Chapter 3 - Dinner With the Dead Man
By morning, the world believed Dante Moretti was dead.
His destroyed car had been recovered from the ravine.
News stations showed helicopters circling the mountain.
Cara watched from Dante’s estate.
The television displayed Vanessa Moretti leaving her Manhattan townhouse dressed in black.
She was crying.
Cara stared.
“She deserves an Oscar.”
Dante stood behind her.
“She always enjoyed attention.”
On television, Vanessa told reporters, “My husband was everything to me.”
Cara looked at Dante.
“Everything?”
“Apparently everything except difficult to murder.”
Cara almost laughed.
Then the front door opened.
Marco entered.
“We confirmed Adrian met Vanessa four times this month.”
“Anything else?”
“Yes.”
Marco placed documents on the table.
“Money is disappearing.”
Dante examined them.
“How much?”
“Nearly eighteen million.”
Cara whistled.
“I once cried because an ATM charged me four dollars.”
Both men looked at her.
“What?”
Marco smiled.
Dante studied the documents.
“They didn’t only want me dead.”
“They wanted the organization,” Marco said.
Cara leaned forward.
“What happens if Vanessa thinks she succeeded?”
Dante looked at her.
“She and Adrian move to the next step.”
“So let them.”
Marco frowned.
Cara continued.
“They think you’re dead. That’s an advantage.”
Dante watched her.
“What are you suggesting?”
“Give them what they want.”
Marco laughed.
Dante didn’t.
Cara pointed toward the television.
“Vanessa thinks she’s a widow. Adrian thinks he’s won. People get careless when they think they’ve already won.”
Dante’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
“You want me to stay dead.”
“For a little longer.”
Marco looked at Dante.
“She’s good.”
“I noticed.”
That evening, Dante’s senior men gathered at the estate.
Only six knew he was alive.
Cara was supposed to remain upstairs.
She lasted twenty minutes.
When she entered the library, every conversation stopped.
Dante looked at her.
“I told you to stay upstairs.”
“And I ignored you.”
“I’m seeing a pattern.”
One older man frowned.
“Why is the waitress here?”
Cara looked at him.
“The waitress is why your boss isn’t currently at the bottom of a ravine.”
Marco covered a smile.
Dante gestured toward an empty chair.
“Sit.”
Cara did.
One lieutenant objected.
“She’s a civilian.”
Dante’s expression turned cold.
“She risked her life while people who swore loyalty to me helped arrange my death.”
Nobody spoke again.
Marco opened a laptop.
“We intercepted communication from Adrian. Tomorrow night, Vanessa is hosting a private gathering at the Moretti Foundation building.”
“For what?” Cara asked.
“To announce Adrian as temporary head of Dante’s companies.”
Cara looked at Dante.
“Fast funeral.”
“Vanessa was always efficient.”
Dante studied the guest list.
Then his expression changed.
“Interesting.”
“What?”
“My attorney is attending.”
Marco cursed quietly.
Cara understood.
“He’s involved?”
“Possibly.”
Dante stood.
“Tomorrow night we end this.”
Cara immediately said, “I’m coming.”
“No.”
“I can identify Adrian.”
“We know what he looks like.”
“I heard the conversation.”
“No.”
“Dante—”
“No.”
The room went silent.
Cara stood.
“You don’t own me.”
Dante approached her.
“This is not about control.”
“It sounds exactly like control.”
“It’s about keeping you alive.”
“I climbed down a cliff for you.”
“And I will spend the rest of my life remembering it.”
That stopped her.
Dante lowered his voice.
“But I will not repay that debt by letting you walk into another danger.”
Cara held his gaze.
“Then come back alive.”
Dante nodded.
“That’s the plan.”
She caught his sleeve as he turned.
“Dante.”
He looked down.
Cara said quietly, “People who think they’ve won make mistakes.”
“Yes.”
“Make sure Vanessa gets enough time to make hers.”
Dante smiled.
“Now you’re thinking like a Moretti.”
Cara released him.
May you like
“That might be the most insulting thing anyone has ever said to me.”
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