Chapter 2: The Name That Made Anthony Sit Down
Rick's whole body was shaking.
"She came in through the back," he said.
"Two hours before service.
She said she was your guest.
She showed me a photo of the two of you."
Gabriel's voice dropped to almost nothing.
"Her name."
Rick squeezed his eyes shut.
"She said her name was Sofia."
The room went completely still.
Nora watched Anthony's face.
Most people would have looked shocked.
Instead, for just one second, something else moved across his expression.
Not surprise.
Relief.
Gabriel saw it too.
"Get him out of here," he said quietly.
Two men moved immediately.
Anthony spread his hands.
"Gabe, think about this.
Someone used Sofia's name.
That doesn't mean—"
"She was supposed to be in that chair." Gabriel pointed to where Nora was sitting.
"My chair is here.
The drink was poured for me."
Anthony said nothing.
Gabriel pulled out his phone again.
This time he didn't call Sofia.
He called someone else.
Three words, then he ended it.
He turned back to Nora.
"You said the man in the gray coat spoke to Rick for five seconds.
Did you hear anything?"
Nora hesitated.
She had heard one word.
She hadn't been sure it mattered until right now.
"He said a name," she whispered.
"I thought it was a table number.
But it wasn't a number."
Gabriel waited.
"He said Marco."
Anthony Caruso sat down slowly, like something inside him had just given way.
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What Nora remembered next — and what Gabriel found when he finally reached Sofia — is in the full story.
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The truth is worse than anyone at that table was prepared for.
