Chapter 2 - THE TAPE LUCA LEFT BEHIND
Tony moved first.
“Marcus, wait.”
That single command saved Vincent.
Marcus looked toward him instead of pulling the closet door fully open.
“Why?”
Tony recovered quickly. “If Vincent’s in there, we don’t know whether he’s armed.”
Marcus gave a bitter laugh. “You said he’d be at the warehouse another hour.”
“Plans change.”
Inside the closet, Vincent slipped the cassette recorder into Elena’s hand.
“Put this inside your apron.”
“What about the ledger?”
“I keep it.”
“You’re going out there?”
“If they search the closet, they find us anyway.”
Elena gripped his wrist.
“Mr. Torino—”
“Vincent.”
It was the first time he had ever asked her to use his first name.
“If something happens, take that tape to the FBI field office on Roosevelt Road. Ask for Daniel Mercer.”
Her expression sharpened.
“You know an FBI agent?”
“Knew.”
That answer created more questions than it settled.
Vincent opened the closet door himself.
Marcus swung around so violently the baseball bat struck the bedframe.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Marcus’s face transformed.
Grief first.
Then rage.
“You.”
Vincent looked toward Tony.
Tony’s hand rested near his jacket.
Not frightened.
Ready.
Vincent understood the geometry immediately. If Marcus shot him, Tony would have a grieving nephew, a dead boss, and a perfect succession crisis. If Vincent shot Marcus, Tony still won.
So Vincent put both hands where everyone could see them.
“You came for the ledger.”
Marcus raised the bat. “I came for the truth.”
Vincent held up the black book.
“Then start by asking why Tony is more afraid of this than I am.”
Tony laughed.
“Twenty-two years and you’re still doing it.”
“Doing what?”
“Turning everything sideways until nobody knows where the lie started.”
Marcus stepped closer to Vincent.
“My father died because of you.”
Vincent’s eyes did not leave Tony.
“No.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No. I expect you to listen.”
Tony snapped, “Marcus, don’t.”
Vincent finally looked at his nephew.
That was the moment Marcus hesitated.
Because for all his rage, Vincent had never begged him for trust.
Not once.
Vincent held the ledger out.
“Your father wrote half of this himself.”
Marcus stared at it.
Tony’s hand slipped inside his jacket.
Elena saw it.
So did Vincent.
“Tony.”
Everyone froze.
Vincent’s voice stayed calm.
“If your hand comes out holding anything, Marcus will finally know which one of us came here expecting him to die.”
Marcus turned.
Tony slowly withdrew his empty hand.
The room went quiet.
Then Vincent said:
“Luca did not die because I ordered his murder.”
He glanced at the recorder hidden beneath Elena’s apron.
“He died because he discovered who had been stealing from us.”
May you like
Tony smiled.
But this time, Marcus saw the fear underneath it.
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