Chapter 15
The proof was a cassette tape.
Lorenzo’s voice.
Old, rough, unmistakable.
He had secretly recorded a conversation with Carlo three days before Marco was killed.
“I am ending Bello,” Lorenzo said.
Carlo answered, “You’ll destroy us.”
“Then we rebuild.”
“What about Marco?”
“He was right.”
A long silence.
Then Carlo said, “Dante won’t forgive you for choosing Marco.”
Lorenzo replied, “Dante will survive disappointment. Marco may not survive another month if Vincent thinks we are divided.”
Dante stopped the tape.
His father had known Marco was in danger.
He had planned to expose Bello.
But he had waited.
Three days.
Marco died first.
Elena stood beside Dante.
“So Lorenzo tried.”
“Too late.”
“Yes.”
Dante pressed PLAY.
The recording ended with Lorenzo saying, “Tomorrow I tell the boys everything.”
Tomorrow never came.
Dante sat in silence.
He had spent years dividing the dead into heroes and cowards.
The truth refused to cooperate.
Lorenzo had been both.
Marco too.
Maybe Dante as well.
At Vincent Bellini’s hearing, prosecutors laid out the financial records, Salvi’s testimony, Carlo’s cooperation, and Marco’s ledger.
Vincent looked across the courtroom at Dante.
No fear.
Only contempt.
“You gave strangers your family.”
Dante answered, “You buried yours.”
Vanessa sat two rows behind her father, separated by marshals.
She did not look at him.
Afterward, Mateo asked to visit Marco’s grave.
Dante took him alone.
Mateo placed a terrible dinosaur drawing against the stone.
“My dad would hate this.”
“Probably.”
Mateo smiled.
Then asked, “Did he know you loved him?”
Dante’s throat tightened.
“I hope so.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Dante looked at the grave.
“No.”
The truth hurt more than the lie would have.
Mateo took his hand.
And for once, Dante let someone see him cry.
When they returned home, Sophia was waiting at the door.
She held up the one-eared cat.
Something inside the toy had shifted again.
Rocco checked the seam.
May you like
There was one final folded paper hidden deeper inside.
Marco had left another message.
