Chapter 3 - The Wedding Was Never About Peace
Matteo returned to the ballroom.
Richard Moretti saw him coming.
“Matteo.”
“Richard.”
“We should speak privately.”
“I prefer witnesses.”
Several conversations nearby stopped.
Richard lowered his voice.
“You embarrassed my family.”
“You tried to steal mine.”
“That clause was a misunderstanding.”
“Seven companies?”
Richard’s smile tightened.
“Business is complicated.”
“Fraud isn’t.”
Richard stepped closer.
“Be careful.”
Matteo’s gaze remained steady.
“Was Daniel Bennett careful?”
Richard’s expression changed.
Only for a second.
But Isabella saw it.
So did Matteo.
Richard recovered.
“I don’t recognize the name.”
Isabella stepped forward.
“That’s interesting.”
Richard looked at her.
“Who are you?”
“Daniel Bennett’s daughter.”
Silence.
Richard stared at her.
Matteo noticed his hand tighten around his glass.
“You said you didn’t recognize the name,” Isabella said.
“I don’t.”
“Then why are you frightened?”
Richard laughed.
“I’m not.”
Matteo moved closer.
“My father knew Daniel.”
“So?”
“You knew him too.”
“No.”
Matteo placed the old photograph on the table.
Richard looked down.
His face changed.
“You were saying?”
Richard stared at the photograph.
“That was decades ago.”
“So now you remember him.”
“I met thousands of people.”
Isabella pointed toward her father.
“You were standing beside him.”
Richard’s eyes hardened.
“Stay out of matters you don’t understand.”
Matteo immediately stepped between them.
“You don’t speak to her like that.”
Richard looked at him.
Something passed between the two men.
A warning.
Then Richard smiled.
“You came to my son’s wedding and accused me of conspiracy because a waitress told you a story.”
“No,” Matteo replied. “I accused you because your contract proved she was right.”
Richard’s smile vanished.
Matteo leaned closer.
“And now your face is proving she’s right again.”
Richard walked away.
Isabella exhaled.
“That went well.”
Matteo almost smiled.
“You enjoy provoking dangerous people?”
“I warned you, didn’t I?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re dangerous.”
“Fair point.”
Adrian approached.
“I found something.”
They moved into the library.
Adrian placed a laptop on the desk.
“Daniel Bennett wasn’t just an accountant.”
Isabella stared at the screen.
“What was he?”
“He was an independent forensic auditor.”
“For whom?”
“Alessandro Rossi.”
Matteo became still.
Adrian continued.
“Your father hired Daniel to investigate money disappearing from three Rossi companies.”
“How much?”
“Nearly eighty million dollars.”
Matteo’s jaw tightened.
“Who was taking it?”
“The investigation never officially concluded.”
“Unofficially?”
Adrian turned the screen.
A recovered memo contained three initials.
R.M.
Isabella whispered, “Richard Moretti.”
Adrian nodded.
“And one more thing.”
He opened another file.
“Daniel discovered someone inside Rossi Holdings was helping him.”
Matteo stared.
“Who?”
“We don’t know.”
A knock came at the door.
Luca entered.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“We have a problem.”
He handed Matteo Isabella’s coat.
The lining had been cut open.
Isabella stared.
“What happened?”
“Someone searched it.”
“For what?”
Luca held up a small brass key.
“This was sewn inside.”
Isabella went pale.
“I’ve never seen that.”
Matteo took the key.
A tiny number had been engraved into the metal.
317.
Adrian looked at Isabella.
“Your father’s?”
“I don’t know.”
Matteo closed his fist around the key.
“Someone at this wedding thought it was.”
Isabella stared toward the ballroom.
“Then whoever searched my coat knows who I am.”
Matteo nodded.
May you like
“And they’re afraid your father left you something.”
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