Chapter 9 - Under Surveillance
By 4:00 AM, the safe house was dead quiet.
Julian was gone, loaded into the back of an unmarked van heading toward federal
jurisdiction.
His bodyguards were disarmed and locked in the holding cells below.
Leo returned twenty minutes later, his face grim.
"Federal delivery confirmed, Boss," Leo reported.
"The Assistant US Attorney already has the files."
"Warrants are being stamped right now for thirty-two officials."
"What about Sal Castiglione?" Adrian asked, pouring two glasses of water at the
counter.
"Sal knows the walls are closing in," Leo replied.
"He retreated to his compound at St. Jude's Pier."
"He's barricaded the dock."
"He called in fifty men from South Jersey."
"He's preparing to load a freighter and flee to South America."
Adrian handed me a glass of water.
"He won't make it to the ship," Adrian said.
"Boss," Leo hesitated.
"Speak, Leo."
"Sal knows the girl is the key witness."
"The federal warrants rely entirely on Danny's original chain of custody."
"Without Emily’s sworn deposition verifying Danny's personal handwriting and the
micro-film cache, the defense can claim Julian’s signature was a forgery."
"They'll challenge the evidence in court."
"Sal's lawyers will have him out on bail in six hours."
I set my glass down.
"Then I'll testify," I said.
Adrian turned toward me, his brows knit together.
"Emily, if you take the stand, your face will be in every newspaper on the East
Coast."
"Sal’s syndicate reaches beyond prison walls."
"You will never have an ordinary life again."
"I stopped having an ordinary life three years ago, Adrian," I said, my voice
steady.
"When I ran to Brooklyn, I thought I was surviving."
"I wasn't surviving."
"I was hiding like a coward while Danny’s killer lived like a king."
Adrian stared at me.
A deep, quiet admiration flared in his steel-gray eyes.
"We don't wait for the lawyers," Adrian said, setting his glass aside.
"We end this tonight."
"How?" I asked.
"Sal thinks he's waiting for dawn to load his freighter," Adrian said.
"He doesn't know we have the harbor access codes."
"He thinks I'm defending my territory in Brooklyn."
"He doesn't expect me to bring the war to his pier."
Adrian walked toward the armory lockers.
He pulled out two lightweight Kevlar tactical vests.
He tossed one to me.
"Put it on," he said.
"I'm coming with you?"
May you like
"I don't leave my witnesses behind," Adrian said.
"And you deserve to look him in the eye when the bill comes due."
