Chapter 5 - The Uncle Who Arrived Too Quickly

They did not have to find Carlo Moretti.

He arrived at Bellarosa on his own.

Twelve minutes after Luca ordered Matteo to locate him.

Nobody had called him.

That was the first problem.

The second was what he said when he entered the office.

“Is Maria all right?”

Luca stared at his uncle.

Carlo stopped.

Too late.

Maria sat beside Emma with a blanket over her shoulders.

Belini stood near the window.

Sofia remained in the adjoining room with security.

Luca asked one question.

“How did you know something happened to her?”

Carlo recovered quickly.

“Belini called me.”

Belini turned.

“No, I didn’t.”

Silence.

Carlo looked at her.

She looked back.

Emma saw the mistake pass between them.

Luca did too.

“Interesting,” he said.

Carlo removed his coat.

“This is absurd.”

“That phrase is becoming popular tonight.”

Carlo ignored him.

“I came because tomorrow’s vote matters.”

Maria’s eyes narrowed.

“More than I do?”

“Of course not.”

“Then why did you ask whether I was all right before anyone told you I was here?”

Carlo had no answer.

Matteo entered behind him.

“Boss.”

Luca held out his hand.

Matteo gave him a phone.

Carlo’s phone.

Taken at the door.

One message thread had been deleted.

Not well enough.

Matteo recovered part of it.

Belini: She took them.

Carlo: Good. Keep Luca calm until symptoms begin.

Maria closed her eyes.

Carlo’s face emptied.

Belini whispered, “You idiot.”

Luca looked at her.

“Thank you.”

Belini realized what she had said.

Carlo moved first.

Not toward the door.

Toward the phone.

Matteo blocked him.

Luca remained seated.

“Sit down, Uncle.”

Carlo laughed.

“You think you understand this?”

“No.”

“I was trying to save the company.”

Maria looked at him.

“By poisoning me?”

“No one was poisoning you.”

Emma spoke.

“You gave an elderly woman medication that was not prescribed to her.”

Carlo turned on her.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I know what the doctor said.”

“You are a waitress.”

Emma’s face tightened.

Luca stood.

The movement was slow.

Carlo noticed.

“So far tonight,” Luca said, “the waitress has been more accurate than my fiancée, my uncle and my mother’s nurse combined.”

Sofia looked ashamed.

Belini looked furious.

Carlo looked afraid.

Luca continued.

“What were the pills supposed to do?”

Carlo said nothing.

Emma watched him.

His eyes moved toward Maria.

Then toward the medical petition.

That was enough.

“Make her look symptomatic,” Emma said.

Carlo’s gaze snapped toward her.

She knew she was right.

“Dizzy. Weak. Confused.”

Carlo’s silence confirmed it.

Maria stood again.

“You wanted the court to believe the petition.”

Carlo finally spoke.

“You were going to destroy the merger.”

“The merger would destroy us.”

“That is not your decision alone.”

“My shares made it my decision.”

Carlo’s anger surfaced.

“And that is the problem.”

Luca’s expression changed.

There it was.

Not concern.

Not strategy.

Resentment.

Carlo had spent years waiting for Maria’s vote to stop mattering.

Tomorrow was his chance.

Belini crossed the room.

“This was not supposed to hurt her.”

Luca looked at her.

“So now you admit it.”

She stopped.

Carlo closed his eyes.

Emma felt Maria’s hand find hers again.

Luca asked the question that mattered.

“Who prepared the petition?”

Carlo said nothing.

“Who arranged the doctor?”

Still nothing.

Matteo’s phone vibrated.

He read the screen.

Then looked at Luca.

“We found him.”

“Who?”

“The physician listed on the incapacity filing.”

Luca’s eyes stayed on Carlo.

“Bring him.”

Matteo hesitated.

“There’s another problem.”

“What?”

“He says he never examined Maria.”

The office went silent.

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Matteo continued.

“But someone signed his name anyway.”