Chapter 9 - THE MAFIA BOSS'S MISSING SISTER
Roman Costa could intimidate an entire room with one glance.
But the mention of his missing sister had nearly broken him.
We left my father's room and sat in the quiet visitors' lounge.
For several minutes, Roman stared at the floor.
Then he spoke.
"Lucia was twenty-two when she disappeared."
I waited.
"She was studying civil engineering. She hated our family's criminal connections and wanted nothing to do with them."
I looked at him.
"What happened?"
"She was investigating unsafe construction practices at several developments connected to Vincent Caruso."
My stomach tightened.
"Riverside?"
Roman nodded.
"Among others."
He removed his phone and showed me a photograph.
A young woman stood in front of a building site wearing a hard hat.
She had dark hair, bright eyes, and Roman's unmistakable smile.
"She looks happy," I whispered.
"She was."
His voice cracked.
"She wanted to build affordable housing. Places where families didn't have to worry about dangerous wiring, leaking roofs, or landlords who ignored repairs."
I studied the photograph.
"She sounds wonderful."
Roman smiled sadly.
"She was."
I looked up.
"Why was my father involved?"
"Lucia contacted him about construction records. He agreed to help her."
"What records?"
"Evidence that Vincent had approved substandard materials on a project where people later suffered serious injuries."
I felt cold.
"And then she disappeared?"
"Yes."
"Did you think Dad hurt her?"
Roman looked at me.
"No."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because the last confirmed meeting placed them together, and I didn't want to accuse your father without evidence."
I stared at him.
For a moment, I understood something important.
Roman wasn't just trying to recover my father's company.
He was trying to find out what happened to his sister.
Our investigations were connected.
We just didn't know how.
The following morning, Katherine received a response from the independent medical testing service.
The comparison of my father's documented identity with available earlier records supported what I'd always believed.
Arthur Bennett was Arthur Bennett.
Preston's claim had been false.
I cried with relief.
Then we turned our attention to Lucia.
Roman's investigators recovered an old email exchange between her and my father.
The subject line was:
RIVERSIDE SAFETY REPORT — URGENT.
Lucia had written:
Mr. Bennett, I've confirmed the inspection certificates were altered. Vincent knows. I'm afraid he intends to destroy the original reports.
Dad replied:
Don't meet him alone. Bring everything to my office tomorrow. We'll contact the proper authorities.
The next message was never sent.
It sat in Lucia's draft folder.
If something happens to me, tell Roman the truth is hidden where the river meets the glass.
I stared at the words.
"Where the river meets the glass?"
Roman frowned.
"I don't know."
I thought about my architecture classes.
Riverside Medical Center.
The original building plans.
The south atrium.
I suddenly remembered something.
"Roman, the Riverside project had a glass observation gallery overlooking the river."
His eyes sharpened.
"Are you sure?"
"I helped design the preliminary concept."
I grabbed a sheet of paper and began sketching.
The atrium.
The river.
The gallery.
And beneath it, a maintenance access corridor.
Roman leaned closer.
"What's there?"
I looked at him.
"A sealed utility room that was never included in the public construction plans."
He went still.
"Why not?"
"Because Dad changed the design after the project was suspended."
Roman studied the sketch.
Then his phone rang.
Marco.
He answered.
"Boss, we found the Riverside construction archive."
"And?"
Marco hesitated.
"There's a sealed incident report from seven years ago."
Roman's expression darkened.
"About Lucia?"
"Yes."
He turned toward me.
Marco continued.
"The report lists her as a witness to an industrial accident."
My heart pounded.
May you like
Then Marco delivered the revelation that changed everything.
"According to the report, Lucia Costa didn't disappear that night. She was transported to a private medical facility under another name."
