Chapter 6 - Richard’s Second Attempt

The lights went out.

Complete darkness.

Elena screamed.

A gunshot hit the ceiling.

Sofia shouted:

“Down!”

I dropped beside the piano.

Matteo pulled Elena behind the stone fireplace.

Daniel disappeared into the hallway.

Another shot.

Then footsteps.

Fast.

Sofia fired once.

Someone cursed.

Emergency lights came on.

Red.

Dim.

Richard stood near the doorway.

Gun in hand.

Blood on his sleeve.

Matteo stared at him.

His uncle.

The man who had raised him after both parents “died.”

Richard smiled.

“You should have signed the merger.”

Matteo stepped forward.

“You forged the letters.”

“Yes.”

“Stole from both foundations.”

“Yes.”

“Tried to kill my father.”

Richard looked at Daniel.

“More than once.”

Daniel’s face hardened.

Elena whispered:

“You planted the bomb.”

Richard looked at Victor.

“For him.”

Victor flinched.

Richard continued:

“He was about to talk.”

Sofia lifted her pistol.

Richard pointed his gun at Daniel.

“Put it down.”

Sofia laughed.

“You still think I take orders from you?”

“No.”

Richard’s voice became cold.

“I think you care whether your sister sees her father die.”

Sofia looked at Elena.

That second was enough.

Richard fired.

Matteo hit Daniel sideways.

The bullet struck the wall.

Sofia fired back.

Richard ran into the corridor.

Matteo followed.

Daniel grabbed him.

“No.”

Matteo pulled away.

“He is getting out.”

“Let him.”

Matteo stared.

Daniel pointed to the ledger in Sofia’s hand.

“This is what he cannot survive.”

Sofia looked at Daniel.

“You assume the ledger is real.”

Silence.

Matteo turned.

“What?”

Sofia held it up.

“Decoy.”

Elena stared.

“Then where are the originals?”

Sofia looked at me.

Again.

I almost laughed.

“Why does everyone keep looking at the maid?”

Sofia smiled faintly.

“Because servants see what families stop noticing.”

Then she looked toward the wall.

Above the fireplace was a portrait of Lucia Rinaldi.

Matteo’s mother.

I had dusted it dozens of times.

Sofia said:

“Take it down.”

Matteo and Daniel lifted the painting.

Behind it was a wall safe.

Daniel went still.

“I never knew.”

Sofia replied:

“Lucia did not trust you either.”

Daniel absorbed that.

Matteo looked at Sofia.

“Combination?”

She shook her head.

“Lucia said Matteo would know.”

He frowned.

Then looked at the compass tattoo on his wrist.

His father noticed.

“The compass.”

Matteo touched the black ink.

North.

East.

South.

West.

Four directions.

Four numbers were hidden in the old family motto beneath the portrait frame.

NORTH 7.

EAST 2.

SOUTH 4.

WEST 9.

Matteo entered 7249.

The safe opened.

Inside:

Three ledgers.

Two cassette tapes.

A stack of photographs.

And a sealed letter.

To Matteo.

Again.

He opened the ledgers.

Names.

Dates.

Amounts.

Richard.

Victor.

Police officials.

Judges.

Contractors.

And one name Matteo did not expect.

Daniel Rinaldi.

His father.

Payments.

Millions.

Matteo looked at him.

Daniel went pale.

“No.”

Matteo held up the page.

“You’re in it.”

Daniel stared.

“I never took that money.”

Sofia said:

“You did.”

Everyone turned.

Daniel shook his head.

“I did not.”

Sofia opened one ledger to another page.

“Daniel was not stealing.”

Matteo waited.

“He was paying Richard.”

Daniel looked at her.

“You knew?”

“Yes.”

Matteo stared at his father.

“Why?”

Daniel’s eyes filled.

“Your mother.”

“What about her?”

“Richard had her location.”

Silence.

Daniel continued.

“For eight months, I paid him to keep it hidden.”

Matteo’s face emptied.

“You financed him.”

“To keep Lucia alive.”

“She still died.”

“I know.”

Matteo looked at the millions.

Every answer contained another betrayal.

Sofia said:

“Keep reading.”

Matteo turned pages.

One payment happened after Lucia died.

Then another.

Then another.

For twelve years.

Matteo looked up.

“You kept paying him.”

Daniel did not answer.

“Why?”

Daniel’s face broke.

“Because after Lucia died, Richard threatened you.”

Matteo stared.

Daniel whispered:

“I bought your safety.”

“For twelve years?”

“Yes.”

Matteo laughed quietly.

“You disappeared.”

“Yes.”

“Paid the man who lied to me.”

“Yes.”

“And called that protection.”

Daniel closed his eyes.

“Yes.”

Before Matteo could answer, the estate alarm sounded.

Front gate breached.

Multiple vehicles.

Sofia looked toward the window.

“That is not Richard.”

Matteo asked:

“Who?”

She checked her phone.

Her face changed.

Then she answered:

“Federal agents.”

Victor looked relieved.

Sofia did not.

She pointed at the ledger.

“They are not here to rescue us.”

Matteo frowned.

“Then why?”

Sofia looked at Victor.

“Because someone told them Matteo stole the forty million missing from the foundations.”

Matteo stared.

Victor went pale.

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And outside, loudspeakers ordered Matteo Rinaldi to come out with his hands visible.

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