Chapter 4 - The Secret in the Family Cemetery
Anthony Moretti had been buried in the family cemetery when Luca was twenty-one.
His grandfather had been a brutal man, but he had taught Luca everything about loyalty, discipline, and power.
Luca remembered standing beside the grave while his father lowered a rose onto the coffin.
He remembered the inscription.
ANTHONY MORETTI — BELOVED FATHER AND GRANDFATHER.
Now Claire was telling him that the dead man had ordered the disappearance of his children.
"That is impossible," Luca said.
Claire placed the photograph on the desk.
"I was there when Elena gave birth. Your grandfather arrived before the second child was transferred."
"Why?"
"Because he wanted the boy."
"Why would he want one child and not the other?"
Claire hesitated.
"Because the Moretti family has a rule. The oldest surviving male descendant inherits control of the family trust."
Luca frowned.
"I am the oldest."
"Not according to the original family records."
She pulled another document from her bag.
It was an old birth certificate.
Anthony Moretti had fathered a child outside his marriage.
The child's name was Daniel.
Daniel had been adopted and raised under a different surname.
And his son was Michael.
Luca stared at the page.
"Michael was Anthony's grandson."
"Yes."
"And I wasn't?"
"You are his grandson through your father. But the family trust had a separate succession clause. Anthony changed it before his death."
Luca studied the document.
"Why was I never told?"
"Because your grandfather believed Michael would become dangerous if he discovered his inheritance."
Marcus entered.
"Boss, we checked the cemetery."
Luca looked up.
"What?"
"There's something wrong with Anthony's grave."
They drove to the cemetery shortly before midnight.
Rain covered the narrow road, and the security vehicles moved slowly between the old stone monuments.
Luca stepped out first.
The family mausoleum stood beneath two ancient trees.
Marcus unlocked the iron gate.
Inside, Anthony's coffin was still sealed.
But the wall behind it had been opened.
A narrow passage led into darkness.
Luca drew his weapon.
"Stay behind me."
Marcus followed him inside.
The passage ended at a small room containing a desk, several filing cabinets, and an old telephone.
Someone had been living there.
A coffee cup was still warm.
Luca examined the desk.
There were photographs of Elena, Michael, Vanessa, and himself.
Beside them was a photograph of Grace.
Taken only three days earlier.
Luca picked it up.
"Someone knew where she was."
Marcus opened a filing cabinet.
"Boss, look at this."
Inside were dozens of medical files.
Each contained the name of a child born to a woman connected to the Moretti family.
Some were marked transferred.
Others were marked deceased.
One file contained a photograph of Elena.
On the front was a red stamp.
SUBJECT: ELENA MORETTI. STATUS: ALIVE. LOCATION: RESTRICTED.
Luca's fingers tightened around the paper.
A sound came from behind them.
A floorboard creaked.
Marcus turned.
"Who's there?"
A figure ran through the passage.
Luca pursued him.
The man reached the cemetery entrance, but Luca caught his coat.
They struggled in the rain.
Luca slammed him against a stone wall.
"Who sent you?"
The man said nothing.
Luca searched his pockets.
He found a photograph.
It showed Elena standing outside a small house.
She looked older, thinner, but unmistakably alive.
On the back was an address.
Marcus looked over Luca's shoulder.
"That's outside the city."
"Get the cars."
They arrived at the address forty minutes later.
The house was dark.
A small light glowed in the upstairs window.
Luca approached the front door.
He knocked once.
No answer.
He knocked again.
Then he heard a woman's voice.
"Go away."
Luca froze.
He knew that voice.
He had heard it in his dreams for six years.
"Elena?"
Silence.
Then the lock turned.
The door opened.
A woman stood behind it.
Her hair was shorter.
There were faint scars near her temple.
But her gray eyes were exactly the same.
Luca couldn't move.
"Elena."
She stared at him.
For a moment, her face crumpled.
Then she looked past him at Marcus.
"Where is my daughter?"
Luca swallowed.
"She's safe."
Elena closed her eyes.
"And Michael?"
Luca didn't answer.
Her expression changed.
"He's not with you?"
"No."
Elena stepped backward.
Then she whispered:
"Then we have less than an hour."
"Why?"
Elena looked toward the dark street.
"Because the man who ordered my death knows you've found me."
A car's headlights appeared at the end of the road.
Elena grabbed Luca's hand.
"Get inside."
But before they could close the door, a voice came from the darkness.
"Hello, brother."
Luca turned.
Michael Moretti stepped out of the rain.
May you like
And he was pointing a gun directly at Elena.
---
