Chapter 12 - THE CONFESSION
Luca did not react.
The hidden microphone beneath his shirt captured everything.
Sal walked closer.
“You were always too emotional.”
“That’s an interesting description.”
“You wanted to destroy everything your father built because of a woman.”
“Elena.”
Sal smiled.
“So you finally found the letter.”
Luca felt rage move through him.
But he kept his voice steady.
“You intercepted it.”
“I protected you.”
“From my daughter?”
“From distraction.”
Luca’s fingers curled around the armrests.
“She was a baby.”
“She wasn’t even born.”
“Exactly.”
Sal spread his hands.
“You had responsibilities.”
“You wanted to abandon them.”
“I wanted to change the business.”
“You wanted to make us weak.”
“I wanted to stop burying people for money.”
Sal’s expression hardened.
“Your father understood the world.”
“My father died believing everyone was an enemy.”
“He died respected.”
“He died alone.”
Sal stepped closer.
“And look what love got you.”
Luca stared at him.
“What did you use?”
Sal smiled again.
“A compound no one was testing for.”
“You poisoned me.”
“I corrected you.”
“You stole twelve years.”
“I gave this organization twelve years.”
Luca’s breathing changed.
Sal noticed.
For the first time, arrogance pushed him too far.
“You should thank me.”
Luca laughed softly.
Sal frowned.
“What’s funny?”
“You still think this is about the organization.”
“What else would it be?”
Luca looked at him.
“My daughter learned to read without me.”
Sal’s expression changed.
“She learned to ride a bike without me.”
“She had birthdays.”
“Christmas mornings.”
“She got sick.”
“She got scared.”
“She asked why her father never came.”
“And all those years, you knew where she was.”
Sal shrugged.
“The girl survived.”
That was the moment Luca nearly lost control.
His hand moved toward the side of his chair.
Then stopped.
Maya’s voice returned to him.
Come home.
Luca exhaled slowly.
“You threatened her.”
“I scared you.”
“You put a man outside her school.”
“I needed your attention.”
“You have it.”
Sal looked at him.
“Give me the docks.”
“No.”
“Then why are we here?”
“To hear you say it.”
Sal froze.
Luca smiled.
For the first time that night, Sal looked uncertain.
“What?”
“The poison.”
“The letter.”
“Maya.”
Luca glanced toward the rafters.
“You’ve been talking for twenty minutes.”
Sal looked around.
His face changed.
He understood.
“You recorded me.”
“Yes.”
Sal moved backward.
The warehouse doors opened.
Marco entered first.
Two detectives followed.
Then federal agents.
Sal stared at Luca.
“You brought police into this?”
“I brought consequences.”
Sal laughed bitterly.
“Your father would spit in your face.”
Luca’s voice stayed quiet.
“He isn’t raising my daughter.”
Sal’s eyes moved to the exits.
Then the lights went out.
Everything vanished into darkness.
Someone shouted.
A crash echoed from the far side of the warehouse.
May you like
Marco yelled Luca’s name.
Then a gunshot cracked through the darkness.
