Chapter 14 - No
Rico’s answer was immediate.
“No.”
Vittorio called again.
“No.”
A third time.
No negotiation using a child.
Detectives traced the calls anyway.
Vittorio was moving between prepaid phones.
Then he sent a voice message.
“Rico, you don’t understand what Elena was going to do.”
“She was going to destroy us.”
“Your father built Harbor. Your grandfather built it before him. I kept your family alive while you played legitimate businessman.”
Clara saw something important.
Vittorio kept talking into silence.
“That waitress is turning you against your blood.”
“Offended?”
“Mostly bored.”
Then the final message arrived.
“You think Elena was innocent? Ask what she offered the district attorney.”
Detectives had found no cooperation agreement.
But Elena’s files contained a contact name.
Assistant District Attorney Julia Ames.
Ames confirmed Elena had approached her.
To ask how Harbor Meridian could be separated from legitimate Moretti businesses without bringing down hundreds of innocent employees.
Elena had been trying to protect the company.
“She wanted immunity for you?” he asked.
“No,” Ames said.
“She said you didn’t need it.”
“She believed you weren’t involved.”
“She was trying to give me a clean way out.”
“Yes.”
Clara followed but kept distance.
He stood on the courthouse steps.
“I thought she didn’t trust me.”
“She was building something before she told you.”
“She died doing my job.”
“No.”
“She did her job.”
“What job?”
“Being Elena.”
That made him laugh through tears.
Police had located Vittorio at an old Harbor Meridian warehouse.
Armed, according to a camera image.
Rico’s entire body changed.
“You’re not going.”
“He killed my wife.”
“You don’t know if he personally did anything.”
“He ordered it.”
“Then let police take him.”
“You think I can sit here?”
“No.”
“I think Leo has already lost one parent.”
That stopped him.
For a long moment he said nothing.
Then he handed Dante his keys.
May you like
“Take me home.”
Behind them, sirens moved toward the waterfront.
