Page 119 of Powerful Deception

The guard surprisingly lets me walk through without a fight, but as I step over the threshold, I wish he hadn’t.

Sitting in a metal chair in the middle of this warehouse style building, is Dante.

Bloody.

Battered.

And looking as if he is barely holding on.

A sob escapes me and I’m right back to when I found my dad, in the same position.

This is what I wanted.

From the very beginning, I wanted Dante in this very position so I can see him suffer just like my father did.

But seeing him like this, shatters me beyond repair.

I want to run to him. I want to forget about all the pain that my body is experiencing right now and run to him to make sure he’s alive.

To make sure that, he’s still breathing and okay.

And I’m about to, when a hand lands on my arms and pulls me back to a stop.

“Not so fast. He’s still alive if that's what you want to know, but he won't be for long. Especially after I show you my little gift.” Gallo says into my ear.

“I don’t give a shit about what you want to show me. Let me go!”

Gallo just continues to tighten his hold on me, as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of paper.

I watch as he unfolds it and turns it for me to see.

It’s a picture.

A picture of Dante leaving my parents’ brownstone. I’d recognize the stupid little elf in the front anywhere.

I’m about to ask when this picture is from, but that’s when I see the date stamp.

The day my father died.

This is what I’ve been looking for all along. A piece of evidence that ties Dante to my father’s killing.

I should feel elated that I have this picture in my hand. A picture that can put Dante away for good.

But all I feel is anger.

Anger at myself, because I should have never let it get this far.

Because now, I’m going to lose Dante for good and it’s all my fault.

“Time to kill your father’s killer, Ms. Vitale.”

34

I’ve said it before, if someone was successful to get close enough to take my last breath from me, I would let them.

I’ve done some heinous things in my life and I don’t deserve to continue to walk this earth. I deserve to pay for all the fuckery that I’ve done.

But that statement didn’t apply to Roberto Gallo.

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