Chapter 4 - THE TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS
Adrien replayed the tape three times.
The words did not improve.
Which side he chose.
His sister had doubted him.
That hurt more than the accusation against Carlo.
Clara watched him from across the hidden room.
“You were young.”
“I was twenty-eight.”
“Still young enough to be controlled by a father.”
Adrien looked at her.
“You defend people you don’t know often?”
“No.”
She crossed her arms.
“I just recognize families where fear gets called loyalty.”
That landed too accurately.
Adrien opened the sealed envelope.
Inside were Harborlight financial statements.
The trust had been created by Alessandra using inherited money from their mother.
Purpose:
Support children and families displaced by organized violence.
Adrien almost laughed at the irony.
A Moretti charity quietly helping people damaged by Morettis.
Then the numbers changed.
Large withdrawals.
Shell nonprofits.
Consulting payments.
Property purchases.
Signer:
Carlo Moretti.
Millions disappeared.
Daniel discovered it.
Alessandra confronted Carlo.
Then she died.
Daniel disappeared months later.
Clara whispered:
“So my husband knew.”
“Yes.”
“And they killed him.”
“We don’t know that.”
She looked at him.
“Do you believe he ran away?”
Adrien said nothing.
That was answer enough.
Then he saw a company name repeated across the old statements.
Lakefront Maritime Partners.
He had seen it tonight.
On the twenty-million-dollar port agreement he signed one hour before meeting Mia.
His blood went cold.
The transaction transferred a group of warehouse leases and shipping access rights to a consortium partly controlled by Lakefront Maritime.
Carlo had pushed hardest for the deal.
Adrien had approved it because the price was excellent and the territory conflict needed ending.
Clara saw his expression.
“What?”
Adrien left the hidden room without answering.
He crossed the West Wing so quickly Luca had to hurry.
Back in the study, he opened the signed port agreement.
Page seventeen.
Beneficial partner disclosure.
Lakefront Maritime Partners.
Page nineteen.
A newly created charitable redevelopment vehicle.
Harbor Light Community Initiative.
Almost the same name.
Too close.
“Carlo rebuilt it,” Adrien said.
Clara leaned over his shoulder.
“Why?”
“To move money again.”
“But why use the old name?”
“Arrogance.”
Or warning.
Then Luca said:
“Boss.”
Adrien looked up.
Security had flagged a vehicle near the south gate.
Registered to one of Carlo’s men.
The car had been parked there for twenty minutes.
Watching.
Clara’s face went pale.
“My daughter.”
They ran.
Mia’s guest room was empty.
The housekeeper lay unconscious in the hallway, breathing.
No blood.
A cloth beside her.
Drugged.
Clara screamed Mia’s name.
Adrien’s entire body became ice.
Then a giggle came from inside the laundry cabinet.
They opened it.
Mia sat among folded towels holding her rabbit.
“You found me.”
Clara collapsed to her knees and pulled her close.
Adrien closed his eyes.
Alive.
Then Mia held up something.
A black button.
“I took it from the bad man.”
Luca examined it.
Custom suit button.
Silver edge.
Black center.
Engraved C.M.
Carlo Moretti.
But Adrien knew Carlo was still downtown.
He had left the mansion hours earlier.
Which meant someone wearing Carlo’s personal crest had entered the house.
Then Mia said:
“He wanted my bunny.”
Clara froze.
Adrien looked at the gray rabbit from Daniel’s box.
May you like
The one that had held the brass key.
Someone knew exactly what Daniel had hidden.
