Chapter 7 - The Car Behind Her
Valerio refused to answer in front of the board.
That was answer enough.
They drove back to the estate in silence.
Alessia sat in the rear seat with her brace stretched across the leather, watching streetlights move across Valerio’s face.
“Who was behind me?”
He looked out the window.
“Valerio.”
“My brother.”
Alessia’s breath stopped.
Luca Rinaldi had died six months after her crash in what the family called a boating accident.
“Luca saw it happen?”
“He was following you because my father thought someone had been watching the house.”
“And?”
“He saw a black sedan force you toward the barrier. He got the plate.”
“Why didn’t I know this?”
“Because the plate belonged to a company tied to the Caruso family.”
A rival crime organization.
“So you decided it was them.”
“My father did.”
“And you?”
“I wanted to believe him.”
Alessia laughed once, without humor.
“That sentence should be carved over this family’s front door.”
At the estate, Marco brought them the second report.
Luca had handwritten a note at the bottom.
DRIVER WAS NOT CARUSO. I KNOW HIM.
No name.
But there was one detail.
A ring on the driver’s right hand.
Black stone. Gold setting. Family crest.
Valerio’s eyes moved to an old photograph on the study wall.
His father stood beside Cesare.
Cesare’s right hand rested on the back of a chair.
On his finger was the ring.
Alessia stared.
“Your uncle tried to kill me.”
Valerio’s face was unreadable.
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“The ring proves he owned one. Not that he drove.”
For once, Alessia was grateful for his restraint.
Marco entered with another update.
“We found the catering impostor.”
“Alive?” Valerio asked.
“Yes. Police picked him up at Union Station.”
The man had Alessia’s empty purse.
No phone.
No ring.
No flash drive.
But he did have a folded paper in his sock.
A payment receipt for ten thousand dollars.
The payer name was not Veronica.
It was RINALDI PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
Valerio’s own security company.
Marco’s face drained of color.
“Sir…”
Valerio looked at him.
Only three people could authorize payments from that account.
Valerio.
May you like
Marco.
And Valerio’s mother, Sofia Rinaldi.
