Chapter 6 - THE ENEMY AT THE TABLELuca Ferretti arrived at the Romano estate the following evening wearing a charcoal suit and the expression of a grieving friend.
Genevieve hated him immediately.
She watched through the security monitor as his black Mercedes passed the gate.
“He came willingly?”
Alessandro stood beside her.
“He believes I do not know.”
“Why would he believe that?”
“Because Mateo called him this morning.”
Genevieve glanced toward Mateo.
The consigliere sat in a chair near the fireplace, his injured arm still supported by a sling.
“What did you tell him?”
“That Alessandro is unstable after Vincenzo’s betrayal.”
“And?”
“That several captains are discussing succession.”
Genevieve frowned.
“You told him Alessandro might lose control of the family?”
Mateo smiled.
“Luca arrived six hours early.”
Alessandro adjusted his cuff.
“Ambitious men are extremely punctual when they smell blood.”
Genevieve looked toward the monitor.
Luca stepped from the car.
He was fifty-two.
Broad-shouldered.
Silver beginning at his temples.
Genevieve had met him dozens of times.
Christmas dinners.
Weddings.
Funerals.
He once danced with her at a New Year’s Eve party.
Another betrayal hidden behind familiarity.
Her stomach tightened.
Alessandro noticed.
“You do not have to be downstairs.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Evie.”
“You promised.”
“I know what I promised.”
“Then stop trying to protect me from the information I asked for.”
“I am trying to protect you from Luca.”
She looked at him.
“By making me disappear upstairs while the men decide everything?”
His mouth flattened.
“That is not what I said.”
“It is what you meant.”
Mateo quietly rose.
“I am going to inspect the dining room.”
Neither of them acknowledged him leaving.
Alessandro moved closer.
“You gave birth seven days ago.”
“I noticed.”
“You were nearly killed.”
“So were you.”
“I am accustomed to people trying to kill me.”
“That is not comforting.”
He exhaled.
Genevieve’s expression softened.
“Sandro.”
“What?”
“If Lucia and I are the reason you want to change this family, then I cannot remain completely outside it.”
“I do not want you inside it.”
“I am already inside.”
The truth hurt both of them.
Genevieve touched his arm.
“I married you.”
She looked toward the bassinet across the room.
“I gave your daughter your name.”
Her eyes returned to his.
“There is no safe distance anymore.”
Alessandro knew she was right.
He hated that.
“All right.”
She smiled faintly.
“But you stay beside me.”
“I planned to.”
“And if anything feels wrong—”
“I leave.”
“Immediately.”
“Yes.”
He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“You are becoming extremely difficult.”
“I learned from you.”
They met Luca in the library.
He entered smiling.
“Sandro.”
His arms opened.
“My brother.”
Alessandro accepted the embrace.
Genevieve watched Luca carefully.
His surprise at seeing her was almost invisible.
Almost.
“Genevieve.”
He stepped toward her.
“Madonna.”
Emotion filled his face with practiced perfection.
“You’re alive.”
“So I’ve been told.”
He kissed both her cheeks.
“I prayed for you every day.”
Genevieve smiled.
“Did you?”
Something flickered in Luca’s eyes.
Then it disappeared.
“For all of you.”
He looked toward Alessandro.
“And your daughter. Mateo told me.”
“Lucia.”
“Beautiful name.”
Luca sat.
A bottle of bourbon waited on the table.
Alessandro poured two glasses.
Not one for Genevieve.
She almost laughed.
Certain habits would take longer to change.
Luca accepted the drink.
“To survival.”
Alessandro raised his glass.
“To truth.”
Their eyes met.
Luca drank.
Genevieve sat near the fireplace.
The first twenty minutes were almost boring.
Territories.
Businesses.
Rumors about police investigations.
The consequences of Vincenzo’s death.
Luca played his role flawlessly.
Concerned captain.
Loyal friend.
Experienced adviser.
Eventually he leaned forward.
“The family is frightened.”
“Of what?” Alessandro asked.
“Instability.”
“Vincenzo caused the instability.”
