Chapter 10 - THE MAN MIA REMEMBERED
We reached the estate in record time.
Victor entered first.
I followed with agents behind us.
The library doors stood open.
Mia sat on the carpet.
Carlo sat opposite her.
No weapon.
No threat.
Just an old man crying.
Victor stopped in the doorway.
Carlo looked up.
“You grew into Antonio.”
“Don’t say his name.”
Carlo nodded.
Fair.
Mia stood and ran to me.
I hugged her.
“You’re okay?”
She nodded.
Then pointed toward Carlo.
“Safe.”
Third word.
Victor heard it.
His anger faltered.
Carlo slowly stood.
“I came because Mia called me.”
Victor looked at her.
“How?”
Mia pointed toward the old atlas.
Inside the back cover was a tiny emergency phone.
Carlo had given it to her the night of the bombing.
“You trusted an eight-year-old with a burner phone?” I asked.
Carlo almost smiled.
“She was six then.”
“That is not better.”
“No.”
Victor’s patience ended.
“Where have you been?”
“Hiding.”
“From Salvatore?”
“From everyone.”
“Why?”
“Because the network was bigger than him.”
Victor stared.
“What?”
Carlo reached into his coat.
Every agent tensed.
He slowly removed a flash drive.
“Salvatore built it. But someone else took control after the bombing.”
“Who?”
Carlo looked toward Marco.
My stomach tightened.
Victor followed his gaze.
Marco’s face changed.
“No.”
Carlo said nothing.
Victor turned.
“Marco?”
His security chief stepped backward.
“Boss—”
Carlo held up the drive.
“Your security systems. Your routes. Your private schedules. Someone has been feeding them out for two years.”
Victor’s hand moved toward his weapon.
Marco raised both hands.
“I swear to you.”
Carlo interrupted.
“I didn’t say it was Marco.”
We all froze.
He pointed toward Marco’s phone.
“It’s his account.”
Marco frowned.
“That makes no sense.”
Carlo plugged the drive into Victor’s laptop.
Transaction logs appeared.
Millions moved through shell companies.
Authorization codes tied to Marco.
Then another name.
Richard Vale.
Victor went still.
I had never heard it.
“Who is Richard?”
Victor’s face darkened.
“My mother’s brother.”
Another uncle.
Wonderful.
“He lives in London,” Victor said.
Carlo shook his head.
“Not anymore.”
The records showed Richard had been in New York for eighteen months.
Working quietly through private security firms.
Buying people.
Bribing staff.
Monitoring Mia.
Salvatore had started the network.
Richard had inherited it.
Victor looked at Carlo.
“Why?”
“Because your father left the legitimate companies to you.”
“So?”
“Richard believes they should have been his.”
Victor laughed coldly.
“This is about money?”
“No.”
Carlo opened another file.
A DNA report.
Victor frowned.
“What is that?”
Carlo’s expression became grim.
“Richard believes he isn’t your uncle.”
Victor stared.
Carlo continued.
“He believes Antonio Romano was not your father.”
The room went silent.
Then he looked toward Mia.
“And if the DNA test is right, Victor…”
May you like
He swallowed.
“Richard Vale is your biological father.”
