Chapter 5 - The Poisoning Salvatore Survived

Luca stared at Richard.

"Who?"

Richard did not answer.

Dominic moved closer.

Luca held up a hand.

"No."

Then looked at Richard.

"You tell me."

Richard whispered:

"Marco."

Luca's uncle.

The man who later borrowed against Salvatore's shares.

The man who vanished five years ago.

Luca's jaw tightened.

"Why?"

"Control."

"Of the family?"

"Of the port contracts."

Richard continued:

"Salvatore discovered Marco was skimming money."

"He confronted him."

"Marco arranged the poisoning."

Vanessa whispered:

"How did Salvatore survive?"

Richard looked at her.

"Because the dose was wrong."

Luca asked:

"Who helped him disappear?"

"I did."

Silence.

"Why?"

"Because he came to me."

"You were his lawyer."

"Yes."

"You staged the death."

"I arranged records."

"Funeral?"

"Closed casket."

Luca laughed quietly.

"I remember."

He was twenty-seven.

He remembered standing beside that coffin.

Remembered touching the wood.

Remembered promising himself he would never be weak again.

The coffin had been empty.

Luca looked at Richard.

"Did my mother know?"

"No."

"She died believing him dead."

Richard looked down.

"Yes."

That hurt differently.

Luca asked:

"Why didn't he come back after Marco disappeared?"

Richard hesitated.

"Because Marco didn't disappear."

Luca's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"He changed names."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know."

"Do not lie."

Richard's voice broke.

"I truly don't."

Luca stared.

Then Dominic said:

"Storage unit first."

Luca nodded.

One hour later, they returned.

Luca carried three boxes.

His face looked worse than before.

Not physically.

Inside.

He placed the first box on the dining table.

Old letters.

Financial statements.

Medical records.

One passport.

SALVATORE MORETTI.

Different surname.

Different country.

Recent photograph.

Three years old.

Alive.

Vanessa stood across from him.

"I didn't know."

He looked at her.

"I believe you."

She started crying.

It was the first mercy he had given her all night.

Then he opened the second box.

Crane Maritime share transfers.

Twenty-eight percent.

Salvatore's signature.

Not forged.

Luca frowned.

Richard whispered:

"He transferred them."

"To Vanessa."

"No."

"To a trust."

"Why?"

"To keep Marco from taking them."

Luca looked at Vanessa.

"Your name was added later."

Richard nodded.

"By me."

Her face changed.

"You did that."

"Yes."

"Without telling me."

"Yes."

Vanessa laughed through tears.

"So I was collateral too."

Richard closed his eyes.

The pattern widened.

Luca opened the third box.

One sealed envelope.

LUCA.

Salvatore's handwriting.

Luca stared.

He did not open it.

Not yet.

Underneath:

A medical toxicology report.

Poison.

Digitalis.

Non-fatal dose.

Then a police report.

Never filed.

Suspect:

MARCO MORETTI.

And one witness statement.

Gabriel Bellini.

Vanessa's brother.

She stopped breathing.

"My brother."

Luca looked at her.

"Gabriel witnessed the poisoning."

Richard nodded.

"He was twenty-one."

Vanessa stared at her father.

"You knew."

"Yes."

"That's why Carlo—"

She stopped.

Luca frowned.

"What?"

Vanessa looked terrified.

"Nothing."

"Say it."

She shook her head.

Richard whispered:

"Vanessa."

Too late.

Luca stared.

"Who is Carlo?"

Vanessa began crying again.

"My brother's real name."

Silence.

Luca looked at her.

"Gabriel is not Gabriel."

"No."

"Who is he?"

"Carlo Moretti."

Luca went still.

Richard closed his eyes.

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Vanessa whispered:

"Marco's son."