Chapter 6 - VICTOR LEFT A MESSAGE BEFORE HE DIED
Victor Rizzo had sent an email at 11:41 p.m.
Twenty-three minutes before Arthur confronted him.
Arthur’s security system quarantined it because it contained an encrypted attachment.
Marco recovered it that afternoon.
Subject:
IF YOU STILL BELIEVE ME AFTER MIDNIGHT.
Arthur opened it.
Victor’s recorded face appeared.
Older.
Tired.
No melodrama.
“Arthur.”
He looked directly into the camera.
“If you’re watching this, one of two things happened.”
A pause.
“I convinced you I’m not the thief.”
Arthur looked away.
“Or you killed me.”
Norah felt the room become colder.
Victor continued.
“I did move money.”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
“So I wasn’t wrong.”
“Wait,” Norah said.
Victor explained.
He discovered Anthony had revived the old Meridian structure five years earlier.
This time, money came from port maintenance contracts and employee-benefit overpayments.
Victor started redirecting some transfers.
Not into his own accounts.
Into the dormant Calloway Restoration Fund.
“He was putting it back,” Norah whispered.
“Yes,” Marco said.
Illegally.
Secretly.
But back.
Victor knew if Anthony discovered the restoration, the fund would vanish.
So he made transfers look like personal theft.
He expected eventually to reveal everything to Arthur.
Why wait?
Because Victor did not trust everyone around Arthur.
Then he said:
“Somebody inside your house has been feeding Anthony every question you ask.”
Arthur became still.
Norah thought immediately of the estate.
Guards.
Executives.
Staff.
A hundred men who would take a bullet for him.
Or put one in his back.
Victor continued.
“Daniel Calloway understood this years ago. Salvatore understood too late.”
Then:
“Find Nora.”
Norah’s eyes filled.
“He knew my name.”
Victor said:
“Daniel made me promise that if the old accounts ever reopened, his daughter got the key.”
Then his expression softened.
“I’m sorry you’ll have to learn what your father was carrying.”
Norah swallowed.
The video continued.
“Arthur, I know what the rules say about thieves.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
Victor almost smiled.
“That was the point.”
Someone had wanted Arthur to follow the rules.
To remove Victor before Victor spoke.
Then:
“The evidence you received against me came from your private financial intelligence desk.”
Arthur opened his eyes.
Only four people had access.
Arthur.
Marco.
Chief financial officer Nicholas Fabbri.
And Arthur’s cousin, Elena Costello.
Elena ran legitimate family finances.
Thirty-two.
Harvard MBA.
The person Arthur trusted to keep criminal cash completely separate from legal businesses.
Victor’s final words:
“Do not assume Anthony is working alone.”
The screen went black.
Arthur said nothing for a long time.
Then Marco’s phone buzzed.
His face changed.
“What?”
“Nicholas Fabbri’s office is empty.”
“Where is he?”
“Unknown.”
Then another alert arrived.
A transfer request had just been submitted against the Calloway Restoration Fund.
Eleven point six million dollars.
Someone had tried to move every cent.
May you like
Authorization name:
NORAH CALLOWAY.
