Page 61 of Veil of Blood

I need to feel the cold wind on my face, so I convince Rocco to walk with me instead of returning directly to the safe house. The dockside road is nearly deserted at this hour. Streetlights cast pools of yellow light on the cracked pavement. To our right, the harbor water lies black and glassy, reflecting distant buoys and the faint glow of navigation lights. To our left, warehouses rise as dark silhouettes, their broken windows and rusted metal siding telling stories of abandoned shipments and forgotten deals.

I stop at the chain-link fence, lean forward, and let my forearms rest on the cold metal. I close my eyes and take a slow breath, tasting the salt and diesel in the air. I try to push away memories of the ledger, of Marco’s ledger-burned lies, and of Dino’s name echoing in my head. For a moment, all I feel is the wind.

Rocco falls into step beside me, his coat zipped high against the chill. His hand brushes mine briefly. I sense his readiness, that quiet tension he carries like a second skin. He holds his pistol low at his side, not pointed at anyone, but prepared. I open my eyes and turn back to look at him. He offers me a small, reassuring nod. We move on together, boots clicking against concrete. Every sound in the night feels amplified—the buzz of a flickering streetlamp, the distant hum of a cargo ship horn, the slap of waves against pilings. I keep my free hand hovering near the baton tucked in my jacket’s inner pocket. Just in case.

“I needed this,” I say softly. “I needed to feel normal for a moment.”

Rocco doesn’t answer right away. He studies the empty street ahead. “I get it,” he says finally. “But nothing is normal for us anymore.”

I nod, though he can’t see. “Tonight, I just wanted to remember what the wind feels like without thinking about what’s waiting behind every corner.”

We continue down the sidewalk. The clock tower at the intersection stands silent; its hands have been frozen at 2:17 for months. The pavement slopes downward toward another fence, separating the sidewalk from the wharf. I pause again at that fence, gripping the top rail. Beyond its wire grid, the harbor water ripples against old pilings. A single buoy light bobs in the distance. The wind feels colder here, carrying a sharper tang of salt. I close my eyes for another breath.

Then I hear a voice. At first, it sounds like an echo in the darkness, a mocking whisper that rattles my spine: “When you go looking for Dino, he finds you.”

I snap my eyes open. My heart slams, and I drop into a guarded crouch. Rocco does the same, shifting silently to match my position. The night seems to grow colder all at once. Shadows cling to the edges of the warehouses, and only one streetlamp flickers above a pair of stacked wooden pallets.

A figure steps out of the shadows beneath that lamp. He moves like a wraith—no sound until he’s fully visible. He’s tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a black leather jacket over a dark shirt. His sleeves are rolled up, revealing forearms marked withold scars. Under the flickering light, I see a fresh cut under his right eye. A pistol hangs at his waist, and at his belt there’s a long knife, curved and gleaming coldly.

He stands with one foot balanced on a coil of rope, pistol pointed at my chest, before his words even finish echoing. He speaks with a smooth, confident tone: “I told you, Falcone. When you go looking for Dino, he finds you.”

Rocco’s hand flies to his pistol. I tense, baton ready in my jacket. The air feels electric, charged with the promise of violence. I inhale sharply, meeting the stranger’s gaze. “We’re not going anywhere until we learn why you’re here,” I say, keeping my voice steady despite the hammering in my chest.

He chuckles, a low sound that doesn’t reach his eyes. “You want answers. That means you want my death first.” He shifts on the coil of rope, pistol remaining trained on me. “Dino Ferrano does not hide from those who pursue him. He sends the Shadow instead.”

The name “Shadow” sends a jolt through me. I’ve heard rumors of a top lieutenant who moves without warning, merciless and efficient. Now I’m face-to-face with him.

He doesn’t wait for Rocco to fire. With a sudden motion, he spins and sprints around the stack of crates to our right. Rocco fires instantly. The shot rings out, sharp and echoing. I hear a yelp of pain from the Shadow as a bullet tears into his thigh. He stumbles but keeps moving, rolling behind a crate for cover.

Rocco dives behind a barrel at my side. I hear the zipper of his coat as he slips his Glock from its holster. Every instinct in me screams to attack, but I stay low and grip my baton tightly.

The Shadow rises from behind the crate, knife in hand. He advances on me, blade sweeping in a downward arc. I swing my baton up to meet him, but he’s faster. The knife slices through my jacket and digs into my ribs. Pain explodes behind my side, and I gasp, staggering backward as my vision blurs.

Rocco’s voice cuts through the haze: “Chiara, get down!”

I drop to one knee, the baton slipping from my weakened grip. The Shadow lunges at Rocco’s position next, shifting to attack both of us. Rocco fires again as the knife swings toward him, the bullet smashing into the Shadow’s side. He howls, stumbling back to clamp a hand over the wound. Rocco’s second shot hits him in the opposite thigh, bringing him to his knees.

I force myself to rise despite the pain. A shard of broken glass from a shattered window digs into the sole of my left boot, but I barely feel it. Every breath hurts, but I have to stay focused. The Shadow grits his teeth and charges at me again, knife raised. I step forward and plant my good foot firmly. I reach for my fallen baton and swing upward in a desperate arc. The metal connects with his elbow. There’s a bone-shattering crack. The knife clatters across the concrete as the Shadow cries out, clutching his ruined arm. He takes a half-step back with a look of surprise on his face.

Rocco is there in a heartbeat. He tackles the Shadow to the ground, pinning him against a crate. The Shadow’s breath comes in ragged bursts. Rocco’s forearm presses into the man’s throat. “Where is Dino?” Rocco demands, pistol aimed at the Shadow’s temple.

The Shadow spits out blood and laughs, a low, broken sound. “You’ll never find him,” he rasps. “But if you’re desperate,go to the Black Anchor Bar. That’s where you’ll discover how deep the Ferrano network runs. That’s where the archives are stored.”

My chest tightens. We suspected that bar, but Rocco never seriously considered it until now. “No names?” Rocco presses, voice cold. “No other lead?”

The Shadow shakes his head, sweat and blood mingling on his brow. “No names. Just the bar. You’ll see what you need to know once you get there.”

Rocco’s finger twitches on the trigger. “You’re lying.”

The Shadow lifts his chin, defiance burning in his eyes. “Check it yourself. Or kill me and waste your time. Dino’s always watching.” His voice fades as blood bubbles from his mouth. A final rasp escapes him. He goes still, body slumping beneath Rocco’s forearm. Rocco checks his pulse—nothing.

I kneel beside the Shadow’s corpse, my mind racing. No one warned us that Dino would send his lieutenant like this. The card the Shadow wore is still clipped to his belt. I retrieve it and flip it over: “BLACK ANCHOR BAR” printed in bold uppercase letters. I tuck it into my jacket pocket and press a hand to my ribs. Each breath feels like I’ve been punched again.

Rocco releases the Shadow’s body and rises slowly, holstering his pistol. He scans the dim street around us, making sure no one else emerges from the shadows. The night feels too quiet. We’ve taken down a dangerous enforcer, but the fight doesn’t end here. We now have a new lead, and every moment counts.

He offers me his hand. I rise to my feet despite the pain that pulses through my side. The broken glass shards shift under my boot, but I refuse to adjust my step. “You okay?” he asks, voice gentle.

I nod, even though my ribs scream. “I’ll live.”

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