Chapter 6 - THE SHADOWS OF LAKE MICHIGAN
The rain poured relentlessly over Chicago. Inside the speeding SUV, Sofia shivered. Her small hands were tied behind her back with plastic zip ties. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks. “Please let me go,” she sobbed. Vanessa sat in the passenger seat. Her red dress was torn at the hem. Her hair was wild. She looked back with a psychotic smile. “Shut up, brat,” Vanessa hissed. “Your father ruined my life.” “Now I'm going to ruin his.” “Where are we going?” Sofia whispered. “To the old boathouse,” Vanessa laughed maniacally. “Right by Lake Michigan.” “Where nobody will ever find you.” The driver, a desperate associate of the Bellini family, took a sharp turn. The tires screeched against the wet asphalt. They sped toward the abandoned docks. Far behind them, three black sedans tore through the rain. Luca Moretti drove the lead car. His eyes never left the digital tracker on his dashboard. “We're five minutes behind them,” Max reported from the passenger seat. “They're heading for the old North Pier.” “Load the weapons,” Luca said coldly. “Boss,” Max hesitated. “Vanessa is still Arthur's daughter.” “Arthur has no daughter anymore,” Luca replied. “Anyone who touches my child dies tonight.” The engine roared. The speedometer crossed one hundred miles per hour. The rain blurred the highway lights into streaks of gold and red. Luca gripped the steering wheel. His jaw was locked. “Hold on, Sofia,” he whispered into the empty car. “Daddy is coming.”
