“Lorenzo does not know that,” Silas replied. “He thinks they contain the offshore routing codes.”

Dante turned his head slightly to look at me.

His eyes were calm, but there was a hard edge to his jaw.

“Go upstairs, Sophia,” Dante said.

“Dante, please,” I whispered, holding Lily closer to my collarbone.

“He will not get near this house,” Dante said.

He reached into the hall drawer and pulled out a heavy black pistol.

He pulled the slide back with a sharp, metallic click.

“Take Lily to the back room,” Dante told me. “Lock the door and do not open it for anyone but me.”

I turned and ran up the carpeted stairs, my heart pounding in my ears.

Behind me, the heavy oak front door clicked shut.

***

The guest bedroom was dark and smelled of dry wood.

I laid Lily down in the wooden crib in the corner of the room.

She let out a soft sigh and rolled onto her side.

I sat on the edge of the mattress, my hands shaking against my knees.

Outside, the Chicago rain beat against the glass pane like gravel.