Chapter 8 - The Recording Hidden Under the Restaurant Floor

The Onyx Room was closed.

Lights low.

No customers.

No staff.

Carlo sat at the center booth.

Seventy-two.

Silver hair.

Perfect suit.

Sal stood beside him.

Bruised.

Victor near the bar.

Khloe entered with Enzo.

Luca followed despite being told not to.

Frankie and federal agents waited outside.

Not Enzo’s idea.

Khloe’s.

Copies of the ledger had already been sent.

No single piece of evidence mattered anymore.

Carlo looked at her.

“Rosa’s daughter.”

Khloe stared.

“Carlo.”

He smiled.

“You sound like her.”

“I’ve heard.”

Carlo looked at Enzo.

“You brought a waitress to a family matter.”

Enzo answered:

“She is the family matter.”

Carlo’s smile faded.

Khloe placed the ledger on the table.

“Where is the recording?”

Sal looked at the floor.

Carlo noticed.

“Tell them.”

Sal swallowed.

“Under booth six.”

Khloe frowned.

The booth beside the wall.

The one nobody used.

Enzo looked at Davis.

The manager stood near the kitchen.

He had returned with federal protection.

Davis nodded.

“Rosa hid something during renovations.”

Khloe stared.

Her mother had been in this restaurant.

Long before Khloe worked here.

Sal pulled up the seat panel.

A metal tin beneath the floor.

Inside:

One tape.

Khloe’s hands shook.

Luca carried an old recorder.

They played it.

Rosa’s voice.

Young.

Controlled.

“I am recording this because Carlo changes the truth after everyone leaves the room.”

Khloe closed her eyes.

Her mother.

Then Carlo’s younger voice.

“You will forget what you heard.”

Rosa:

“No.”

Carlo:

“Then your daughter will grow up without you.”

Khloe froze.

Her daughter.

Khloe.

Already born.

Rosa:

“Touch her and Antonio goes public.”

Carlo laughed.

“Antonio already chose Enzo.”

Silence.

Rosa:

“Then he will choose twice.”

The recording shifted.

Victor’s voice.

“Carlo.”

Khloe stared at Victor.

On tape:

“The Romano woman is becoming a problem.”

Carlo:

“Then remove the problem.”

Victor:

“Accident?”

Carlo:

“Car.”

Silence.

Khloe felt nothing at first.

Then everything.

Her mother’s death.

Ordered in one word.

Car.

The tape continued.

Rosa spoke again.

“You just confessed.”

Carlo cursed.

A struggle.

Then the recording stopped.

The room stayed silent.

Victor moved toward the exit.

Enzo said:

“Don’t.”

Victor froze.

Khloe looked at Carlo.

“You knew she recorded you.”

Carlo’s face was pale.

“Not until later.”

“That’s why you searched for the ledger.”

“Yes.”

“That’s why Sal tested me.”

“Yes.”

Sal looked ashamed.

Khloe said:

“And Tommy.”

Sal nodded.

“I’m sorry.”

Khloe stared at him.

“No.”

He looked up.

“You’re afraid.”

“Yes.”

“That is not the same thing.”

Sal lowered his eyes.

Carlo looked at Enzo.

“You think this makes you clean?”

Enzo did not react.

Carlo continued.

“Your father paid people too.”

“I know.”

“He moved weapons.”

“I know.”

“He ordered beatings.”

“I know.”

Khloe looked at Enzo.

He did not defend the dead man.

Carlo said:

“You inherit all of it.”

Enzo answered:

“No.”

Carlo smiled.

“You have no choice.”

Enzo looked around the restaurant.

Then at Khloe.

“That is what everyone keeps saying.”

He picked up the ledger.

Then:

“I am done with that.”

Carlo frowned.

Enzo continued.

“The books go federal.”

Sal stared.

“Boss.”

“The port routes close.”

Victor’s face changed.

“You’ll destroy the family.”

Enzo looked at him.

“No.”

“I’ll destroy the part that requires dead witnesses.”

Silence.

Outside, federal agents entered.

Carlo stood.

“You invited them.”

Khloe answered:

“I did.”

Everyone looked at her.

She shrugged.

“I’m invisible.”

A small smile touched Enzo’s mouth.

Carlo stared.

“You think they protect you?”

Khloe shook her head.

“No.”

“I think evidence protects itself better when twenty people have copies.”

Luca smiled.

Rosa would have liked that.

Victor was arrested.

Carlo too.

Sal cooperated immediately.

Davis did too.

Then Victor said one thing before they took him.

“Khloe.”

She looked at him.

“Your mother did not die at the scene.”

Silence.

Luca went pale.

Khloe stared.

“What?”

Victor smiled weakly.

“She lived three days.”

Khloe’s face emptied.

“You knew.”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“Saint Anne’s Hospital.”

Luca whispered:

“No.”

Victor continued.

“She spoke to someone before she died.”

Khloe’s voice shook.

“Who?”

Victor looked at Enzo.

“His father.”

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