CHAPTER5 — THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
Chapter 05 - CHAPTER5 — THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
Hector moved before Jodi could scream.
He pulled her behind the SUV while his men returned fire toward the alley. Mara lay on the pavement, one hand pressed against her shoulder.
Jodi dropped beside her.
"Mara!"
"Don't," Hector ordered.
But Jodi was already tearing fabric from her gown to press against the wound.
Mara grabbed her hand.
"Your mother."
"Tell me."
"Her name is Elena."
Jodi stared.
"My mother was Anna Russo."
"No."
Mara coughed.
"Anna was the name your father gave her."
Hector crouched beside them.
"Who is Elena?"
Mara looked at him.
"The woman who controls the Russo organization."
Hector went very still.
Jodi looked from one to the other.
"I don't understand."
"You weren't raised by your father," Mara said. "You were raised by the man who took you away from your mother."
"Why?"
"Because your mother wanted you back."
Jodi felt sick.
"What kind of mother wants her child hidden?"
"The kind who knows what she has become."
Mara's eyes closed.
Hector pressed harder against the wound.
"Stay awake."
Mara whispered, "Hector."
He leaned closer.
"Your father made a deal."
"What deal?"
"He promised Elena that Jodi would remain hidden until she turned twenty-five."
Jodi froze.
"Why twenty-five?"
Mara looked at her.
"Because that was when the inheritance became legally hers."
"What inheritance?"
Mara gave a weak smile.
"The Russo estate."
Jodi laughed once, without humor.
"I don't have an estate."
"You do."
"How much?"
Mara's expression changed.
"Enough to make people kill for it."
A sudden movement came from the alley.
Hector stood.
His men returned.
"He's gone."
Hector looked at Jodi.
"Then we move."
"Where?"
"Somewhere safe."
"No."
Jodi stood.
"I'm done being moved around like luggage."
Hector's eyes met hers.
"You want answers?"
"Yes."
"Then come with me."
She hesitated.
"Why should I trust you?"
He stepped closer.
"You shouldn't."
That honesty stopped her.
"I don't trust you either," he continued. "But I know what it looks like when someone is hunting a person for their bloodline."
Jodi stared.
"What does that mean?"
Hector looked toward the street.
"It means whoever is after you isn't trying to scare you."
He looked back.
"They're trying to make sure you never inherit anything."
A phone rang.
Hector answered.
His lieutenant spoke for several seconds.
Hector's expression hardened.
"What?"
He listened.
Then slowly lowered the phone.
"Someone just accessed a sealed account."
Jodi swallowed.
"Whose?"
May you like
Hector looked directly at her.
"Yours."
