Chapter 4 - The Locker Nobody Searched
At 2:03 the next morning, Clara stood outside the Obsidian Lounge.
Lorenzo remained beside the Escalade.
“You are not going inside alone.”
“You’re recognizable.”
“So are you.”
“I used to work here.”
“You’re now on every gossip site in New York.”
Clara pulled a baseball cap lower.
“Very glamorous.”
Lorenzo sighed.
“Five minutes.”
“Ten.”
“Seven.”
“Fine.”
She entered through the employee door with Julian.
Her old locker remained untouched.
“Manager said he was clearing these tomorrow,” Julian whispered.
Clara opened it.
Uniform.
Old sneakers.
A birthday card from Maya.
Nothing else.
“Dad came here sometimes,” Clara said.
“To the lounge?”
“To walk me home.”
She removed the locker’s bottom panel.
Something rattled underneath.
Julian’s eyes widened.
Clara reached inside.
A small flash drive was taped beneath the metal.
“Got you.”
The lights went out.
Julian whispered, “That’s bad.”
Clara grabbed his arm.
“Back door.”
A crash sounded from the hallway.
Then Lorenzo’s voice came through the darkness.
“Clara.”
She froze.
“Here!”
A flashlight appeared.
Lorenzo reached them with Silas.
His calm expression was gone.
“We’re leaving.”
Clara held up the drive.
“I found it.”
“Wonderful. Move.”
They exited through the kitchen.
Outside, two unfamiliar cars were blocking the alley.
Silas quietly said, “Bellini.”
Lorenzo positioned himself between Clara and the vehicles.
Nobody moved for several seconds.
Then the Escalade reversed from the curb, another Moretti vehicle closing the gap behind them.
“Get her in,” Lorenzo ordered.
Clara caught his sleeve.
“Come with me.”
His eyes dropped to her hand.
“Go.”
“Lorenzo.”
“I’m coming.”
She reluctantly entered.
Seconds later, Lorenzo and Silas followed.
Only when the doors locked did Clara exhale.
Lorenzo looked at her.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Maya?”
“Safe.”
He closed his eyes briefly.
Clara watched him.
“You were scared.”
“No.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
His eyes opened.
“I was angry.”
“You were scared.”
Lorenzo looked out the window.
“For approximately four seconds.”
Clara smiled despite herself.
“Terrifying confession.”
---
The flash drive contained hundreds of financial records.
Payments.
Shell corporations.
Judges.
Developers.
Police officials.
And one file named MORETTI.
Clara opened it.
Lorenzo stood behind her.
The document showed repeated transfers between Bellini-controlled companies and a Moretti executive.
Clara read the name.
“Victor Kane.”
Lorenzo’s jaw tightened.
But there was something else.
An audio file.
Clara clicked it.
Her father’s voice filled the study.
“If anything happens to me, Marco Bellini ordered the payments. Victor Kane moved the money. My daughters know nothing.”
Clara stopped breathing.
Daniel continued.
“I made mistakes. I borrowed money after my wife died. But I will not help these men steal from families.”
Maya covered her mouth.
Then another voice entered the recording.
Bellini.
“You have two daughters, Daniel.”
The recording ended.
Clara stared at the screen.
Lorenzo quietly closed the laptop.
“That’s enough.”
“No.”
“Clara.”
“No.”
Her voice remained steady.
“We finish this.”
Lorenzo studied her.
“This is not a game.”
“I know.”
“You have what Bellini wants.”
“Then let’s give him something else.”
“What?”
May you like
“The truth.”
---
