Juliet leads me over to the kitchen. Mateo follows, then takes a seat across from Gino. After Gino reads something, he hands it to Mateo.
Juliet hands me a sandwich and gestures for me to sit. The only open chair is between Gino and Mateo. Of course it is.
I sit, sandwich untouched, my appetite gone as I glance between the two of them.
“If you really are my sister, there would be documentation somewhere. Dad always kept records,” Gino blurts out, making me jump.
“I grew up in Salt Lake. I went to college at Carter State. Maybe he made payments for my schooling or paid for the house we lived in.” I pause, thinking it through. “Actually, that wouldn’t make sense. He probably just gave the money to Uncle Kevin and Aunt Lucy.”
“Gino, don’t shoot me for this, but I think she’s telling the truth,” Mateo says before Gino can ask another question.
“Why would I shoot you?”
Mateo exhales. “After we took Alonso to the hospital, she was the nurse who asked us all those questions. I noticed her last name, Esposito, and did a little digging when I got back to my place because she looked like Antonio. I found her Facebook page, and there are photos of her with Kevin and Lucy everywhere.”
“Yep. Definitely want to shoot you,” he responds with a smirk.
“What?” Mateo and I blurt out at the same time.
“I’m messing with you.” Gino exhales. “Vanessa, this all looks legit. I’ve been looking into the large payments Dad was making to Kevin up until his death. Those payments were in addition to his salary. He labeled them VE, so it makes sense.”
I stare at him, gawking. “When did you figure this out?” I ask.
“Like an hour ago,” Gino says, shrugging.
I snort. Yep. We’re related.
“Dude, why didn’t you say anything to me?” Mateo asks.
“I just said I found out like an hour ago something was going on. Do you listen, like ever?” He shakes his head, then looks back at me. “Anyway—Vanessa. Dad said you were going to work for him. Did he ever mention what that would be?”
Before I can respond, the front door flies open and two men run in, both shot and bleeding.
“What the fuck!” Gino yells.
“Those Irish fucks are right behind us,” the less injured of the two says.
“Why the hell would you come here?” Gino snaps.
“We were already on our way when they opened fire. They hit us both,so we ran.”
Gino doesn’t hesitate. “Juliet, you and Vanessa get downstairs to the safe room.” Then he turns back to the two men. “There’s no doctor here, so hopefully you both hold on long enough for us to get one.”
Juliet grabs my arm and yanks me down just as bullets shatter the kitchen window.
“Come on, Vanessa,” she says, pulling hard.
“Wait—I can help,” I shout over the noise. “It’s not like I didn’t go to school for this or spend the last two years working in an ER,” I add, heavy with sarcasm.
Juliet snorts and glances at Gino. “Oh yeah. She’s definitely your sister. Sarcasm and all.”
“Do you have a first aid kit or a medical bag?” I ask, looking at Gino.
“Downstairs,” Gino says. “Take Ryan with you and patch him up. Drew, you good?”
“Good as I can be,” Drew responds.
Juliet and I all but drag Ryan down to the basement. He’s unconscious now, dead weight between us. We rush into the safe room, and Juliet slams the door behind us, locking it.
