Chapter 5 - Eight Thousand Dollars
Emily had paid Leo’s bills for six years.
Or she believed she had.
Dante’s forensic accountants discovered otherwise.
Every third month, Emily’s payment had been quietly refunded.
A second payment arrived through charitable trusts.
Eight thousand dollars.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Seventy-two payments.
Nearly $600,000.
Someone had secretly financed Leo’s treatment.
The earliest transfer occurred one month after Leonard Davies died.
Emily stared at the records.
“Vincent?”
Dante shook his head.
“Maybe.”
But another possibility haunted him.
Clara.
They traced the charity.
It had been established nine years earlier.
Two weeks before Clara’s death.
The founding signature belonged to Clara Marino.
Emily cried when she understood.
Clara had known Leonard’s family might suffer because he helped her.
So she had arranged protection.
Even after death, Clara had kept her promise.
Dante sat silently.
Emily moved beside him.
“She protected us.”
“Yes.”
“And you never knew.”
“No.”
His voice cracked.
Emily touched his hand.
Dante looked down.
No one had touched him gently in years.
He turned his palm upward.
Their fingers intertwined.
Neither spoke.
Then Emily whispered, “You’re allowed to miss her and still be alive.”
Dante looked at her.
This time he kissed her.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Not like a mafia boss taking something.
Like a grieving man asking permission to want something again.
Emily kissed him back.
Then Dante’s phone rang.
Marco.
“We found Vincent.”
The moment shattered.
Vincent had arranged a meeting.
One condition.
Dante must come alone.
Emily immediately said, “Absolutely not.”
Dante stared at her.
“You’re giving me orders now?”
“I’ve been giving you orders since my second week.”
Despite everything, he smiled.
But he went.
Not alone.
Marco shadowed him.
So did Emily.
Vincent waited inside an abandoned theater.
Dante entered.
His brother stepped from the darkness.
Twelve years disappeared.
“You look old,” Vincent said.
“You look disappointingly alive.”
Vincent laughed.
“You finally learned humor again.”
Dante’s eyes narrowed.
“You’ve been watching.”
“I’ve always been watching.”
Vincent explained everything.
Their father had chosen Dante because Vincent was reckless.
Vincent staged his death, infiltrated the organization, and planned to let Dante destroy himself.
Clara discovered him.
So Vincent ordered the bomb.
Dante moved toward him.
Vincent smiled.
“Careful. Kill me before hearing the rest and you’ll never know why Emily was hired.”
Dante stopped.
“What?”
“Emily Davies didn’t randomly apply to Marino Corporation.”
Dante’s blood chilled.
Vincent continued.
“Her résumé was placed on your HR director’s desk.”
“By whom?”
“Me.”
From the shadows, Emily heard every word.
Her stomach turned.
Vincent smiled.
“I knew Leonard’s daughter would eventually uncover the missing money. I needed her close to you.”
“Why?”
“To find Clara’s ledger.”
Dante understood.
Vincent had used Emily.
But something still did not fit.
“If you needed the ledger, why threaten her?”
“Because she found it.”
Vincent stepped closer.
“But there’s something you should understand about Emily.”
Dante’s hand moved toward his gun.
Vincent whispered:
“Her father didn’t kill himself.”
Dante froze.
Vincent smiled.
“Leonard Davies was murdered.”
Emily stepped from hiding.
“By who?”
Both brothers turned.
Vincent’s smile widened.
“Emily.”
Dante swore.
Vincent looked directly at her.
“Your father was killed by the same person who betrayed Clara.”
Emily’s eyes filled.
“Who?”
Vincent pointed toward Dante.
“Ask him what Marco Russo was doing the night your father died.”
Behind Emily, a gun clicked.
May you like
Marco stood in the aisle.
And his weapon was pointed at Dante.
