Chapter 13 - THE LAST LIE
Matteo didn't deny it.
We were inside an ambulance when Dante confronted him.
"You gave the FBI evidence against me?"
"Yes."
Dante hit him.
One punch.
Matteo fell against the cabinet.
"Dante!"
I grabbed his arm.
Matteo wiped blood from his mouth.
"I deserved that."
"You think?"
"I had no choice."
"You had eight years!"
Matteo shouted back.
"And Salvatore had people watching you every day!"
Silence.
Matteo pulled a flash drive from inside his coat.
"This is the real evidence."
Dante stared at it.
"Claire's father built the database."
My father nodded.
"Every payment. Every judge. Every officer. Every murder order."
"Then why frame Dante?" I asked.
Matteo looked at his brother.
"To force the federal government to move."
Dante laughed bitterly.
"You destroyed my businesses."
"I froze them."
"You had me accused of my father's crimes."
"For six hours."
"And if your plan fails?"
Matteo looked him in the eye.
"Then you go to prison."
Dante lunged again.
I stepped between them.
"Enough."
Both brothers looked at me.
"Salvatore is still free."
Matteo nodded.
"Not for long."
He opened his phone.
"The fake evidence contains a financial access key."
Dante's anger faded as he understood.
"You baited him."
"If Salvatore tries to move the Moretti assets before federal seizure—"
"We trace him."
Matteo nodded.
The phone beeped.
Location identified.
Lake Geneva.
A private estate forty miles away.
Dante checked his weapon.
"We're going."
My father grabbed my hand.
"Claire, no."
I looked at him.
"Don't start."
"I'm your father."
"You've been my father again for about forty-five minutes."
He actually smiled.
"Fair."
"But I'm not hiding."
Dante interrupted.
"She stays."
I turned.
"You too?"
"Yes."
"No."
"Claire."
"Stop saying my name like it's a command."
Matteo laughed.
Dante glared at him.
"Stay out of this."
We drove north before dawn.
FBI teams were supposed to meet us outside Lake Geneva.
Supposed to.
When we arrived, no agents were there.
Detective Ellis called.
"Don't approach the property."
"We're already here."
"Dante, the operation is compromised."
"How?"
"Salvatore still has somebody inside federal command."
A shot shattered our windshield.
Dante pulled me down.
"Move!"
Gunfire exploded from the trees.
Our driver swerved.
The SUV crashed through a fence.
Airbags burst.
My ears rang.
"Claire!"
"I'm okay."
Dante kicked his door open.
Smoke filled the cabin.
Matteo crawled out the other side.
Then I realized my father wasn't with us.
"Dad?"
No answer.
"Dad!"
His door was open.
Blood stained the seat.
But he was gone.
A phone lay on the ground outside.
It rang.
I picked it up.
Salvatore's voice.
"One final trade."
I closed my eyes.
"What do you want?"
"You."
Dante grabbed the phone.
"You touch her—"
Salvatore laughed.
"My son, you still don't understand."
"What?"
"I don't want Claire dead."
My stomach tightened.
"Then what?"
"Thomas never told you why Claire can open the database."
Dante looked at me.
Salvatore continued.
"Her fingerprint."
I stared at my hand.
"Thomas built the master ledger so only his daughter could decrypt it."
I whispered, "I was a child."
"Exactly. Nobody suspects a child."
Dante's jaw tightened.
"Where is Thomas?"
"Inside."
A light came on in the mansion ahead.
Through a second-floor window, I saw my father tied to a chair.
May you like
Salvatore whispered:
"Come get him."
