Chapter 2 - The Interrogation
At 9:27 the next morning, Elena entered Dante’s office carrying coffee.
“You’re early,” Dante said.
“Three minutes.”
“You brought coffee to your interrogation?”
“It’s for me.”
She sat.
“You didn’t bring me one?”
“You have hands.”
Marco almost smiled.
Dante pointed toward the door.
“Marco.”
“Yes?”
“Leave.”
When they were alone, Dante opened a folder.
“Elena Cruz. No criminal record. No debt. No known connection to my enemies.”
“You investigated me.”
“I investigate everyone under my roof.”
“Creepy.”
“Necessary.”
“Still creepy.”
He closed the folder.
“Where were you between eleven and midnight?”
“Laundry room.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
“So nobody can verify it.”
“The washing machine can.”
Dante stared at her.
“I think you’re asking the wrong questions,” Elena said.
“Explain.”
“You said someone gave information to an enemy. Whoever did it needed access, a way to communicate, and a reason.”
“That’s obvious.”
“Apparently not. You’re interrogating the maid.”
His expression hardened.
Elena leaned forward.
“You’re angry.”
“I have reason to be.”
“Angry men don’t investigate. They hunt.”
“And what would you suggest?”
“Find the person who changed their routine.”
Dante became still.
“Three days ago,” Elena continued, “your driver stopped eating lunch with security.”
“How did you notice?”
“I clean the kitchen.”
“Anything else?”
“He bought a second phone.”
Silence.
“I found the box in his trash.”
Dante reached for his phone.
Elena raised a finger.
“Before you do something stupid—”
His eyes flashed.
“Excuse me?”
“If he’s involved, confronting him tells everyone else you’re onto them.”
Dante slowly lowered the phone.
“Watch him,” Elena said.
“You’re giving me orders?”
“No. I’m preventing you from ruining my morning.”
She stood.
“Why are you helping me?”
“Because whoever attacked you attacked this house.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
Elena looked around.
“I sleep here.”
She left.
That night, Dante’s driver was caught attempting to send photographs of confidential documents from a hidden phone.
Elena had been right.
The next morning, Dante found her polishing the dining table.
“You were right.”
“I know.”
“No modesty?”
“Would you prefer lying?”
Dante placed an envelope on the table.
“What’s that?”
“Ten thousand dollars.”
Elena pushed it back.
“No.”
“You identified a traitor.”
“And?”
“It’s a reward.”
“I don’t want it.”
“Everyone wants money.”
“I want my paycheck.”
Dante stared at her.
“You don’t understand people who can’t be bought, do you?” she asked.
“Everyone can be bought.”
“Then you’ve surrounded yourself with the wrong people.”
“What do you want?”
“Nothing.”
“Everybody wants something.”
Elena thought.
“Fine. A new vacuum cleaner.”
Dante stared.
“The upstairs one sounds like a dying motorcycle.”
He laughed.
A real laugh.
“What?” Elena asked.
“I’ll get you the vacuum.”
“Good.”
He started toward the door.
“Dante.”
He stopped.
“You forgot your money.”
Something unfamiliar appeared in his expression.
Respect.
He picked up the envelope.
“Dinner tonight.”
“What about it?”
“Eat with me.”
“No.”
Dante looked genuinely confused.
“I wasn’t asking.”
“Then practice.”
Silence.
Finally:
“Would you have dinner with me tonight?”
“Why?”
“Because I want to talk.”
“We’re talking now.”
“Without a mop between us.”
She almost smiled.
“Seven-thirty.”
Dante nodded.
“And I’m not wearing a dress.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“You were thinking it.”
---
At 7:16 p.m., every light in the Moretti estate went out.
At 7:17, the alarms died.
At 7:18, Elena heard the staff entrance unlock.
From the outside.
Someone had come for Dante.
May you like
And the driver had never been the only traitor.
---
