Chapter 14 - THE LAST FAMILY MEETING
Matteo smiled into the camera.
“Bring me the book.”
Dante stepped into frame.
“You want the book?”
“Yes.”
“Then let Gabriel go.”
Matteo laughed.
“You’re in no position to bargain.”
Dante’s face went cold.
Emma had seen that look before.
The one that made rooms go quiet.
But Matteo wasn’t afraid.
Maybe because he had known Dante since he was a child.
Maybe because old monsters rarely fear the monsters they helped create.
“Midnight,” Matteo said. “Pier 19.”
The screen went black.
Dante looked at Sal.
“How many men?”
“We can get twenty.”
“No.”
Sal blinked.
“No?”
“Matteo expects twenty.”
Emma understood.
“You go small.”
Dante nodded.
Mrs. Moretti signed.
“I’m going.”
Dante immediately said, “No.”
Emma didn’t translate.
Mrs. Moretti raised an eyebrow.
Dante looked at Emma.
“What?”
“You already know what she said.”
“She’s not going.”
Emma crossed her arms.
“Tell her.”
Dante turned to his mother.
He struggled with the signs.
“You… stay… safe.”
Mrs. Moretti watched patiently.
Then replied.
Emma translated.
“She says your signing is terrible.”
Dante sighed.
“Ma.”
She continued.
“She says Matteo wants her because he is afraid of her.”
Dante looked at Emma.
“Why?”
“Because she knows where all the bodies are buried.”
Sal coughed.
Mrs. Moretti slapped Emma’s arm.
Emma smiled.
“Metaphorically.”
The older woman signed again.
Emma’s smile disappeared.
“Mostly.”
Dante stared.
“Great.”
At 11:57 p.m., they reached Pier 19.
Dante.
Emma.
Mrs. Moretti.
Sal.
Four men.
No army.
No dramatic convoy.
Just rain, black water, and bad decisions.
Matteo waited inside an abandoned shipping terminal.
Gabriel sat tied to a chair.
Ten armed men surrounded him.
Matteo leaned on his cane.
“Dante.”
“Uncle.”
“You look like Carlo.”
“I’ve been told.”
Matteo’s gaze moved to Mrs. Moretti.
“Maria.”
She stared at him.
No fear.
She signed.
Emma translated.
“She says you got old.”
Matteo laughed.
“Still cruel.”
Maria continued.
“She says you were old when she met you.”
Even Dante smiled.
Matteo’s smile vanished.
“The book.”
Dante held it up.
“Gabriel first.”
Matteo shook his head.
“You always negotiate like your father.”
“And you always talk too much.”
Matteo’s eyes narrowed.
“Careful.”
“No.”
Dante stepped forward.
“You’ve spent seventeen years hiding behind dead men and frightened family.”
Matteo’s expression hardened.
“You know nothing.”
“I know Dad was dying.”
For the first time, Matteo reacted.
A tiny movement.
Enough.
Dante saw it.
“You knew.”
Matteo said nothing.
“You poisoned him.”
“No.”
“Frankie said the poison was already killing him.”
“Frankie was weak.”
“You had him shot.”
“I had many people shot.”
Emma whispered, “Charming.”
Matteo glanced at her.
“And you must be the waitress.”
Emma met his eyes.
“And you must be the uncle everyone wishes had retired.”
Sal looked away to hide a smile.
Matteo’s gaze sharpened.
“You have a mouth.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Dante stepped in front of her.
Matteo laughed.
“Protecting another woman who doesn’t need it?”
That landed.
Dante looked at Emma.
Then stepped aside.
Not far.
Just enough.
Emma noticed.
So did Maria.
Matteo pointed at the book.
“Give it to me.”
Maria signed.
Emma translated.
“She says you never understood Carlo.”
Matteo’s face darkened.
Maria continued.
“You thought power was money.”
More signs.
“Carlo thought power was fear.”
More.
“But both of you were wrong.”
Matteo sneered.
“And what did you think power was?”
Maria looked directly at him.
Then signed.
Emma smiled.
“She says evidence.”
Police sirens erupted outside.
Matteo spun.
His men raised weapons.
“What did you do?”
Maria reached into her coat.
A tiny transmitter.
Emma stared.
Dante stared.
Sal whispered, “Damn.”
Maria smiled.
The red book hadn’t come alone.
Copies had already been sent.
Federal prosecutors.
A judge.
Two reporters.
Matteo’s face collapsed.
“You stupid woman.”
Maria’s eyes turned cold.
He raised his gun.
Dante moved.
So did Emma.
So did Gabriel.
Gunfire exploded.
Gabriel kicked his chair backward into one guard.
Sal fired.
Emma dragged Maria down.
Dante tackled Matteo.
The old man hit the floor.
His gun slid away.
Matteo reached for a knife.
Dante grabbed his wrist.
For a second, Emma thought Dante would kill him.
Everyone did.
Dante’s hand closed around Matteo’s throat.
Matteo smiled through the pain.
“Do it.”
Dante froze.
“Show them who you are.”
Dante’s breathing became heavy.
His father.
His brother.
The years of suspicion.
The rage.
The empire.
All of it was in his face.
Then Maria stood.
She signed one word.
Dante looked at her.
He understood.
Enough.
His hand opened.
He stepped back.
Police stormed the terminal.
Matteo laughed.
“You think prison ends this?”
Dante looked at him.
“No.”
Matteo stared.
Dante continued.
“But me not killing you does.”
Officers dragged Matteo away.
Gabriel was freed.
Maria held both sons.
Emma finally breathed.
Then a federal agent approached Dante.
“Mr. Moretti?”
Dante turned.
“Yes?”
The agent held up the red book.
“We need to talk.”
Dante looked at the handcuffs on the agent’s belt.
Emma’s stomach dropped.
May you like
Because destroying Matteo had exposed everyone.
Including Dante.
