Chapter 3 - The Dead Man's Last Reservation
Daniel's car was parked beneath an overpass.
Rain had already washed most of the blood from the pavement.
Police had arrived.
But Luca's influence meant the official investigation was moving slowly.
Elena approached the vehicle.
Her brother's belongings were still inside.
His wallet.
His watch.
A half-empty coffee cup.
Nothing unusual.
She opened the glove compartment.
Empty.
She checked beneath the seat.
Nothing.
Luca stood behind her.
"Elena."
She ignored him.
She checked the dashboard.
Then froze.
A reservation card was tucked behind the speedometer.
Belladonna.
Table nine.
11:45 p.m.
Tomorrow.
Elena stared.
"He left this."
Luca leaned closer.
"How do you know?"
"Because Daniel hated restaurants."
"Why?"
"He couldn't stand people touching his food."
Luca almost smiled.
"That's oddly specific."
"He once accused a waiter of poisoning his soup."
"Was he right?"
"No."
"Then why?"
"He was paranoid."
Elena pulled the card free.
On the back was a single sentence.
THE KING DOES NOT SIT ON THE THRONE.
Luca read it.
His expression became unreadable.
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
She looked at him.
"I really don't."
Luca took the card.
For the next several hours, they investigated every person connected to Belladonna.
The result was disturbing.
Six employees had altered schedules.
Three suppliers had fake identities.
Two security guards had disappeared.
And one name kept appearing.
Sophia Vale.
Belladonna's head sommelier.
Elena remembered her.
A beautiful woman with silver-blonde hair.
Always calm.
Always smiling.
Always carrying wine.
Luca refused to believe she was involved.
"She's worked for me for eleven years."
"That's long enough."
"She saved my life once."
"So did I."
Luca looked at her.
Elena immediately realized what she'd said.
Neither spoke.
Then Luca smiled.
"You're jealous of a sommelier?"
"I'm suspicious of everyone."
"Good answer."
They returned to Belladonna before midnight.
The restaurant was empty.
Luca dismissed the staff.
Only he, Elena, and Vincent remained.
At 11:30, table nine was prepared.
No guests.
No food.
Just one bottle of wine.
Elena sat across from Luca.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"Trusting me."
"I don't."
"Then why am I here?"
"Because you're useful."
She smiled bitterly.
"That's romantic."
"I wasn't trying to be."
At 11:44, the door opened.
Sophia entered.
She carried no purse.
No coat.
She looked directly at Luca.
Then at Elena.
Her expression changed.
"She shouldn't be here."
Luca stood.
"Why?"
Sophia looked frightened.
"Because they know."
"Who?"
She whispered:
"The people who own the restaurant."
Luca's face hardened.
"I own this restaurant."
Sophia shook her head.
"No."
She looked toward the ceiling.
"You own the building."
Silence.
"Belladonna belongs to someone else."
Before Luca could respond, the lights flickered.
Sophia stepped backward.
A gunshot shattered the wine bottle.
Sophia fell.
Elena screamed.
Luca dragged her behind the table.
Vincent returned fire.
The shooter vanished through the kitchen.
Luca rushed to Sophia.
She was bleeding.
"Who?"
Sophia grabbed his sleeve.
"Your father."
Luca froze.
"My father is dead."
"I know."
She coughed.
"That's the problem."
Sophia's eyes moved toward Elena.
"Your brother found him."
Elena's heart stopped.
"What?"
Sophia whispered:
"Daniel didn't die because he discovered the network."
She took one final breath.
"He died because he found the man running it."
Then Sophia died.
Luca remained motionless.
Elena stared at him.
"What did she mean?"
Luca looked toward the empty doorway.
His voice was barely audible.
"My father died nine years ago."
Elena whispered:
"Then someone has been pretending to be dead."
May you like
Luca looked at her.
And for the first time since she met him, Elena saw genuine fear in his eyes.
