Chapter 6 - THE LITTLE GIRL WHO WOULDN’T CRY
Vivienne took my backpack.
I did not like that.
She held it between two fingers as if it was dirty.
“That thing is ridiculous.”
“It was from my daddy.”
“I don’t care.”
I stared at her.
Then I remembered what Mama always said.
When adults want you frightened, sometimes the safest thing is to notice everything.
Doors.
Windows.
Sounds.
Names.
So I noticed.
The SUV smelled like leather and peppermint.
The driver had a tattoo shaped like a snake on his hand.
We crossed a big bridge.
Then we drove for a long time.
Vivienne made a phone call.
“She’s with me.”
Pause.
“No, she isn’t crying.”
She looked annoyed.
“She’s staring.”
I kept staring.
“What?” she snapped.
“You put bad stuff in Mr. Moretti’s wine.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Who told you that?”
“The camera.”
She leaned back.
“So the little hero saw the video.”
“I saved him.”
“Yes.”
She smiled without kindness.
“That was very inconvenient.”
“My teacher says helping is good.”
“Your teacher doesn’t understand the real world.”
“My teacher is fifty-three.”
The driver coughed.
Vivienne glared at him.
I decided I liked the driver slightly more.
We stopped at a large stone house surrounded by dead grapevines.
The winery.
Men with guns waited outside.
Vivienne pulled me from the car.
I held Mr. Buttons.
She tried to take him.
I screamed so loudly she released him.
“Fine.”
Inside, the building smelled dusty and sweet.
Old wine.
Wood.
Cold stone.
Luca Moretti stood near a fireplace.
He looked like Alejandro.
Not exactly.
Same dark hair.
Same eyes.
But Luca smiled too easily.
“So this is Emma.”
I hid Mr. Buttons behind my back.
“You killed my daddy.”
The room went still.
Luca’s smile vanished.
“Who told you that?”
“Your book.”
Vivienne swore.
Luca looked at her.
“You let them explain the ledger to a four-year-old?”
“I kidnapped her twenty minutes ago, Luca.”
He crouched.
“Emma.”
I stepped backward.
“Don’t.”
His face hardened.
“Don’t what?”
“Come close.”
“You’re not afraid?”
“Yes.”
The answer surprised him.
Mama taught me bravery did not mean you weren’t scared.
It meant scared did not get to be the boss.
“I’m scared,” I said. “But I still don’t like you.”
Luca stood.
Vivienne laughed.
“That child is unbearable.”
I looked at her.
“You’re mean.”
“You’ve mentioned.”
Luca ordered someone to lock me upstairs.
They put me inside a bedroom.
No bars.
One window.
Too high.
The door locked from outside.
I sat on the bed.
Then I cried.
Quietly.
I wanted Mama.
I wanted my backpack.
I wanted Daddy.
I wanted Alejandro because bad men were scared of him.
Mostly I wanted my EpiPen.
My new one was in the backpack Vivienne had taken.
I touched my pocket.
Empty.
Then I remembered.
Mama had insisted one stay clipped inside my coat after the replacement arrived.
I checked.
Still there.
That made me feel better.
A little.
Twenty minutes later, the door opened.
The driver with the snake tattoo entered.
I backed away.
He held my backpack.
“Here.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“Because I have a daughter.”
He placed it on the floor.
“She’s six.”
“What’s her name?”
“Lily.”
“Does she have a rabbit?”
“No.”
“She should.”
His mouth almost smiled.
“Probably.”
I hugged the backpack.
“Are you bad?”
He looked toward the hall.
“I’ve done bad things.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
He stared at me for a long time.
Then whispered, “Tonight I’m trying not to be.”
He gave me a phone.
“Press the green button.”
One number was already typed.
I pressed it.
Alejandro answered instantly.
“Emma?”
My throat closed.
“Mr. Moretti.”
“Emma.”
His voice broke.
I started crying harder.
“I’m at the grape place.”
“The winery?”
“Yes.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Is Vivienne there?”
“Yes.”
“Luca?”
“Yes.”
Alejandro exhaled.
“Listen to me. Your mother is here.”
