Chapter 7 - THE LETTER MATTEO NEVER SENT
The missing brass cylinder was found in a storage facility outside Bologna.
The investigators located it through records connected to the fraudulent moving company.
Inside the cylinder was a narrow strip of paper.
Numbers.
Letters.
And a date.
Lorenzo's technical team examined the markings.
They matched an old archival system used by a private bank in Florence.
Elena stared at the paper.
“Matteo worked with that bank.”
Lorenzo nodded.
“I know.”
The next day, attorneys obtained access to the relevant records through lawful procedures.
The archive contained a sealed envelope deposited by Matteo shortly before his death.
It was addressed to Elena.
She opened it with trembling hands.
Inside was a letter.
My love,
If you're reading this, I wasn't able to come home.
Elena began crying.
Matteo explained that he had discovered financial crimes involving Vittorio and several business partners.
He had collected evidence.
He planned to cooperate with investigators.
But he feared his uncle had learned of his intentions.
The letter continued.
I never wanted our daughter to grow up afraid.
If anything happens to me, tell Mia I loved her more than anything.
Elena covered her mouth.
Lorenzo sat beside her.
She read the final lines.
The truth is not in the money.
It's in the people they paid to disappear.
Lorenzo's expression changed.
The documents contained references to missing witnesses, falsified identities, and suspicious payments connected to old criminal investigations.
He looked at Elena.
“This is bigger than Vittorio.”
She stared.
“What do you mean?”
Lorenzo took a breath.
“Some of these names belong to people who worked with my family.”
Elena went still.
“Your family?”
He nodded.
May you like
For the first time, Lorenzo realized that helping Elena might require him to expose crimes connected to his own past.
And he knew exactly what that could cost.
