Chapter 5 - THE COSTELLO HOUSE
Luca moved Elena and Maya into the most secure wing of the mansion.
Elena hated it.
Maya loved it.
"There's a panic room?"
"Yes."
"That's awesome."
"It's not awesome."
Tommy raised his hand.
"I think it's awesome."
Elena pointed toward him.
"You aren't helping."
Luca watched from the doorway.
For a moment, they looked almost like a family.
Then Dominic arrived.
He demanded to speak privately.
Luca refused.
"Anything you say to me can be said in front of Elena."
Dominic looked offended.
"She's staff."
"No."
Luca's voice hardened.
"She's Maya's mother."
Dominic understood the distinction.
"Fine."
He threw a folder onto the table.
"Adrian has been moving money."
Luca opened it.
Millions.
Transferred through offshore companies.
"How long?"
"Seven years."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I found out yesterday."
Luca looked at him.
"You expect me to believe that?"
Dominic leaned forward.
"You want someone to blame."
"I want the truth."
"Then stop treating family like enemies."
Luca smiled coldly.
"Family poisoned me."
Dominic's face changed.
"You don't know that."
"Someone with access did."
"That doesn't make it family."
"No."
Luca looked directly at him.
"But your reaction to Maya certainly makes me curious."
Dominic stood.
"That girl will destroy everything your father built."
Elena stiffened.
Luca's voice dropped.
"Say that again."
Dominic realized his mistake.
But too late.
Luca rose from the wheelchair.
Not fully.
Not steadily.
But enough.
His hands gripped the table.
His legs trembled.
Dominic stared.
Luca forced himself upright.
"That girl is my daughter."
His voice shook with effort.
"If you ever speak about her like she's a problem again, you'll discover that I don't need working legs to bury you."
Dominic stepped backward.
For the first time, Luca saw fear in his uncle's eyes.
That evening, Maya found something beneath the old bleachers.
A metal box.
Rusty.
Locked.
She brought Tommy.
Naturally.
They tried opening it with a rock.
Naturally.
Then Elena caught them.
"What are you doing?"
"Archaeology."
Tommy nodded.
"Crime archaeology."
Elena sighed.
They brought the box to Luca.
Victor broke the lock.
Inside were photographs.
Documents.
And a handwritten ledger.
Luca stared.
His father's handwriting.
Adrian had been telling the truth.
The ledger documented millions stolen from Costello companies.
One name appeared repeatedly.
D.C.
Dominic Costello.
Then Luca turned the final page.
Another name appeared beside payments made to a pharmaceutical company.
M.V.
Marcus Vale.
Luca's pulse quickened.
Dominic paid Vale.
The dates began six months before Luca collapsed.
The room went silent.
Then Maya pointed at another line.
"Who's E.C.?"
Luca looked.
E.C.
The initials appeared beside a payment larger than all the others.
Ten million dollars.
Luca knew only one person with those initials.
His mother.
Evelyn Costello.
May you like
The woman who had died nine years ago.
Or at least the woman Luca had been told was dead.
