Chapter 7 - THE SAFE PLACE MARCO CHOSE FOR A WOMAN WHO NEVER CAME HOME
Cassidy returned to Lucia the next afternoon.
Her mother was stable.
Angry that Cassidy had missed work.
Therefore improving.
Dominic looked worse.
He had spent the night reviewing Elena’s messages.
Cassidy found him in the kitchen at six in the morning with coffee he had not touched.
“Sleep?”
“No.”
“Bad strategy.”
“So I’m told.”
“What did you find?”
He looked at her.
“You don’t work investigations.”
“You brought me the message.”
“That was a mistake.”
“Then don’t repeat it.”
He almost smiled.
Then:
“Elena wasn’t leaving me permanently.”
Cassidy sat.
“How do you know?”
“She had contacted a lawyer.”
“Divorce?”
“Corporate counsel.”
He slid over an email.
Elena had scheduled a confidential meeting with an outside forensic accountant and attorney.
Subject:
Valente Foundation irregularities / personal safety concern.
“She found the payments.”
“Yes.”
“She planned to tell you?”
Dominic looked away.
“Eventually.”
“What does that mean?”
“The attorney’s notes say Elena believed I would protect Marco if confronted without proof.”
Cassidy said nothing.
No need.
He continued.
“She was right.”
That cost him.
“What was West Town?”
“An unused property with secure underground parking.”
“Marco told her it was safe.”
“Yes.”
“Then sold the time through Anthony.”
“Likely.”
“Why?”
Dominic’s face hardened.
“To take the documents.”
“Not kill her?”
“We don’t know.”
Good.
He was learning the phrase.
Cassidy asked:
“What happened exactly?”
“The fire started after someone forced entry into the garage.”
“Moretti people?”
“Two men linked to them were later killed in an unrelated feud. One had been seen near West Town.”
“That doesn’t prove motive.”
“No.”
“Did you retaliate?”
Dominic went still.
Cassidy immediately regretted asking.
Then he answered.
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Not something you need.”
“Did people get hurt?”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“You were wrong.”
“I may have been.”
“No.”
“If Marco arranged it, your war hit the wrong people.”
His eyes hardened.
“You don’t understand that world.”
“Then explain the moral part.”
He looked away.
Cassidy stood.
“That’s what I thought.”
She found Lucia upstairs with Dr. Levin.
The girl had drawn a house.
Three doors.
One colored red.
Cassidy sat without speaking.
Lucia pushed the page toward her.
Red door.
A man outside.
Marco.
Another man near a car.
Gavin.
Then a third figure.
Anthony.
Lucia had separated them.
Dr. Levin asked:
“Where is Mama?”
Lucia drew Elena inside.
“Where are you?”
Lucia added herself beside Elena.
“Did Mama know the men were outside?”
Lucia shook her head.
“Did you?”
Nod.
“How?”
Lucia made a small circle with her fingers.
WINDOW.
She had seen them from upstairs.
Cassidy’s skin prickled.
“Did Mama see you looking?”
Nod.
“What did she do?”
Lucia drew a line.
A door.
Elena moved Lucia toward a room.
Then Lucia drew flames.
Dr. Levin stopped.
No more.
Later, Dominic asked:
“Did she see Marco?”
“Yes.”
“Outside?”
“Yes.”
“Before the fire?”
“According to the drawing.”
He closed his eyes.
That was more direct than anything before.
Still child memory.
Still not proof alone.
Then Elias entered.
Anthony’s attorney had confirmed a detail.
Marco had given Anthony instructions to hire men to “recover a folder.”
Anthony asked what if Elena resisted.
Marco said:
“She won’t if Lucia is there.”
Cassidy felt sick.
“He used the child as leverage.”
Elias nodded.
Dominic stood so fast the chair fell.
Cassidy moved in front of him.
“Don’t.”
His eyes went cold.
“Move.”
“No.”
“This is not your place.”
“Then fire me.”
“Cassidy.”
“You want to run to Marco because now it’s personal enough?”
“It has always been personal.”
“Then act like Lucia’s father before you act like anything else.”
Silence.
He was breathing hard.
Cassidy continued.
“If you confront him now, he destroys records, leaves, or does something worse.”
“I have people watching him.”
“Good. Use them.”
His jaw tightened.
“You are very comfortable giving orders in my house.”
“I’m a waitress.”
“Formerly suspended.”
“Reinstated.”
“Unfortunately.”
Elias coughed again.
Dominic looked at him.
“Stop enjoying this.”
“Yes, sir.”
The investigation shifted toward financial records.
Marco had supervised foundation vendors that moved millions through questionable programs.
Some services were real.
Some inflated.
Some nonexistent.
Money then flowed into companies tied to Anthony, Gavin, and other intermediaries.
No one yet had proof Marco personally took all of it.
But his wife’s investment account had received deposits from one vendor.
His mortgage had been paid off during the same period.
Motive was becoming measurable.
Then Marco called Dominic.
“They found Anthony.”
“I heard.”
“He’ll lie to save himself.”
“Probably.”
“Dom, you need to move Lucia.”
“No.”
“You’re being emotional.”
Dominic looked toward Cassidy while holding the phone.
“What do you suggest?”
“Lake Geneva. Tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because if Anthony starts talking, Moretti will panic.”
Cassidy saw Dominic’s eyes change.
Marco was still framing the threat outward.
Dominic said:
“I’ll think about it.”
He hung up.
Then Elias said:
“We pulled Lake Geneva property access.”
“What?”
“Someone used a dormant service code yesterday.”
Dominic went still.
“Who has it?”
“Marco’s office.”
Cassidy’s stomach dropped.
The place Marco wanted Lucia moved to had already been entered by someone using his access.
May you like
It was not a safe house.
It was the next location prepared for them.
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