Chapter 6 - The Man His Father Trusted
Rocco entered without fear.
For decades, he had been treated like family.
He looked at the documents.
Then at Sadie.
“You always were good with numbers.”
Sadie's voice remained steady.
“You remember me.”
“Of course.”
“You destroyed my career.”
Rocco shrugged.
“I protected mine.”
Enzo stepped forward.
“You stole from my father.”
Rocco looked almost offended.
“I built your father.”
“You robbed him.”
“I made him powerful.”
“You stole three million dollars.”
“I earned more than Tomas ever paid me.”
Enzo's jaw tightened.
Rocco pointed toward Sadie.
“She was supposed to disappear.”
Sadie's hands curled.
“Instead I became a cashier.”
“And even there, you couldn't stop counting.”
Gerald was brought into the room.
He wouldn't look at Sadie.
She asked, “Why?”
Gerald sighed.
“Rocco paid me.”
“At the bank?”
“Yes.”
“At the grocery store?”
“Yes.”
“You knew who I was the entire time.”
“Yes.”
Sadie absorbed that.
Five years.
She had believed her life had collapsed because of one mistake.
It had been deliberate.
Enzo looked at Rocco.
“You arranged the robbery?”
“I told Gerald to solve his problem.”
“You sent a frightened kid into a store with a gun.”
“I didn't choose his methods.”
Enzo's voice hardened.
“That's what cowards always say.”
Rocco laughed.
“You think you're different from Tomas?”
“Yes.”
“You carry his name.”
“I don't carry his excuses.”
Rocco stepped closer.
“You'll never make people forget what this family was.”
“Maybe not.”
Enzo glanced toward Sadie.
“But they can see what we become.”
Police and federal investigators were already waiting downstairs.
Sadie had insisted.
No private punishment.
No disappearance.
No revenge.
Evidence.
Charges.
Court.
Consequences that existed on paper.
Rocco looked at Enzo in disbelief.
“You're handing me to the government?”
“Yes.”
“After everything I've done for you?”
Enzo answered quietly.
“Especially after everything you've done.”
Rocco was escorted away.
Gerald followed.
Evan agreed to cooperate.
His attempted robbery would still have consequences, but his cooperation and the fact that the weapon had been unloaded mattered.
When the building finally became quiet, Sadie sat at her desk.
Enzo approached.
“It's over.”
“No.”
He frowned.
Sadie opened another spreadsheet.
“The restaurant division is off by fourteen dollars and sixty-two cents.”
Enzo stared at her.
Then laughed.
She looked up.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Fourteen dollars is still fourteen dollars.”
“Please never change.”
Sadie's smile faded slightly.
“I spent five years thinking I was guilty because everyone important said I was.”
“You weren't.”
“I know that now.”
Enzo sat opposite her.
“You were right about something else.”
“What?”
“Money wasn't what you needed.”
Sadie looked at him.
“What did I need?”
“Someone to believe you.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Enzo waited.
“I needed to believe myself.”
He smiled.
“Better answer.”
Her phone rang.
Harborview.
Sadie answered.
Her face changed.
Enzo immediately stood.
“What happened?”
Sadie couldn't speak for several seconds.
Then she whispered:
“Ruth's payment deadline is tomorrow.”
Enzo reached for his coat.
Sadie shook her head.
“No money.”
“I know.”
“Enzo—”
“I said I know.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“Driving you.”
“Where?”
May you like
“To finish something you earned.”
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