Chapter 5
I knew Rico was gone because Leo woke screaming for him.
“Daddy!”
I ran into the hall.
His bedroom was empty.
Dante stood near the stairs looking furious.
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t lie.”
His jaw tightened.
“Mr. Moretti received a message.”
“What message?”
“He didn’t show me.”
“And you let him leave?”
“He is my employer.”
“He is also an idiot.”
Dante actually nodded.
“Yes.”
Leo cried again.
I went to him.
For twenty minutes, I held his hand while he fought sleep.
“Daddy come back?”
“Yes.”
I hoped I was not lying.
After Leo settled, I returned downstairs.
Dante was on the phone.
“His vehicle’s tracker is disabled.”
Of course it was.
“Can you locate his phone?”
“Off.”
I grabbed my coat.
“No.”
I looked at Dante.
“You don’t get to tell me no.”
“You have no idea where he went.”
“Do you?”
His silence answered.
I thought of Sal.
Elena.
The warehouses.
“Where would Sal go if he wanted privacy?”
Dante’s eyes narrowed.
“There is an old shipping facility near Red Hook.”
“Drive.”
“No.”
“Then give me the address.”
“Absolutely not.”
I pulled out my phone.
“I’ll call Walsh.”
Dante muttered something in Italian.
Twenty minutes later, Detective Walsh was driving toward Red Hook with officers following.
I stayed in the car because everyone threatened to arrest me if I didn’t.
The warehouse was dark.
Rico’s car sat outside.
My heart pounded.
Police entered.
Minutes passed.
Then Walsh came back out.
“Rico is alive.”
I nearly collapsed.
“Sal?”
“Gone.”
“What happened?”
Walsh looked furious.
“Your friend decided to conduct his own interrogation.”
“He promised me he wouldn’t.”
Walsh stared at me.
“That sounds like a personal problem.”
Rico walked out with an officer.
Blood marked his lower lip.
I got out of the car.
He saw me.
The expression on his face shifted from anger to guilt.
“Clara.”
I slapped him.
Everyone froze.
Even Walsh.
Rico touched his cheek.
“You lied to me.”
“I know.”
“You left your son sleeping upstairs.”
“I know.”
“You could have been killed.”
“I know.”
“Stop saying that!”
My voice broke.
Rico’s face softened.
I hated that tears filled my eyes.
“I sat with Leo while he cried for you.”
His shoulders dropped.
That hurt him more than the slap.
“What happened?” I demanded.
“Sal contacted me.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he could prove who killed Elena.”
Walsh stepped closer.
“And instead of calling me?”
Rico ignored him.
“He told me to come alone.”
“What did he want?”
Rico looked away.
“Control of the family companies.”
I stared.
“He offered evidence about your wife’s murder in exchange for money?”
“Not money.”
“Power.”
Rico nodded.
“What evidence?”
“A recording.”
My pulse jumped.
“Did you hear it?”
“Part of it.”
“What was on it?”
Rico’s face changed.
“Elena arguing with someone before she died.”
“Who?”
“He wouldn’t let me hear enough.”
Walsh cursed quietly.
“Where did Sal go?”
“There’s a rear exit.”
The police searched for hours.
Nothing.
Sal had planned his escape.
But Rico had noticed something.
The recording was stored on an old digital device.
Sal carried it in a leather case.
And Rico had heard another voice.
A woman.
“You recognized her?” I asked.
“No.”
“But Elena did.”
“How do you know?”
“Because she called her by name.”
I waited.
Rico swallowed.
“Marina.”
Dante went completely still.
I saw it.
“Who’s Marina?”
Nobody answered.
“Who is she?”
Rico looked at Dante.
Then at me.
“My father’s second wife.”
I frowned.
“I thought your mother—”
“My mother died when I was eleven.”
“And Marina?”
“Married my father three years later.”
“Where is she now?”
Rico’s expression hardened.
“Florida.”
Dante finally spoke.
“She and Sal were close.”
“How close?”
Silence.
I understood.
“Oh.”
Rico nodded.
“My father suspected an affair.”
“Did Elena know?”
“She suspected.”
Walsh immediately began making calls.
By morning, authorities located Marina Moretti outside Miami.
She agreed to speak.
Not to Rico.
Only to police.
Walsh flew down that afternoon.
We waited.
Waiting was torture.
Leo sensed it.
He became clingy.
Rico tried to stay near him.
For once, he canceled everything else.
That mattered.
Late that evening, Leo fell asleep in Rico’s arms.
I watched from the sofa.
“You should do that more.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
He looked at me.
“You’re angry.”
“Yes.”
“Still?”
“Yes.”
“I deserved it.”
“Yes.”
His mouth twitched.
“You enjoy saying that.”
“A little.”
Then his expression became serious.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“No.”
He shifted carefully so he would not wake Leo.
“I’m sorry I broke my promise.”
I looked down.
“When you disappear like that, it isn’t only your life.”
“I know.”
“Leo already lost one parent.”
His eyes closed.
“I know.”
“And…”
I stopped.
“And what?”
I could not say it.
I barely understood it myself.
And I was afraid too.
Rico watched me.
Then his hand moved across the sofa cushion.
He did not touch mine.
He simply placed it close.
An invitation.
A choice.
The same thing I had offered Leo.
I looked at his hand.
Then I placed mine over it.
Rico exhaled.
Neither of us spoke.
Leo slept between us.
My heart beat too fast.
Whatever was growing between Rico and me felt impossible.
Elena had been dead only six months.
I was his employee.
His world was dangerous.
My family was already involved.
Everything about it was wrong.
And yet his fingers gently closed around mine.
The next morning, Walsh called.
Marina had talked.
She confirmed Elena confronted her about Sal.
She also admitted Sal had been using Moretti trucks for illegal shipments without Rico’s knowledge.
But that was not the worst part.
Marina said Elena had collected proof.
“What proof?” Rico demanded.
“Financial records and recordings.”
“Where are they?”
Walsh paused.
“She hid them.”
“Where?”
“She never told Marina.”
Rico slammed one hand on the table.
“Then this changes nothing.”
“It changes one thing.”
“What?”
“Marina says Elena believed someone inside your house was helping Sal.”
The room went silent.
Dante looked toward the security staff.
I felt cold.
“Inside this house?”
Walsh answered.
“Yes.”
Then Leo walked into the room carrying Blue.
He pointed toward the hallway.
“Lady come back?”
Rico frowned.
“What lady?”
Leo pointed toward the rear entrance.
“The lady who give Mommy paper.”
Every adult froze.
I crouched.
“What lady, sweetheart?”
Leo looked at me.
“Red hair.”
Dante whispered one name.
“Gianna.”
Rico’s face changed.
I looked at him.
“Who is Gianna?”
May you like
His answer came slowly.
“Elena’s sister.”
