Chapter 4 - The Name Luca Had Buried

Luca did not move.

Emma saw the change before Vanessa finished speaking.

Not anger.

Something colder.

Luca’s younger brother, Matteo Moretti, had died eight years earlier.

Officially:

Car accident.

Rain.

High speed.

No witnesses.

The Moretti family had never believed it.

But belief was not evidence.

Luca looked at Vanessa.

“Say that again.”

“DeLuca knows who killed Matteo.”

“How?”

“He was there.”

Silence.

Luca’s hand flattened against the tasting table.

Emma stepped back instinctively.

Vanessa continued.

“Marco was at the club that night.”

“What club?”

“The Imperial.”

Luca’s eyes narrowed.

Matteo had left the Imperial at 1:12 a.m.

The crash happened twenty-three minutes later.

Vanessa swallowed.

“DeLuca says Matteo didn’t leave alone.”

Luca’s face hardened.

“With whom?”

“He never told me.”

“You borrowed money from a man who claimed he knew who murdered my brother, and you never told me.”

“I didn’t know at first.”

“When did you learn?”

“Three months ago.”

Luca laughed once.

A terrible sound.

“And we got engaged two months ago.”

Vanessa began crying harder.

“I was going to tell you.”

“When?”

“After the wedding.”

“Why after?”

“Because DeLuca said if I brought you in before Saturday, Nicholas would disappear.”

Emma looked at Luca.

His expression did not change.

But his fingers had curled into a fist.

Vanessa continued.

“He sent photographs.”

“Of Nicholas?”

“Yes.”

“Taken when?”

“Yesterday.”

Luca looked at the envelope.

“Where is he now?”

“I don’t know.”

“Your brother is missing?”

“He stopped answering this morning.”

Silence.

Luca picked up his phone.

Called Daniel.

“Find Nicholas Bellini.”

“Now?”

“Now.”

He ended the call.

Vanessa stared.

“Luca, you can’t.”

“I can.”

“No. You don’t understand.”

He looked at her.

“Then explain.”

She wiped her face.

“DeLuca doesn’t want only the money.”

Luca’s eyes narrowed.

“What does he want?”

Vanessa looked at the cellar door.

Then at Emma.

Then back at Luca.

“The wedding guest list.”

Silence.

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

Luca knew.

At least he knew enough.

Half the city’s power structure would be inside the Moretti estate Saturday night.

Judges.

Developers.

Union heads.

Bankers.

Politicians.

Men who rarely appeared in the same room.

Luca looked at Vanessa.

“You were going to give him the list.”

She shook her head.

“No.”

“Did he ask?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“I refused.”

Luca studied her.

For once, he believed her.

Then Emma spoke.

Quietly.

“Mr. Moretti.”

He turned.

She pointed toward the cellar doorway.

A small black object was taped beneath the frame.

Luca approached.

Removed it.

A listening device.

Fresh adhesive.

Vanessa went pale.

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Emma whispered:

“He already knew she refused.”