Page 226 of Diego

The gate still does not open.

“Come on,” Victoria whispers.

Another impact follows.

This time one side of the gate folds inward enough to leave a narrow gap between the bent metal and the stone pillar.

Not enough for a vehicle.

Enough for a person.

The first man moves toward it. Gunfire starts again. He drops back behind the SUV.

Two others return fire while another hooks something around the damaged section of the gate.

“They’re pulling it,” the guard beside me says.

The SUV reverses with the line attached.

The damaged gate screams against the stone pillar.

It holds for several seconds, then the hinge tears free. The gate collapses inward.

Every radio comes alive at once.

“Front breach.”

“Four coming through.”

“Vehicle moving.”

Giacomo’s voice cuts over all of them. “Seal downstairs. Now.”

The security person nearest the door grabs the handle.

I take one last look at the monitor.

Men are entering the property.

It took them time, but they're inside now.

The reinforced door swings shut in front of us, and the locks engage one after another with heavy metallic clicks. The monitor remains live, showing the security people moving into position upstairs while the first SUV rolls through the broken gate.

Victoria comes to stand beside me with Leonardo in her arms. Julia is on my other side with Cecilia pressed against her chest, and Emilia stands behind us.

Nobody says what all of us already know.

Diego is somewhere outside this property; who knows where.

And whoever came here worked very hard to get inside.

“Come on, Diego, where are you?” I whisper.

Chapter Forty One

Diego

I turn off the road before I reach my own front gate and take the narrow access lane running along the eastern edge of the property. Mario’s car is already tucked beneath the trees ahead of me with its lights off, far enough from the house that anyone watching the road should miss it unless they know exactly where to look.