Chapter 9 - The House Has Teeth
Valeria read the message twice.
Then she slapped Luca.
The sound cracked through the study.
“You brought this into my house.”
He did not defend himself.
“I know.”
“No, you don’t. My son was locked in a wall. My father may have been murdered. My husband is not who he says he is, and somehow every road runs through people I trusted.”
Luca wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Tell me something useful.”
He did.
Victor Sanz had been buying up debt connected to Romano Holdings for years. If Valeria were declared incompetent and Noah placed under Gregory’s control, Gregory could force a restructuring. Victor would acquire the debt. Gregory would get cash and revenge.
“And Maya?” Tomas asked.
“As trustee, she can block the transfer.”
Maya folded her arms. “So I’m the lock.”
“And they need the key,” Valeria said.
Noah entered the study before anyone could stop him.
“I know where Dad went.”
Valeria turned. “You’re supposed to be upstairs.”
“I heard the dumbwaiter.”
Everyone looked at him.
Noah pointed toward the old service panel behind the bookcase.
“There’s a little elevator for food. Dad showed me once. It goes to the basement.”
Tomas pulled the panel open.
The dumbwaiter shaft was empty, but its rope was moving.
Someone had used it recently.
They followed the service stairs to the basement laundry area and found a door ajar behind stacked linen carts.
Beyond it was a maintenance corridor leading to the garage.
A black sedan was missing.
“Which car?” Valeria asked.
Tomas checked the log.
“Your father’s old armored Lincoln.”
Luca said, “He’ll go to Victor.”
Valeria sent Noah with Maya under guard.
Noah grabbed her wrist.
“Mom.”
“What?”
“Dad took my bear’s other eye.”
Valeria stared at him.
“What do you mean?”
Noah held up the teddy bear.
May you like
One plastic eye was missing.
Inside the empty socket, a tiny red light blinked.
