Chapter 14 - A Dangerous Encounter
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The dinner rush at Castellano’s was winding down. The neon sign buzzed brightly against the freezing Brooklyn night.
Amelia was wiping down the counter, humming softly to the jukebox playing in the corner. She felt a strange sense of peace. The presence of Vincent’s guards at the doors had initially made her feel like a prisoner, but after a week, she realized they were just a silent, comforting barrier between her and the cruelty of the world.
Suddenly, Angela walked out of the back room, looking pale and nervous.
“Amelia,” Angela whispered, pulling her toward the kitchen swinging doors. “There’s a guy outside. Across the street. He’s been standing under the streetlamp for an hour, just staring at the windows.”
Amelia’s stomach plummeted. She wiped her hands on her apron and cautiously peeked through the blinds of the side window.
The streetlamp cast long, distorted shadows, but the silhouette was unmistakable. The broad shoulders, the heavy winter coat, the aggressive stance.
It was Raymond.
A wave of absolute terror washed over her, freezing the blood in her veins. He had found her. After three years, thousands of miles, and a completely new life, the monster from Chicago was standing across the street.
“Do you know him?” Angela asked, seeing the sheer panic in Amelia’s eyes.
“Yes,” Amelia choked out, her voice barely a whisper. “Call the guards.”
Before Angela could even move toward the front door, the radio on the lead enforcer’s belt crackled violently to life.
“All units, we have a Code Red at the naval yards!” a frantic voice yelled over the static. “The Moretti family is attacking the docks! Boss wants all available muscle down here now!”
The two guards by the doors exchanged a tense, conflicted look. Their primary order was to protect Amelia, but a hit on the docks meant an all-out syndicate war was starting.
“We have to go,” the lead guard said, pulling his weapon and rushing toward the door. “Lock the diner down! Don't let anyone in!”
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As the guards sprinted out the front door toward their vehicle, Amelia looked back out the window.
Raymond was no longer standing under the streetlamp. He was walking directly toward the front doors of the diner, a vicious smile on his face.
