Chapter 10 - THE FATHER WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD
Rafe Santangelo buried his father ten years earlier.
At least, that was what the family told the world.
His name was Lorenzo Santangelo.
He controlled shipping, real estate, and private security businesses across Boston.
He also built a criminal organization that people in the North End still discussed in lowered voices.
According to the official story, Lorenzo died during a private medical emergency.
The funeral was enormous.
Politicians attended.
Business leaders paid respects.
And Rafe inherited an empire he was barely old enough to control.
Now Anna's recording showed Lorenzo alive six years after his supposed death.
Rafe stared at the screen.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then he whispered:
"That's my father."
Elaine Porter looked toward the timestamp.
"We'll need independent verification."
Rafe nodded.
But Billy recognized the expression on his face.
It was the same expression she'd worn when she learned Anna's death might not have been an accident.
Hope mixed with anger.
Grief mixed with disbelief.
The investigators examined the video.
The man's facial features were consistent with Lorenzo's known photographs.
Then another record surfaced.
A private medical invoice from Switzerland.
The patient used an alias.
But the birth date matched Lorenzo Santangelo.
Rafe sat down slowly.
"He let me bury him."
Billy didn't answer.
She knew what it felt like to learn someone you loved had built your grief around a lie.
Finally, she asked:
"Why would he disappear?"
Rafe looked toward the window.
"My father was under investigation before he died."
He swallowed.
"He told me the family needed protection."
Billy studied him.
"Perhaps he meant his assets."
The words hurt.
But Rafe didn't argue.
Within days, investigators located additional financial records connecting Lorenzo to Dominic's companies.
The foundation appeared to have been used to move money between legitimate businesses and entities associated with the older Santangelo organization.
Billy stared at the reports.
"So Anna discovered a laundering operation?"
Elaine answered carefully.
"The records raise that possibility. The transactions need forensic tracing."
Then another document appeared.
An old ownership agreement.
Lorenzo had transferred control of several delivery companies to Dominic shortly before staging his death.
The same companies Billy watched every morning behind the Windmir.
Rafe closed his eyes.
For years, he'd believed Dominic was helping him protect the family legacy.
Now he understood Dominic had been protecting something else.
Then Billy noticed the final page.
An accounting schedule.
Several payments were listed beside Anna's name.
The last payment was made two days after her death.
Its description read:
RISK RESOLUTION — A. ROR.
Billy stopped breathing.
Rafe looked toward her.
"What?"
She pointed toward the amount.
Two hundred thousand dollars.
Then Elaine uncovered the receiving account.
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It belonged to the private security company responsible for investigating Anna's fatal crash.
Someone had paid the investigators who controlled the first version of her story.
