Chapter 5
Ellie survived.
Barely.
Dr. Greene stabilized her in the medical suite while Hannah sat beside the bed, both hands wrapped around her daughter’s tiny fingers.
I stood outside the glass door.
I had ordered assassinations with less rage than I felt watching that child breathe through a mask.
Tony approached.
“The runner was fake. Badge stolen. Camera caught only part of his face.”
“Send it to everyone.”
“I did.”
“And the tray?”
“Peanut oil on the toast. Deliberate.”
I turned toward him.
“Someone tried to kill her inside my house.”
Tony lowered his head.
“Yes.”
“Then my house is no longer secure.”
He flinched like I had slapped him.
Good.
By noon, I had every staff member questioned.
By two, I had my cousin Matteo in my office.
He arrived in a charcoal suit, smiling like this was a business dispute.
“Adrian, I heard about the unfortunate incident.”
“Which one?”
His smile thinned.
“The child.”
“Interesting. Most people start with the poison.”
He shrugged.
“You survived.”
I studied him.
Matteo had managed several of my legitimate companies for years.
He was clever.
Ambitious.
Too polished.
My late wife Elena never trusted him.
I should have listened.
I placed David Carter’s photo on the desk.
“Know him?”
Matteo glanced down.
“No.”
“Try again.”
“I meet hundreds of workers.”
“Three days after this photo, he died.”
“Construction is dangerous.”
I stood.
“So is lying to me.”
For the first time, his eyes flickered.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A distorted voice whispered, “The child should have kept her medicine.”
My hand tightened.
Matteo looked too still.
The voice continued.
“You lost one daughter in fire, Moretti. Do not collect another.”
The line died.
I looked at Matteo.
His face was pale.
Not surprised.
Afraid.
“Who was that?” I asked.
He swallowed.
“I don’t know.”
I stepped closer.
“Then why do you look like you do?”
May you like
Matteo said nothing.
And in that silence, my wife’s ghost finally began to speak.
