“Not yet,” Luca said. “But he will. I have the power of attorney documents on the desk. Bring your gun. We need to make him understand that Alexander is as good as dead.”

The line went dead with a sharp beep.

Santo swore under his breath and shoved the phone back into his pocket.

He turned on his heel and headed back up the wooden stairs, his boots heavy on the creaking steps.

The cellar door clicked shut behind him, and the heavy iron lock turned with a solid thud.

We were left in the pitch darkness once again.

Mrs. Conti let out a long, shuddering sob against my shoulder.

“Oh God,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “They’re going to kill Marcus. They’re going to kill my family.”

I let go of her and took her by the shaking shoulders.

“Listen to me, Mrs. Conti,” I said, keeping my voice down. “You need to leave right now.”

“How?” she whimpered. “The top door is locked.”

“The coal chute,” I said, pointing toward the small metal hatch at the far end of the cellar. “It opens into the alley behind the kitchen. It doesn’t lock from the outside.”