan grabbed a fallen pistol.
“Back stairs.”
They ran.
Claire carried Lily.
Footsteps followed.
At the staircase, two men appeared.
Daniel fired.
Evan fired.
One man fell.
The other retreated.
Claire reached the bottom.
Marco appeared from the darkness.
His eyes went instantly to Lily.
Claire had never seen relief look so violent.
“She okay?”
“Yes.”
Marco touched Lily’s hair.
Lily reached for him.
“Marco!”
He froze.
Then picked her up.
She wrapped both arms around his neck.
Claire watched his eyes close.
Only for a second.
Then an explosion shook the building.
Glass shattered.
Daniel shouted.
“Move!”
They ran toward the river exit.
A steel gate crashed down.
Marco, Claire, Lily, and Evan were trapped on one side.
Daniel and the security team were cut off.
A slow clap echoed from the darkness.
Victor Bianchi stepped onto the old ferry platform.
Elegant suit.
Gray coat.
No weapon visible.
“You found the right pier.”
Marco handed Lily to Claire.
Victor smiled.
“Hello, Claire.”
“You took my daughter.”
“I borrowed leverage.”
Claire’s voice shook with rage.
“She is four.”
Victor shrugged.
“My father believed age was irrelevant to consequence.”
Marco stepped forward.
“And your father died hated by everyone who knew him.”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“You think you’re better.”
“No.”
Marco’s voice was quiet.
“I think I learned from his mistakes.”
Victor looked at Evan.
“You disappoint me.”
Evan raised the pistol.
“You ordered me to use Claire.”
“And you fell in love. Predictable.”
“You ordered Lily taken.”
“She was useful.”
Evan’s hand shook.
“You said nobody would hurt her.”
Victor laughed.
“You still believe promises?”
Then Claire saw movement behind Victor.
Another gunman.
Raising his weapon toward Marco.
“Marco!”
She shoved him.
The shot fired.
Evan moved between them.
He collapsed.
Claire screamed.
Marco fired twice.
The gunman fell.
Victor disappeared behind a concrete column.
Daniel’s team began breaking through the gate.
Claire dropped beside Evan.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Lily cried.
“Daddy?”
Evan looked at her.
For the first time in four years, he truly looked at his daughter.
“I’m sorry.”
Lily reached for him.
Claire held her back.
Evan’s eyes filled.
“I should’ve stayed.”
Claire could not forgive him.
Not yet.
Maybe never.
But she took his hand.
“You should have.”
He looked at Claire.
“Don’t let Victor make her grow up afraid.”
His fingers loosened.
Claire knew before Daniel checked his pulse.
Evan Ross had returned after four years.
May you like
And less than four days later, he was gone forever.
This time, Lily watched him leave.
