Chapter 5 - The Dead Uncle Problem
Vincent survived.
He complained about the hospital sheets.
Luca considered that a positive sign.
“You were stabbed,” Luca reminded him.
“Yes, and apparently dignity was also injured.”
Bianca sat beside the bed looking exhausted.
Her serpent necklace was gone.
Mia had declared it “mean jewelry,” and Bianca, unexpectedly, had removed it.
That had been the first odd thing.
The second was Mia climbing into Bianca’s lap.
Children possessed a disturbing ability to ruin convenient assumptions.
Luca had wanted Bianca to be guilty.
Mia apparently wanted her to be furniture.
Elena stood near the hospital window.
“You said Silvio Moretti is alive.”
Vincent grimaced.
“I said I believe he’s alive.”
Luca’s patience narrowed.
“Details.”
Vincent sighed.
Twenty-three years earlier, Silvio—Antonio Moretti’s younger brother—had supposedly died in a boating accident off Montauk.
No body was recovered.
Antonio publicly mourned him.
Privately, he spent years searching.
“Why?”
“Because Silvio stole from him,” Luca said.
Vincent shook his head.
“Because Silvio built the hidden side of the empire.”
The room changed.
Even Luca had not known that.
Vincent continued.
Antonio inherited crime.
Silvio industrialized it.
He created networks using legitimate companies, political donations, charities, labor contracts, private security firms.
A corporation without a name.
“Your father wanted out,” Vincent said.
“Elena’s father found the accounting trail. Antonio decided to cooperate with prosecutors.”
“And Silvio killed him.”
“I believe so.”
Luca stared.
“What about Samuel Ward?”
“Same reason.”
Elena turned away.
Luca saw her shoulders shake once.
He wanted to touch her.
He didn’t.
Not yet.
“Why search Elena’s room?” he asked.
Vincent looked ashamed.
“Because someone contacted me six months ago.”
“Who?”
“A man calling himself Mr. Vale.”
“What did he want?”
“Anything Samuel left behind.”
“You could have told me.”
“I didn’t know who inside your organization could be trusted.”
Luca’s voice cooled.
“Including me.”
Vincent met his eyes.
“Especially you.”
That hurt more than Luca expected.
Vincent continued.
“Your father died because someone close betrayed him. If Silvio is alive, he survived by putting people everywhere.”
“Who stabbed you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Convenient.”
“Luca, someone turned off security for exactly twelve seconds.”
Jonah, who had remained silent near the door, spoke.
“Only six people have that access.”
Everyone looked at him.
Luca.
Jonah.
Vincent.
Bianca.
Security chief Mason Reed.
And Luca’s mother, Sofia.
Mia raised her hand.
Everyone looked at her.
Elena whispered, “Sweetheart, this isn’t preschool.”
Mia pointed at Jonah.
“He has candy.”
Jonah sighed and produced a peppermint.
Conspiracy temporarily postponed.
Later, back at the estate, Elena led Luca toward the abandoned northern gardens.
The coordinates beneath the music box pointed to an old greenhouse.
It had not been used since Luca’s childhood.
“Charming,” Elena said, staring at broken glass and dead vines.
“I had a gardener fired for less.”
“You were twelve.”
“He lacked vision.”
They entered.
September wind rattled the shattered roof.
Elena checked the coordinates.
“Here.”
An old stone bench sat beneath a dead fig tree.
Luca moved it.
Below was a metal hatch.
They stared.
“Well,” Elena whispered.
“You really did find buried treasure.”
“I expect a percentage.”
“You’re on salary.”
“I’m resigning.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“You can’t reject someone else’s resignation.”
“Watch me.”
She laughed.
It came naturally now.
The sound made the ruined greenhouse seem less dead.
They opened the hatch.
A narrow stairway descended underground.
Luca pulled a flashlight.
“Stay behind me.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“If my father left this, I’m going first.”
“It could be trapped.”
“So could your personality.”
He stared.
“Did you just insult me?”
“Yes.”
“I’m your employer.”
“Not for long.”
He smiled despite himself.
They descended together.
The chamber below was small.
Concrete walls.
Metal shelves.
A desk coated in dust.
And dozens of cassette tapes.
Elena froze.
On the desk sat an envelope.
Her name was written across it.
ELENA.
Her knees weakened.
Luca caught her elbow.
She did not pull away.
With shaking fingers, she opened it.
Inside was a letter.
My darling girl,
If you are reading this, then I failed to keep the past from finding you.
Elena covered her mouth.
Luca looked away to give her privacy.
She continued reading.
Antonio is trying to stop something his brother created.
If Antonio dies, trust Luca only if he has become different from his father.
Elena stopped.
Slowly, she looked at Luca.
He said nothing.
She continued.
There is evidence here, but not enough.
The real ledger was divided into three pieces.
I kept one.
Antonio kept one.
And the third was entrusted to the only person Silvio would never suspect.
His wife.
Luca frowned.
“Silvio wasn’t married.”
Elena read the final line.
Then all color left her face.
“What?”
She handed him the letter.
Luca read.
Her name is Sofia Moretti.
His mother.
The room became silent.
“No.”
Elena whispered, “Luca…”
“No.”
“My mother was married to my father.”
Elena looked at the dates.
Then at him.
“Maybe not always.”
Luca’s phone rang.
Sofia.
He answered immediately.
“Mother?”
A man’s voice came through.
Old.
Calm.
Almost amused.
“Hello, nephew.”
Luca could not breathe.
May you like
The voice continued.
“Your mother and I have been waiting a very long time for you to learn the truth.”
