Chapter 7 - THE MAN STANDING BESIDE DANTE
Marco did not run.
That made everything worse.
When confronted inside Dante’s study, he removed his gun and placed it on the desk.
Dante stared at him.
“Where is Sofia?”
“I don’t know.”
“Wrong answer.”
“I know.”
“Did you take her?”
“No.”
Julian stepped forward.
“You were inside the house the night she disappeared.”
“Yes.”
“You followed her.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Marco looked at Dante.
“Because I work for Lucia.”
Silence.
Dante frowned.
“My sister?”
Marco nodded.
“The sister who died twenty-three years ago?”
“She didn’t die.”
Of course she didn’t.
I almost laughed from exhaustion.
Apparently death certificates were decorative objects in Boston.
Dante sat down slowly.
“Where is she?”
“Boston.”
“You’ve known all these years?”
“Yes.”
“And never told me?”
“She made me swear.”
Dante’s voice sharpened.
“You work for me.”
“I protect you.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“No.”
Marco explained.
Lucia escaped Francesco’s attempt to kill her with Sofia and Elena’s help.
She entered hiding.
For years, she collected evidence against their father’s remaining network.
Marco became her eyes inside Dante’s organization.
“So my sister has been spying on me?”
“She’s been making sure you didn’t become Francesco.”
Dante’s face hardened.
“And?”
Marco looked toward me.
“That assessment has been complicated.”
I almost laughed.
Dante did not.
“What happened to Sofia?”
“Eight months ago, she came to warn us Elena had been murdered.”
“Us?”
“Lucia.”
“Why come to my house?”
“Because she believed Leo would be safest with you.”
Dante looked down at the baby.
Even after knowing he was not biological father, Sofia chose Dante.
That mattered.
Marco continued.
“Sofia saw one of Francesco’s old lieutenants outside the house. She panicked and ran because she thought staying would expose Lena.”
“Who?”
“Victor Bell.”
Dante swore.
I knew nothing about the name.
Julian did.
“He’s still alive?”
Marco nodded.
Victor Bell had managed Francesco’s offshore finances.
After Francesco died, Victor vanished with millions.
More importantly, he knew exactly what Lucia, Sofia, and Elena had stolen.
“He killed Elena?” I asked.
Marco’s face tightened.
“We believe so.”
“And my mother?”
“Probably alive.”
Hope hurt almost more than grief.
“Where?”
“We traced Victor’s accounts to New Hampshire.”
Dante was already standing.
Then Marco said:
“One more thing.”
Naturally.
“Sofia wasn’t running only because of the ledger.”
“What else?”
Marco looked at Julian.
“She discovered why Francesco wanted Lena hidden from birth.”
My father’s face changed.
“No.”
Dante looked between them.
“What?”
Julian closed his eyes.
“My daughter wasn’t hidden because she was mine.”
I felt cold.
“Then why?”
May you like
Marco answered:
“Because under Francesco Rosselli’s original trust, Lena—not Dante—is the controlling heir to the Rosselli fortune.”
