Chapter 13 - THE PRICE OF TRUTH
The investigation spread quickly.
News reporters gathered outside Bellucci companies.
Federal agents contacted Carmine’s attorneys.
Old financial transactions were examined.
Former employees were questioned.
Politicians who once smiled beside Vittorio suddenly claimed they barely knew him.
Carmine’s legitimate businesses lost contracts.
Banks froze several accounts.
Investors pulled out.
Marco entered Carmine’s office one evening holding a financial report.
“We may lose almost forty percent of the company.”
Carmine continued reading Leo a picture book.
Marco waited.
Carmine turned the page.
Leo pointed toward a cartoon lion.
“Daddy.”
“What?”
“He looks like you.”
Marco tried not to laugh.
Carmine stared at the orange lion.
“Why?”
“Hair.”
Carmine touched his gray hair.
Marco lost the battle and laughed.
For the first time in weeks, Carmine laughed too.
The sound surprised everyone.
When Leo fell asleep, Carmine returned to the office.
Marco placed the report on the desk.
“Forty percent.”
“I heard you.”
“You don’t care?”
“I care.”
“But?”
Carmine looked toward the hallway.
“I care more about what happens upstairs.”
Marco nodded.
That was new.
Before Leo, money had represented security.
Power.
Control.
Now Carmine understood how easily those things became prisons.
Helena agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.
In exchange for consideration at sentencing, she provided detailed testimony against Vittorio.
She admitted psychological and physical mistreatment of Leo.
She admitted food deprivation.
She admitted manipulating the security system.
She admitted helping create false behavioral reports intended to support future guardianship proceedings.
Her testimony was devastating.
But she refused to apologize publicly.
Carmine did not care.
Leo did not need Helena’s apology.
He needed her absence.
Matteo survived the warehouse shooting.
The bullet had missed his heart.
When Carmine learned, he felt no relief.
No disappointment either.
Only exhaustion.
Matteo requested to see him.
Carmine refused twice.
On the third request, the message contained six words.
I know where Sofia was taken.
Carmine went.
Matteo was handcuffed to a hospital bed.
He looked weak.
Older.
Carmine stood near the door.
“Talk.”
Matteo swallowed.
“My father took Sofia to an abandoned clinic.”
“Where?”
“Indiana.”
“She was alive for hours.”
Carmine stared at him.
“Did you see her?”
Matteo closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Carmine’s hands tightened.
“And you did nothing.”
“I was afraid of him.”
Carmine’s voice became almost inaudible.
“So was everyone.”
Matteo began crying.
“That doesn’t make it right.”
“No.”
“It doesn’t.”
Carmine stepped closer.
“What did Sofia say?”
Matteo looked at him.
“She asked about Leo.”
Carmine’s throat tightened.
“That was all.”
“She kept asking if he survived.”
Matteo looked toward the ceiling.
“I told her yes.”
“She smiled.”
“Then she told me something.”
“What?”
“She said you would burn the world down if you knew.”
Carmine said nothing.
Matteo continued.
“And she said I had to stop you.”
Carmine almost laughed bitterly.
Even dying, Sofia had understood him.
“What else?”
Matteo looked directly at him.
“She said Leo should never grow up believing fear is love.”
May you like
Carmine became still.
The words followed him all the way home.
