Chapter 9 - THE TRAITOR INSIDE THE HOUSE
Luca locked down the estate.
No one left.
No deliveries came in.
Every employee was questioned.
Phones were collected.
Security logs reviewed.
Maya hated it.
“This feels like school detention.”
“You’ve never had school detention.”
“Tommy has.”
Tommy looked offended.
“Once.”
“Three times.”
“Two were unfair.”
Luca sat in the study while Marco investigated.
At 2:40 in the morning, Marco found the breach.
Daniel Kessler.
Thirty-one.
Junior security officer.
Employed for eighteen months.
No criminal record.
Excellent references.
Thirty-eight thousand dollars in unexplained deposits.
Daniel broke after twenty minutes.
Sal had recruited him six months earlier.
At first, Daniel only reported Luca’s schedule.
Then doctor visits.
Then Elena.
Then Maya.
When Luca learned about the toxicology testing, Sal panicked.
“Did he order the threats?” Luca asked.
Daniel stared at the floor.
“Yes.”
“The apartment?”
“Yes.”
“The picture of Maya?”
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“Yes.”
Elena stood against the wall.
Her face was pale with fury.
“What was supposed to happen after the picture?”
“Nothing.”
She stepped closer.
“What?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Sal said nobody was supposed to touch the girl.”
“He only wanted Luca afraid.”
Luca’s voice turned cold.
“He succeeded.”
Daniel looked up.
That answer frightened him more than anger would have.
“Did Sal order anyone to poison me?”
“I don’t know.”
“Wrong answer.”
“I swear.”
Daniel’s breathing quickened.
“I joined eighteen months ago.”
“I know nothing about twelve years ago.”
Marco moved closer.
Daniel immediately continued.
“But Sal keeps old files.”
Luca looked at him.
“Where?”
“Private office.”
“Not the downtown one.”
“He has another place.”
“Where?”
“A storage building near the river.”
“Address?”
Daniel gave it.
Marco left immediately.
Luca turned to Elena.
“Take Maya upstairs.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to handle this.”
Elena’s face tightened.
“What does that mean?”
Luca looked at Daniel.
Then at her.
“It means Marco searches the building.”
“And?”
“And we use whatever he finds legally.”
Daniel looked surprised.
So did Elena.
“You’re not going to…”
She stopped.
“No.”
Luca knew what she was asking.
The old Luca might have.
The version of him twelve years ago would have sent men to make Daniel disappear.
But Maya was sleeping two floors above them.
And Luca had decided she would never inherit ghosts.
“Call the police,” Luca said.
Daniel’s head snapped up.
Marco’s deputy blinked.
Luca repeated it.
“Turn him over.”
Daniel stared at him.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t do that.”
Luca’s expression stayed calm.
“You don’t know me.”
Three hours later, Marco called from the river building.
His voice sounded different.
Not scared.
Stunned.
“We found the original samples.”
Luca gripped the phone.
“All of them?”
“Most.”
“And something else.”
“What?”
“A ledger.”
Luca closed his eyes.
“What kind?”
“Payments.”
“To Moretti.”
“To pharmacies.”
“To security.”
“And one payment made twelve years ago to a private investigator.”
Luca looked toward Elena.
“Who was he investigating?”
May you like
Marco answered.
“Elena.”