“And now Vincenzo is dead.”
Luca spread his hands.
“But twenty-seven crews have heard different versions of what happened.”
“Then give them the correct one.”
“And what is that?”
“Vincenzo betrayed me.”
Luca nodded slowly.
“Simple.”
“It is.”
“Perhaps too simple.”
Genevieve watched Alessandro’s face.
Nothing changed.
“What are you suggesting?”
“I am suggesting people will ask how Vincenzo operated for years without anyone noticing.”
Luca took another drink.
“They will ask whether others were involved.”
“Were they?”
A pause.
Luca smiled.
“That is what we need to discover.”
Genevieve felt her pulse accelerate.
He was probing.
Trying to determine what Alessandro knew.
Alessandro leaned back.
“I already have.”
Luca’s fingers stopped around the glass.
Only for one second.
“What did you find?”
“Enough.”
Alessandro smiled without warmth.
Luca looked toward Genevieve.
Then back.
“If you need help, you know I am loyal.”
Genevieve could no longer remain silent.
“Were you loyal to Leo?”
Luca turned toward her.
The room changed.
Alessandro did not move.
Mateo stood near the door.
Luca’s expression became sympathetic.
“Your brother’s death was a tragedy.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
“Genevieve.”
Luca sighed.
“Leo made mistakes.”
“What mistakes?”
“He stole.”
“No.”
The answer came sharply.
“He discovered someone else stealing.”
Luca stared at her.
Genevieve saw it.
Not guilt.
Calculation.
“You have evidence?”
“I have my brother’s watch.”
For the first time Luca lost control.
His face changed.
Tiny.
Immediate.
Enough.
Alessandro saw it too.
Luca stood.
“Where did you get that?”
Genevieve’s heart slammed against her ribs.
Alessandro remained seated.
“Interesting question.”
Luca looked at him.
“Sandro.”
“You did not ask what was on the watch.”
Silence.
“You asked where we found it.”
Luca slowly lowered his glass.
Alessandro stood.
“Sit down.”
“Sandro, whatever you think—”
“Sit.”
Luca looked toward the door.
Mateo blocked it.
He sat.
Alessandro walked around the table.
“You worked with Vincenzo.”
“No.”
“Leo recorded you.”
Luca’s eyes hardened.
“That idiot.”
Genevieve went cold.
Alessandro stopped.
“Careful.”
The single word carried more danger than shouting ever could.
Luca realized his mistake.
But it was too late.
“You knew he had evidence,” Genevieve said.
Luca looked at her.
“He did not understand what he found.”
“Then explain it.”
“This does not concern you.”
Alessandro’s hand slammed against the table.
The bourbon glasses jumped.
“She is my wife.”
His voice became deadly calm.
“You will answer her exactly as you would answer me.”
Luca stared at him.
Something changed.
The loyal captain disappeared.
“I told Vincenzo she would make you weak.”
Alessandro’s face went blank.
Luca laughed bitterly.
“And look at you.”
He gestured toward Genevieve.
“She sits at the table now?”
Genevieve said nothing.
“She questions captains?”
Luca shook his head.
“Your father would be ashamed.”
“My father is dead.”
“And soon everything he built will be too.”
Alessandro leaned toward him.
“Who else?”
Luca smiled.
“You think Vincenzo created this?”
“No.”
For a moment, arrogance returned.
“Vincenzo was useful.”
“Who else?”
“You still do not understand.”
Luca turned toward Genevieve.
“Leo did.”
Her breathing stopped.
“What did my brother understand?”
“That the Romano family is not the largest organization in this room anymore.”
Luca’s eyes returned to Alessandro.
“Money became larger than blood years ago.”
“Names.”
“Federal contracts. Port authorities. Judges. prosecutors. Private security companies.”
His smile widened.
“You cannot shoot a bank account, Sandro.”
Alessandro’s expression did not change.
“Watch me.”
Genevieve touched his wrist.
He glanced at her.
The contact reminded him.
They needed Luca alive.
Luca saw it.
And smiled.
“That.”
