Chapter 6 - Why Sal Was Really Fired

By sunrise, the engagement dinner felt like something that had happened to strangers.

Vanessa had removed her ring.

She placed it on the kitchen table.

Luca noticed.

He did not touch it.

Neither did she.

Sal made coffee.

Of course he did.

Thirty-four years of habit survived even this.

He poured a cup for Luca.

Luca took it.

Then asked, “Why did Vanessa need you gone tonight?”

Sal looked at Victor.

Victor had finally left.

Not freely.

Luca’s security team escorted him out after Marcus copied the recovered files.

He had not been arrested.

Not yet.

There was still no proof he caused Daniel’s death.

Only proof he had reasons to fear Daniel.

Vanessa sat across from us.

“Because Sal saw me go to Noah.”

“That explains Tuesday.”

Luca shook his head.

“Not tonight.”

He looked at Sal.

“She could have told you to keep quiet.”

Sal rubbed his thumb against the coffee cup.

“She did.”

“Then why fire you?”

Sal looked embarrassed.

“I asked questions.”

I almost laughed.

Not because it was funny.

Because Vanessa had said the same thing to me.

You ask too many questions.

Sal continued.

“When she came back from West Addison, she was crying.”

Vanessa looked down.

“I asked if she was all right.”

Luca waited.

“She said she had to get Noah out before Friday.”

“What happens Friday?”

Vanessa closed her eyes.

“My father was moving him.”

Elena entered the room.

“To Toronto.”

Luca looked at her.

“Why?”

“Because I told Victor I was done hiding.”

Vanessa stared at her sister.

“You confronted him?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Monday.”

Sal nodded.

“That explains Tuesday.”

Elena sat beside her.

“I told him Noah deserved his mother.”

Vanessa’s face tightened.

“You should have called me.”

“I tried.”

“I changed my number.”

“I know.”

They looked at each other.

Two sisters.

Eight years of distance.

Both convinced the other had abandoned them.

Victor had not needed to lock either woman in a room.

He only needed each to believe the other had chosen silence.

Luca looked at Sal.

“So Vanessa wanted you gone because you knew where Noah lived.”

Sal shook his head.

“That was part of it.”

“What else?”

He reached into his pocket.

A small notebook.

His driving log.

Not official.

Personal.

Mileage.

Times.

Addresses.

Gas stops.

Thirty-four years of details.

Vanessa stared at it.

“You kept that?”

“I keep everything.”

Luca almost smiled.

Almost.

Sal opened to Tuesday.

There were two addresses.

West Addison.

Then another.

A warehouse near Cicero Avenue.

Vanessa looked confused.

“I never went there.”

Sal nodded.

“You didn’t.”

Luca frowned.

“Then why is it written?”

“Because after I dropped Vanessa home, Mr. Bellini called me.”

Everyone froze.

“He said his driver was sick.”

Vanessa whispered, “My father called you?”

“Yes.”

“At two in the morning?”

“Yes.”

“What did he want?”

Sal turned the page.

“He asked me to pick him up at that warehouse.”

Luca leaned forward.

“Did you?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“He had a metal file box.”

Sal looked toward Elena.

“Same size as the boxes downstairs.”

Vanessa stood.

“My father removed something from the house?”

“Maybe.”

Sal continued.

“He asked me if I remembered driving Mr. Moretti to West Addison years ago.”

Luca’s expression hardened.

“What did you say?”

“I said yes.”

“And then?”

“He asked what I remembered about Daniel Mercer.”

Silence.

Luca stood.

“That’s why he wanted you gone.”

Sal nodded.

“He wasn’t afraid of the mitten.”

He closed the notebook.

“He was afraid I remembered the warehouse.”

Elena whispered, “What warehouse?”

Sal looked at her.

“The same one where Daniel worked the week before he died.”

Vanessa covered her mouth.

Luca turned toward Marcus, who was still packing the recovered drive.

“Can we find out what was in the missing box?”

Marcus looked at the basement inventory.

“If the files were numbered, maybe.”

They were.

Box 14 was missing.

Victor had taken one box.

Only one.

Luca looked at the shelves.

“What was in fourteen?”

Elena searched the old handwritten index.

Then stopped.

Her face changed.

Vanessa stepped closer.

“What?”

May you like

[COMPLETED] “GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DRESS! YOU’RE NOTHING BUT AN OLD SEAM...

[COMPLETED] At the Mafia Boss's Engagement Party, I Served His Hungry So...

[COMPLETED] The Mafia Boss’s Fiancée Tried to Dismiss His Father’s Loyal...

Elena read the label.

“MERCER — ORIGINALS.”