Chapter 7 - Serena’s Mother

Serena stared at her father.

“You said she collapsed at home.”

“She did.”

“You said the doctors could not save her.”

“They could not.”

“That is not what I asked.”

Jonathan looked at Antonio.

Then Matteo.

Then his daughter.

“Your mother was poisoned.”

Serena stopped breathing.

Matteo’s face hardened.

“By Victor?”

Jonathan shook his head.

“I do not know.”

Serena laughed in disbelief.

“You have had nine years.”

“I know.”

“You never investigated?”

“I did.”

“And?”

Jonathan looked down.

“I found the same compound used in two old DeMarco cases.”

Antonio frowned.

“What compound?”

“Digitalis.”

Harold whispered:

“Heart medication.”

Jonathan nodded.

Serena stared.

“You knew someone murdered her.”

“Yes.”

“And you told me aneurysm.”

“Yes.”

She slapped him.

Hard.

Jonathan did not move.

Matteo looked away.

Serena slapped him again.

“You built my entire adult life around lies.”

Jonathan’s voice broke.

“I was trying to keep you out of it.”

“That sentence is poison.”

Silence.

Antonio looked at Jonathan.

“Why does Victor know?”

Jonathan answered:

“Because he sent me the toxicology report.”

Matteo stopped.

“What?”

Jonathan looked at him.

“One page.”

“Why?”

“To remind me he knew.”

Serena whispered:

“So he killed her.”

Jonathan shook his head.

“He wanted me to believe he could have.”

Matteo frowned.

“Could have?”

Jonathan nodded.

“I never proved who administered it.”

Antonio looked toward the dark road.

“Victor is using the same method.”

Matteo understood.

“Fear without certainty.”

“Yes.”

Harold looked at the note.

“One father for another.”

Jonathan stared.

Victor wanted Antonio.

But he also wanted Jonathan afraid.

Matteo took out the broken watch.

Then removed the back plate with a pocket knife.

Inside was a tiny strip of microfilm.

Still there.

Antonio exhaled.

“Good.”

Matteo looked at Jonathan.

“We do not bring him my father.”

Jonathan nodded.

“What do we bring?”

Matteo held up the watch.

“What Victor actually wants.”

Antonio shook his head.

“No.”

Matteo looked at him.

“You hid to protect me.”

“Yes.”

“Now let me protect you.”

Antonio’s face changed.

Matteo continued.

“I am not seventeen.”

Antonio slowly nodded.

Jonathan called a federal contact.

Not local.

A special task force in Nevada that had handled interstate organized crime cases.

They could move quickly.

But not quickly enough.

Victor called again.

“Forty minutes.”

Then:

“No police.”

Matteo almost laughed.

“He always says that?”

Antonio nodded.

“Always.”

The old water plant stood at the edge of a dry reservoir.

Concrete.

Rust.

Broken windows.

Victor waited inside.

Peter sat in a chair.

Hands tied.

Blood at his temple.

Alive.

Victor held a pistol.

Matteo entered alone.

The watch in his hand.

Victor smiled.

“My nephew.”

Matteo stared.

“You raised me.”

“Yes.”

“You lied to me.”

“Yes.”

“You tried to kill my father.”

Victor shrugged.

“He was becoming sentimental.”

Matteo’s jaw tightened.

Victor looked at the watch.

“You opened it.”

“Yes.”

“Give it to me.”

Matteo did not move.

Victor pointed the gun at Peter.

“Now.”

Matteo held up the watch.

“What happened to Serena’s mother?”

Victor smiled.

“Jonathan still wonders?”

Matteo said nothing.

Victor continued.

“She found a file.”

“What file?”

“Antonio’s immunity proposal.”

Matteo frowned.

Victor smiled.

“Jonathan kept a copy.”

Outside, Serena looked at her father.

Jonathan went pale.

Inside, Victor continued.

“Mrs. Cole believed her husband was still working for criminals.”

Matteo looked at him.

“Was he?”

Victor smiled.

“Sometimes.”

Jonathan heard through the hidden transmitter.

He closed his eyes.

Victor continued.

“She threatened to go public.”

“And you poisoned her.”

Victor laughed.

“No.”

Matteo stopped.

“Who did?”

Victor looked toward the door.

“Ask Jonathan.”

Outside, Serena turned.

Her father’s face had collapsed.

“No.”

She whispered it.

Jonathan shook his head.

“I did not poison her.”

Inside, Victor smiled.

“But you gave her the medication.”

Jonathan whispered:

“Oh God.”

Serena stared.

He looked at her.

“Your mother had arrhythmia.”

Victor continued through Matteo’s transmitter.

“Jonathan brought home pills from a doctor I owned.”

Serena covered her mouth.

Jonathan said:

“I did not know.”

Victor’s voice:

“Of course he did not.”

Matteo stared at his uncle.

“You arranged the prescription.”

“Yes.”

“So Jonathan delivered the poison.”

“Yes.”

Matteo’s face went cold.

Victor smiled.

“People are easiest to control when they participate without knowing.”

Outside, Jonathan began crying.

Serena looked at him.

For once, he had no explanation.

Inside, Matteo held the watch tighter.

Victor extended his hand.

“Now.”

Matteo tossed it.

Victor caught it.

Looked at the engraving.

Then smiled.

“At last.”

He opened the back.

Empty.

Victor’s face changed.

Matteo smiled.

“You really think I brought the microfilm?”

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Victor raised the gun.

Then federal agents entered from both sides.