He pointed toward Genevieve’s hand.
“That is why you lose.”
“No,” Genevieve said.
Luca looked at her.
“That is why Vincenzo lost.”
His smile disappeared.
Genevieve stood.
“You thought love made him predictable.”
“It did.”
“You believed he would destroy himself searching for me.”
“He nearly did.”
“But he is still here.”
She moved closer.
“And so am I.”
Luca’s eyes narrowed.
Genevieve continued.
“Leo left records.”
A lie.
They had records, but not enough.
“He documented every transfer.”
Another lie.
“We know which accounts Vincenzo used.”
Partially true.
“And by tomorrow morning every person involved will assume Luca Ferretti gave us their names.”
Luca’s face changed.
Alessandro looked at Genevieve.
He understood immediately.
She was not threatening Luca.
She was making his allies afraid of him.
“No.”
Luca stood again.
Mateo drew his weapon.
Genevieve did not move.
“You cannot do that.”
“Why?”
“They will kill my family.”
There.
The first real fear.
Genevieve’s voice became softer.
“Then start talking.”
Luca stared at her.
Minutes passed.
Finally he lowered himself into the chair.
“My son.”
Alessandro frowned.
“What?”
“They have my son.”
Luca’s arrogance cracked.
“Vincenzo arranged it three years ago.”
Genevieve glanced toward Alessandro.
“He told everyone Marco was studying in Spain.”
“He was.”
Luca swallowed.
“At first.”
His hands trembled.
“Then they took him.”
“Who?”
“The person above Vincenzo.”
Alessandro stepped closer.
“Name.”
Luca closed his eyes.
When he spoke, the answer surprised everyone.
“Evelyn Shaw.”
Genevieve recognized it.
The federal prosecutor from Leo’s photograph.
Luca laughed weakly.
“You think criminals control New York?”
He looked toward Alessandro.
“Politicians believe they control it.”
“Police believe they control it.”
“Families like ours believe we control it.”
His eyes became hollow.
“But people like Evelyn Shaw learned decades ago that the easiest way to control organized crime is not to destroy it.”
He swallowed.
“It is to own it.”
Alessandro’s expression darkened.
Luca continued.
“She protected Vincenzo from investigations.”
“In exchange?”
“Money.”
“What else?”
“Information.”
“What information?”
“Everything.”
Luca looked around the room.
“Romano routes. Costa routes. Judges. Police officers. Politicians.”
Genevieve felt cold.
“She used Vincenzo to create crimes and then prosecuted the competitors?”
“Yes.”
“And Leo found out?”
“Yes.”
Luca’s voice weakened.
“He traced payments to a shell company connected to Shaw’s husband.”
Genevieve’s eyes filled.
“So she ordered Leo’s death.”
Luca looked away.
“Yes.”
The word seemed to stop time.
Alessandro’s hand tightened.
Genevieve’s tears returned, but she refused to let them fall.
“Where is your son?”
“I do not know.”
“Is he alive?”
Luca’s face broke.
“I get a photograph every month.”
Genevieve looked toward Alessandro.
Everything had changed again.
Luca was guilty.
But he was also trapped.
And the conspiracy reached far beyond the Romano family.
Mateo’s phone suddenly vibrated.
He checked it.
Then his face drained.
“Boss.”
Alessandro turned.
“What?”
“Security just intercepted a transmission.”
“From where?”
“One of the radios belonging to the new detail.”
Mateo stared at the screen.
“Someone inside the estate is communicating with an outside team.”
Alessandro’s eyes moved toward the ceiling.
Lucia was upstairs.
Genevieve felt the same realization.
She ran.
Pain tore through her abdomen.
Alessandro caught her before she reached the door.
“Lucia.”
“I know.”
A gunshot sounded upstairs.
Then another.
Alessandro’s face changed.
“Mateo.”
“Go.”
Genevieve forgot the incision.
Forgot the pain.
Forgot everything except her daughter.
The three of them rushed into the corridor.
May you like
Above them, an alarm began screaming.
And somewhere on the second floor, Lucia Romano started crying.
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