Chapter 3 - Ghosts of the Past
The double mahogany doors of the library slammed open, and Rosa Marchetti rushed inside. Rain dripped from her designer coat, her face pale with horror as she looked at her brother.
"Enzo!" Rosa gasped, throwing her arms around his neck before pulling back to inspect his face. "I heard what happened... Is she alright? Is Claire alive?"
"She's downstairs with Doc Sullivan," Enzo said, keeping his arms steady around his sister. "She survived the night, Rosa. But you have some explaining to do."
Rosa sank into a armchair, burying her face in her hands. "It's my fault, Enzo... I brought her into this."
"How do you know her, Rosa?" Enzo asked, his voice firm yet patient. "And why did Moretti’s men break down her door looking for a ledger?"
Rosa looked up, her eyes bright with tears. "Claire was my roommate in college, before father took over the family operations. Years ago, when her husband passed away in a car accident, she found out he had been forced to work as an accountant for Victor Moretti. Before he died, he hid a master ledger containing thirty years of Moretti’s extortion records, offshore accounts, and political bribes inside a bank safety deposit box."
Enzo held up the brass key Sadie had given him. "This key."
"Yes," Rosa whispered. "Claire called me two weeks ago, terrified. She said someone was following her. I knew the only way to protect her and her daughter permanently was to bring her under the Marchetti umbrella. I arranged the date with you, Enzo, because I knew... I knew if she was under your personal protection, Moretti wouldn't dare touch her."
"You used me as a shield without telling me the truth," Enzo said, a dangerous edge in his tone.
"I was trying to keep her safe!" Rosa cried. "And I wanted you to have a real life, Enzo! You’ve spent thirty-seven years living in the dark, fighting wars father left behind. Claire is kind, she's brilliant, and she deserved a second chance. I never thought Moretti would move this fast!"
Enzo walked over to the window, looking out at the heavy rain falling over his gardens.
"Moretti moved fast because someone tipped him off," Enzo said quietly. "Someone inside our family told Victor that Claire was coming to meet me tonight."
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Rosa gasped. "A traitor?"
"A mole," Enzo corrected, turning back with ice in his gaze. "And until I find them, nobody leaves this compound."
