Chapter 8: Elena’s Last Witness
Il Destino was dark when Dante and Clara entered through the front doors.
Marco sat at the center table with Lucia beside him.
Her wrists were bound with a plastic tie.
“Where is the drive?” Marco asked.
Dante held it up.
“Release her first.”
“You never learned how negotiation works.”
Clara stepped forward.
“Neither did you.
You threatened Evan, framed me, and took Lucia.
Every time you panic, you create another witness.”
Marco pointed at a chair.
“Sit down.”
“No.”
He smiled at Dante.
“She has courage when it costs someone else.”
Lucia raised her head.
“Don’t give him anything, Dad.”
Marco gripped her shoulder.
Dante took a step.
“Take your hand off her.”
“Throw me the drive.”
Dante tossed it onto the table.
Marco plugged it into a laptop.
An empty folder appeared.
His smile vanished.
“What is this?”
“A copy with nothing on it,” Clara said.
Marco seized Lucia and pulled her upright.
“Then you just made a terrible mistake.”
The restaurant lights came on.
Rico stood near the kitchen with Tomas, Sarah, and the same detective who had removed Leo.
Marco laughed once.
“You brought the police into your own restaurant?”
Rico placed a folder on the table.
“I gave them access to every business record I have.”
“You’ll lose everything.”
“Not everything.”
Clara met his eyes.
This time, he did not look away.
Marco dragged Lucia toward the rear exit.
“Back up.”
Lucia twisted free long enough for Dante to pull her behind him.
The detective closed the distance and cut the tie from her wrists.
Marco reached for the laptop.
Sarah slammed its lid on his fingers.
“That is for three months of unpaid overtime.”
Marco recoiled.
“You stupid waitress!”
“No,” Sarah said.
“That title belongs to the woman who saved Leo while you were frightening him.”
Lucia removed a memory card from beneath the lining of her shoe.
“You searched my coat,” she told Marco.
“You never checked my shoe.”
Dante’s eyes filled.
“Lucia.”
“You can apologize later, Dad.”
She handed the card to the detective, who inserted it into a recorder.
Elena’s voice filled the restaurant.
“Marco, I know you sold Rico’s route to men who wanted him gone.”
Marco’s recorded voice answered, “You have no idea what you found.”
“I found your payments.
I found the false security invoices.
I sent copies to Tomas.”
“You won’t reach the investigator.”
“If anything happens to me, Rico will hear this.”
Marco’s face turned gray.
On the recording, he gave a bitter laugh.
“Rico never listens until someone loses everything.”
The detective stopped the audio.
“Marco Bellini, turn around and place your hands behind your back.”
“You think this proves I arranged the att@ck?” Marco shouted.
“It proves an argument.”
Tomas stepped forward.
“Then listen to the dash camera.”
He opened a video on his phone.
Marco’s voice came from the car speaker.
“Make sure Rico’s car leaves first.
Elena will be in the second vehicle.”
Marco lunged for the phone.
Two officers caught him.
“You all lived because of me!” Marco screamed at Rico.
“I kept your businesses running while your wife tried to destroy us.”
“She tried to save my son from us,” Rico replied.
“You are no better than I am.”
Rico’s jaw tightened.
“That will be for a court to decide.”
The officers pulled Marco toward the entrance.
He twisted back toward Clara.
“When Rico loses his money and his name, he’ll blame you.
Men like him always need someone smaller to punish.”
Clara held his stare.
“He already tried that,” she said.
“Then he came back and told the truth.”
Marco’s smile disappeared.
At the doorway, the detective’s phone rang.
She listened, then looked at Rico.
“The emergency order concerning Leo has been extended.
He will remain with his aunt until tomorrow’s hearing.”
Rico took one step toward her.
“On what grounds?”
May you like
She lowered the phone.
“Someone submitted Elena’s sealed letter to the judge—and in it, she asked that you never have sole custody of Leo.”
