Chapter 7 - Carlo Rinaldi Comes Home

Matteo called his father.

For the first time in six years.

The number came from Isabella.

Carlo answered on the third ring.

“Isabella?”

Matteo said:

“No.”

Silence.

Then:

“Matteo.”

His voice was older than Matteo remembered.

But it was him.

Matteo looked at the floor.

Everyone waited.

“You’re alive.”

“Yes.”

“You let me bury you.”

“I know.”

“That seems popular in this family.”

Carlo said nothing.

Matteo continued.

“Elliot has Elena.”

A pause.

Then Carlo’s voice changed.

“How do you know?”

“We have a photograph.”

“Where are you?”

“New York.”

“I’m coming.”

“No.”

“Matteo.”

“You don’t decide things for me anymore.”

Silence.

Then Carlo said:

“Fair.”

Matteo almost smiled.

Almost.

“Tell me about the twenty-five million.”

Carlo exhaled.

“Thomas stole it.”

“Victor told us.”

“Then you know.”

“I know you hid it.”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“St. Agnes.”

“Still there?”

“No.”

Everyone in the room looked at Matteo.

“Where is it?”

Carlo answered:

“With Thomas.”

Anthony moved closer.

Matteo put the call on speaker.

“Thomas is alive?”

Carlo said:

“Yes.”

Anthony laughed.

“Carlo.”

Silence.

Then:

“Anthony.”

“You really collected dead men.”

Carlo’s voice remained calm.

“Only the ones worth keeping away from each other.”

Anthony’s smile disappeared.

Matteo said:

“Where is Thomas?”

“Montreal.”

Rebecca stared.

“The same city my mother knew Isabella was in.”

Carlo said:

“Not a coincidence.”

Matteo looked at Isabella.

She looked away.

“Mom?”

Isabella whispered:

“I knew Thomas was alive.”

Rebecca stood.

“You knew?”

“Yes.”

“Everyone knows everything except the people being lied to.”

No one answered.

Matteo said:

“What does Thomas have to do with Elliot?”

Carlo answered:

“Elliot thinks his father is dead.”

Rebecca frowned.

“He does.”

“No.”

Carlo continued.

“He learned the truth six months ago.”

“How?”

“Thomas contacted him.”

Anthony stared at the phone.

“Why?”

“To give the money back.”

Matteo said:

“Twenty-five million after eighteen years?”

“More now.”

“How much?”

“Nearly sixty.”

Mr. Lawson removed his glasses again.

Carlo continued.

“Thomas invested it.”

Anthony laughed.

“That sounds like Thomas.”

Matteo asked:

“And Elliot wanted more?”

“He wanted the companies.”

“Vaughn Holdings.”

“And several Rinaldi interests tied to old contracts.”

Matteo’s expression hardened.

“That’s why he’s using the ledger.”

“Yes.”

“If he exposes it?”

“Victor goes to prison.”

Victor closed his eyes.

“Anthony goes to prison.”

Anthony shrugged.

“Carlo’s name is damaged.”

Matteo said:

“And mine?”

Carlo hesitated.

Matteo heard it.

“What?”

“The ledger includes transfers through accounts you inherited.”

“I was fourteen.”

“I know.”

“But legally?”

“It can still freeze assets.”

Rebecca whispered:

“So Elliot can weaken both families.”

“Yes.”

“And then buy what’s left.”

“Yes.”

Matteo’s voice became quiet.

“Where is Thomas now?”

Carlo answered:

“On his way to New York.”

Anthony laughed again.

“Of course he is.”

Matteo said:

“Where is Elena being held?”

“We don’t know.”

“I do.”

Everyone turned.

It was Mr. Lawson.

The old lawyer had gone pale.

Matteo stared at him.

“How?”

Mr. Lawson took out his phone.

He showed a message.

Same photograph of Elena.

Different text.

DANIEL, BRING THE ORIGINAL MARRIAGE FILE.

Mr. Lawson looked at Matteo.

“He needs proof Isabella was still married to Anthony.”

“For what?”

“To challenge the estate.”

Rebecca frowned.

“Why does Elliot need that if he controls the company?”

“He doesn’t control all of it.”

Mr. Lawson looked at her.

“Your inheritance is the largest voting block.”

Rebecca stared.

“If Isabella’s marriage to Anthony was still valid—”

“Then Anthony’s estate distribution can be challenged.”

Anthony smiled.

“I’m not dead.”

Mr. Lawson looked at him.

“Which makes the old estate even more unstable.”

Matteo said:

“Elliot wants Rebecca’s shares.”

“Yes.”

“How?”

Mr. Lawson looked at Rebecca.

“If he proves she received them under fraudulent estate documents, he can seek an emergency freeze.”

Rebecca’s face changed.

“And if my real father is Carlo?”

“That creates another dispute.”

Matteo looked at Anthony.

“You told us that because Elliot told you.”

Anthony said nothing.

Matteo stepped closer.

“You didn’t discover it from Elena.”

Anthony smiled faintly.

“You’re learning.”

“Elliot contacted you.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“He wanted me to confirm the first marriage.”

“And in exchange?”

Anthony looked at Isabella.

“He promised me something I’ve wanted for eighteen years.”

“What?”

Anthony said:

“Carlo.”

The hotel room became silent.

Matteo looked at him.

“You came here to bring my father out.”

“Yes.”

Isabella stood.

“You used us.”

Anthony looked at her.

“I used the truth.”

Matteo said:

“Same thing, when you’re careful.”

Anthony shrugged.

Then the hotel door opened.

Matteo’s security man entered.

Behind him stood another older man.

Broad shoulders.

Gray beard.

Dark coat.

Matteo stared.

No photograph was needed.

Carlo Rinaldi looked at his son.

For six years, Matteo had believed that face was underground.

Carlo said:

“Hello, son.”

Matteo did not move.

Then he asked:

“Did you come for me?”

Carlo looked at Anthony.

“No.”

Then at Isabella.

“Yes.”

Anthony smiled.

“Good.”

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Carlo turned back to Matteo.

“And I came to end what I should have ended eighteen years ago.”