Mama grabbed the phone.
“Emma, baby.”
“Mama!”
“I’m coming.”
“Don’t cry.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I know.”
The driver whispered, “Thirty seconds.”
I said, “There are lots of men. Snake driver helped me.”
Alejandro returned.
“Snake?”
“Tattoo.”
“Good. Anything else?”
“Fireplace downstairs. Big stairs. My room has purple curtains.”
“Emma.”
“Yes?”
“You are doing perfectly.”
“I’m scared.”
“I know.”
“Are you scared?”
Pause.
“Yes.”
That helped.
“Okay.”
The driver took the phone.
Alejandro said one last thing.
“Keep Mr. Buttons safe.”
“I will.”
The call ended.
The driver hid the phone.
“My name is Daniel.”
“Are you going to help us?”
He looked frightened.
“Yes.”
Then footsteps came.
Vivienne.
Daniel shoved me gently toward the bed.
He turned.
The door opened.
Vivienne looked at him.
“What are you doing?”
“Checking the window.”
“Why?”
“Luca’s orders.”
She stared.
Then saw my backpack.
Her eyes narrowed.
“I took that.”
Daniel reached for his gun.
Too late.
Vivienne shot him.
The sound exploded in the room.
Daniel fell.
I screamed.
Vivienne grabbed me.
“You stupid little—”
Then alarms began sounding downstairs.
Men shouted.
Gunfire erupted outside.
Alejandro had arrived.
Vivienne dragged me into the hall.
Luca was shouting from below.
“Get the girl downstairs!”
Vivienne pulled me toward the staircase.
I kicked.
Bit.
Screamed.
She slapped me.
My ears rang.
Then I heard Alejandro.
“EMMA!”
He stood at the bottom of the stairs.
Gun in his hand.
Mama behind security.
She saw the red mark on my face.
Something in her changed.
“Let her go!”
Vivienne pressed a gun against me.
Everyone froze.
Luca appeared beside her.
He smiled.
“There you are, brother.”
Alejandro looked at me.
Not the gun.
Not Luca.
Me.
“Emma.”
“I’m okay.”
Vivienne tightened her arm.
“No, sweetheart. You’re not.”
Alejandro’s face turned cold.
“What do you want?”
“The ledger,” Luca said.
Mateo lifted a black case.
“Here.”
Luca smiled.
“Bring it up.”
“No.”
“Then Vivienne pulls the trigger.”
Alejandro looked at his brother.
“You murdered Gabriel Bennett.”
Luca shrugged.
“He should’ve minded his business.”
Mama made a broken sound.
I looked at Luca.
“You killed my daddy because he told the truth?”
He glanced at me.
“Adults make complicated choices.”
“No.”
My voice shook.
“You’re just bad.”
His face twisted.
Vivienne hissed, “Shut her up.”
That distraction lasted one second.
Daniel appeared behind us.
Bleeding from the shoulder.
Alive.
He slammed into Vivienne.
The gun fired into the ceiling.
I fell.
Alejandro ran.
Mama ran.
Security moved.
Luca tried to escape.
Mateo tackled him.
Vivienne screamed.
I crawled toward the stairs.
Mama reached me first.
She wrapped me in both arms.
Alejandro dropped beside us.
His hands shook when he touched my hair.
“You’re safe.”
I looked past him.
Daniel was on the floor.
“Snake man.”
Paramedics rushed in.
“He helped me.”
Alejandro looked toward Daniel.
“I know.”
Luca was dragged past us.
He looked at Alejandro.
“You think this makes you clean?”
Alejandro stood.
“No.”
His voice was steady.
“But it makes you accountable.”
Then Luca was taken away.
Vivienne too.
Outside, federal agents filled the grounds.
Mama carried me toward the ambulance.
Alejandro walked beside us.
I held out Mr. Buttons.
“You want him?”
He looked at the rabbit.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you need him tonight.”
I thought about that.
Then I held Mr. Buttons between us.
“We can share.”
Alejandro stopped walking.
For some reason, that made his eyes wet.
And that was when I knew something had changed forever.
Not just for him.
May you like
For all of us.
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