Chapter 3 - Someone Was Poisoning the Boss
Dominic didn't confront Dr. Vale.
That surprised me.
Instead, he continued behaving normally.
At breakfast, he swallowed his usual pills.
Or pretended to.
Afterward, I found the tablets hidden inside his napkin.
“You learn quickly.”
He glanced at me.
“I didn't become Dominic Russo by announcing when I knew someone was betraying me.”
Luca entered.
“Vale is coming at eleven.”
“Good.”
Luca looked at me.
“She shouldn't be here.”
“I live here,” I said.
“This isn't a family discussion.”
I held up my left hand.
The wedding ring caught the light.
“Technically—”
“Callie.”
Dominic sounded almost amused.
Luca wasn't.
“She complicates things.”
Dominic's expression immediately changed.
“She is my wife.”
“A wife you met two weeks ago.”
“A wife who discovered what none of us did.”
Luca fell silent.
At eleven, Dr. Marcus Vale arrived.
Silver hair.
Tailored suit.
Calm smile.
He shook Dominic's hand.
“You look tired.”
“I haven't been sleeping.”
“Still?”
“Yes.”
Marcus opened his medical bag.
“Perhaps we increase the dosage.”
I watched from across the room.
“Wouldn't that be dangerous?”
Marcus looked at me.
“And you are?”
“My wife,” Dominic said.
Marcus smiled.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
I picked up one of the supplement packets.
“What exactly is this?”
“A natural sleep aid.”
“What's in it?”
His smile weakened.
“A proprietary blend.”
“That's convenient.”
Dominic gave me a warning glance.
Marcus chuckled.
“Young people read three articles online and suddenly believe they're physicians.”
“I didn't read an article.”
I placed the laboratory report on the table.
Marcus stopped smiling.
Dominic watched him carefully.
“Something wrong, doctor?”
Marcus picked up the report.
“This is absurd.”
“Is it inaccurate?”
“I don't know who performed this test.”
“That's not what I asked.”
Marcus looked at Dominic.
“You trust this woman?”
Dominic's voice became quiet.
“Answer her.”
Marcus swallowed.
“The compound could be contamination.”
“From what?”
“I'll investigate.”
“Sit down,” Dominic said.
Marcus froze.
“Dominic—”
“Sit.”
He obeyed.
Dominic leaned forward.
“For three years, I've believed the nightmares were getting worse because I was weak.”
Marcus said nothing.
“I believed the shaking was stress.”
Still nothing.
“I believed I needed more medication because you told me I did.”
“Dominic, you're misunderstanding—”
“Who paid you?”
Marcus went pale.
Nobody moved.
Then Marcus whispered, “I didn't have a choice.”
Luca drew his weapon.
Dominic stopped him.
“Who?”
Marcus looked toward me.
And that was when I knew.
He wasn't afraid of Dominic.
He was afraid of someone else.
“I can't.”
Dominic stood.
“You can.”
“They'll kill my family.”
“Who?”
Marcus closed his eyes.
“The orders didn't come directly.”
“From whom?”
“I received calls.”
“Whose calls?”
“I don't know.”
I noticed something.
“Who delivered the supplements?”
Marcus looked at me.
“A courier.”
“Same person every time?”
“No.”
“Same company?”
He hesitated.
“Yes.”
Dominic leaned closer.
“Name.”
“Bellini Medical Logistics.”
Luca suddenly became very still.
Dominic noticed.
“So did I.
“Luca?”
His lieutenant looked toward the window.
“Bellini belongs to Carlo Bellini.”
“And?”
Luca slowly turned.
“Carlo worked for Vincent.”
Dominic's dead brother.
The room changed.
Dominic's expression became terrifyingly calm.
“Vincent has been dead for three years.”
Luca nodded.
“Then somebody kept his network alive.”
Marcus whispered, “Dominic, I swear I never wanted—”
“Leave.”
Everyone stared.
Marcus blinked.
“What?”
“Take your family and leave Chicago tonight.”
Luca frowned.
“Boss—”
Dominic looked at him.
“He cooperated.”
Marcus stood.
“Thank you.”
“Don't thank me.”
Dominic's voice was ice.
“If you ever come near my wife again, you'll regret surviving today.”
Marcus left.
I watched Dominic.
“You didn't kill him.”
“Disappointed?”
“No.”
“Surprised?”
“Yes.”
Dominic walked toward me.
“My brother believed fear was the only form of loyalty.”
“And you?”
“I used to agree.”
“Used to?”
His eyes held mine.
“Apparently marriage is changing my standards.”
Then Luca's phone rang.
He answered.
His face immediately tightened.
“What?”
Dominic asked.
Luca lowered the phone.
“Bellini Medical Logistics is empty.”
“Empty?”
“They cleared the warehouse sometime this morning.”
Dominic looked at me.
Someone knew we'd discovered the poisoning.
And whoever they were...
May you like
they were already moving.
---
