Chapter 3 - The Secret From Palermo
The two supposed federal agents disappeared before police arrived.
That answered one question.
It created twenty more.
By 1:00 a.m., Il Vento was empty except for Audrey, Lorenzo, Dante, Alessandro, and two detectives.
Audrey told the detectives about the threatening message.
She did not tell them everything she had overheard.
Not yet.
When they finally left, Lorenzo placed his phone on the table.
“She's safe.”
Audrey frowned.
“Who?”
“The union leader's daughter.”
A video call connected.
A frightened young woman appeared on-screen beside an older man.
“Dad?”
The older man pulled her into his arms.
Audrey looked at Lorenzo.
“You released her.”
“Yes.”
“No conditions?”
“No conditions.”
“Why?”
Lorenzo ended the call.
“You've asked that twice.”
“You haven't answered.”
He studied her.
“Maybe I got tired of being exactly the man you thought I was.”
Audrey had no response.
Dante entered.
“We found the men.”
Lorenzo looked up.
“And?”
“Bellandi.”
Audrey's blood went cold.
“That family died.”
“Most of it,” Dante said.
“Not all.”
He placed a photograph on the table.
The man pictured was around sixty.
Audrey recognized him.
“Carlo.”
Lorenzo frowned.
“You know him?”
“He worked for Vincenzo.”
Dante nodded.
“Carlo Bellandi. Vincenzo's nephew.”
Audrey sat slowly.
“He started the fire.”
Both men looked at her.
“You're sure?” Lorenzo asked.
“I saw him carrying gasoline through the courtyard.”
“Why didn't you tell anyone?”
“I was fourteen.”
Her voice sharpened.
“My mother grabbed me and ran.”
Audrey looked at Lorenzo.
“She died six months later.”
Silence filled the restaurant.
“Pneumonia,” Audrey continued. “We were moving constantly. She refused hospitals because she believed someone would find us.”
Lorenzo sat opposite her.
“Carlo.”
Audrey nodded.
“He wanted Vincenzo dead.”
“And you?”
“I don't know.”
Lorenzo did.
“Inheritance.”
Audrey stared.
“What inheritance?”
“Bellandi had no children.”
“He wasn't my father.”
“No.”
“But legally?”
Audrey understood.
“He listed me as his daughter.”
Lorenzo nodded.
“If you survived, some of Bellandi's holdings would have passed to you.”
“I don't want them.”
“Carlo doesn't care.”
Dante's phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then looked toward Lorenzo.
“We have another problem.”
“What?”
“The union leader contacted the FBI.”
Audrey looked at Lorenzo.
“Good.”
Dante continued.
“He gave them everything.”
Lorenzo didn't react.
“Then we cooperate.”
Dante stared at him.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“Lorenzo, half our dock operation—”
“Was built by men who believed kidnapping someone's daughter was business.”
He looked at Audrey.
“Apparently I've recently been informed that's unacceptable.”
Audrey raised an eyebrow.
“You needed a waitress to explain that?”
“Apparently.”
Dante stared between them.
“This family is becoming strange very quickly.”
Audrey almost smiled.
Then Lorenzo's phone rang.
He answered.
“Falcone.”
A voice spoke.
Audrey couldn't hear the words.
Lorenzo's expression changed.
“Put him through.”
Several seconds passed.
Then Lorenzo activated speakerphone.
A man's voice filled the room.
“Alessandra.”
Audrey knew it immediately.
Carlo Bellandi.
“You survived,” he said.
“So did you.”
Carlo chuckled.
“You always were clever.”
Lorenzo leaned forward.
“If you want to speak with her, you speak through me.”
“Little Lorenzo Falcone.”
Carlo sounded amused.
“Still protecting things that belong to other men?”
Audrey interrupted.
“I don't belong to anyone.”
Silence.
Then Carlo laughed.
“Elizabeth's daughter indeed.”
“What do you want?”
“Something your mother stole.”
“I have nothing.”
“Oh, Alessandra.”
His voice softened.
“You have everything.”
The call ended.
Audrey stared at the phone.
Lorenzo asked, “What did your mother take from Palermo?”
“Nothing.”
“Think.”
Audrey did.
Then she remembered.
Before dying, Elizabeth had given her one object.
A small brass key.
Audrey looked up.
May you like
“I might know.”
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