Chapter 9 - the shadow brother
A soft footstep sounded behind him in the passageway.
Theodore didn't turn around right away. He kept his hand near his holster, his heart hammering against his ribs.
"You always were too loud when you walked, Theo," a low, raspy voice whispered from the shadows.
Theodore turned slowly. Standing at the edge of the flashlight's beam was a man in his early fifties. He had dark hair silvered at the temples, rugged features nearly identical to Theodore’s, and a deep scar running along his jawline. He leaned slightly on his right leg, but his eyes were sharp, warm, and distinctly Marquetti.
"Julian," Theodore breathed, the name heavy on his tongue. "You're alive."
"I had to be," Julian said softly, stepping into the full light. "The men who burned down our house thirty years ago weren't just outsiders, Theo. They were backed by people inside our own organization. If I came back into the light, they would have finished us both. So I stayed in the dark. I watched over you, watched you build this empire, and waited until I found every snake in the grass."
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"And Coraline?" Theodore asked, his voice softening.
Julian smiled faintly. "I knew Dominic was moving tonight. I couldn't reach you directly without his men intercepting my message. But the little girl... she's special. She noticed the seam in the wall months ago. I slipped her the ring this morning through the vent near the kitchen. I knew she'd bring it to you."
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