Chapter 8
Dominic contacted Vittorio first.
Not through Marcus.
Not through Bianca.
Directly.
The call came from an unknown number.
“Antonio’s boy.”
Vittorio recognized the voice from nothing.
Yet he knew.
“Dominic.”
The old man laughed softly.
“Bianca told you.”
“No.”
Silence.
“You came into my house.”
“You’re living in a house my money helped build.”
Vittorio’s expression hardened.
“What do you want?”
“What your father stole.”
“The box?”
“The truth.”
“Bring my daughter into this again and you won’t like what happens next.”
Dominic’s voice changed.
“I never touched that child.”
“You were in my garden.”
“I was in your garage.”
“Lucy ended up locked outside.”
“That was Marcus.”
Vittorio looked toward Rachel, who was listening through speakerphone.
“Why should I believe you?”
“You shouldn’t.”
At least Dominic was honest.
“What’s in the box?”
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
“That Antonio Romano was never the man you think he was.”
Vittorio almost laughed.
“I don’t think he was a saint.”
“No. You think he was ruthless but loyal.”
Dominic paused.
“He was neither.”
“What did he do?”
“You’ll find out.”
“Where’s the box?”
Dominic disconnected.
Daniel traced nothing useful.
The number was disposable.
Rachel looked at Vittorio.
“He wants you destabilized.”
“He wants me curious.”
“Same result.”
Bianca broke later that night.
Not dramatically.
She simply asked for Rachel.
Then asked to speak without Marcus.
“I’ll tell you what I know.”
Vittorio sat across from her.
Bianca looked exhausted.
“My father spent my entire childhood talking about Antonio Romano.”
“What did he say?”
“That Antonio betrayed him.”
“How?”
“They were partners.”
Vittorio frowned.
“That’s impossible.”
“It isn’t.”
According to Bianca, Dominic and Antonio had secretly financed several freight routes together when both were young.
Antonio had the political relationships.
Dominic had money and trucks.
The partnership was never public.
Years later, Antonio forced Dominic out.
“How?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then what does the box prove?”
“My father says Antonio falsified something.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
Vittorio leaned back.
Bianca continued.
“Marcus found records showing Antonio kept copies of everything.”
“So Dominic sent him looking.”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Almost a year.”
Vittorio stared at her.
“You were living in my house while your brother searched it.”
Bianca began crying.
“I didn’t know how far he was going.”
“You always say that.”
“I know.”
“What happened to Lucy?”
Bianca covered her face.
Vittorio waited.
Finally she whispered.
“Marcus found her downstairs.”
“Then?”
“He brought her upstairs.”
“And?”
“He said she’d seen the box.”
Vittorio’s voice dropped.
“Then?”
Bianca removed her hands.
“I told him she was three.”
“Then?”
“He said three-year-olds repeat everything.”
Vittorio stared.
“And you let him take her outside.”
Bianca shook her head violently.
“No. I thought he was putting her back in bed.”
“Then why didn’t you look for her?”
May you like
Bianca did not answer.
That was answer enough.
