Chapter 6 - the trap at the docks
The Chicago harbor was draped in a thick, low-hanging fog as cold waves from Lake Michigan slammed against the wooden pilings of Pier 14.
Standing near the edge of the dock, wrapped in a heavy fur coat over her ruined dress, was Marcella. Beside her stood Vincent Moretti—a fifty-five-year-old ruthless New York crime boss dressed in a long black leather coat, surrounded by eight armed mercenaries.
A heavy wooden crate sat between them on the concrete dock, containing three hundred million dollars in bearer bonds stolen from the Ravello central vault.
"Where is the boy?" Vincent asked in a gravelly voice, checking his gold wristwatch. "The launch leaves in ten minutes."
"He's securing the house documents from Arthur," Marcella said nervously, her eyes darting toward the fog-shrouded road. "He'll be here."
Suddenly, three heavy black armored SUVs burst through the fog, their high beams cutting through the white haze as they screeched to a halt, blocking the dock exit!
The doors flew open. Dominic stepped out into the wind, his dark wool coat snapping behind him, his silver revolver held low at his side. Stepping out right beside him was Elise, wrapped in a dark coat, her presence tall and unshakeable.
Vincent Moretti sneered, drawing his own weapon. "Dominic Ravello. You always were too late to save your family."
"I saved my family twenty-nine years ago when I put your brother in the ground, Vincent," Dominic said, his voice carrying over the sound of the crashing waves. "And today, I take back what belongs to my brother's child."
Marcella backed away toward the boat, her face pale as paper as she saw Elise standing beside Dominic. "Vincent! Kill them! Kill the girl!"
"Nobody is dying today except the traitors, Marcella," Elise called out, taking a slow step forward into the sea breeze.
Vincent laughed bitterly. "You think a maid commands respect here? I have eight men with automatic rifles, Dominic! You're outnumbered!"
Before Vincent could signal his men to fire, a heavy horn echoed through the fog as a massive ninety-foot Coast Guard cutter pulled up alongside the pier, its high-powered searchlights blinding Moretti's crew!
A loudspeaker boomed over the water: "Federal agents! Drop your weapons immediately!"
Vincent's mercenaries instantly threw their rifles onto the concrete, raising their hands into the air.
Marcella let out a horrified shriek, turning to run toward the launch, but Marcus stepped out from the shadows of the boathouse, blocking her path with his weapon drawn.
Dominic walked up to Vincent Moretti, disarming the mobster with a quick, crushing twist of his wrist, and handing him over to the federal agents stepping onto the dock.
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Dominic then turned to Marcella, who was weeping hysterically on her knees on the wet wood.
"Your reign is over, Marcella," Dominic said coldly.
