Chapter 6 - THE BROTHER WHO LEFT NO GOODBYE
Lorenzo Moretti had been fifty when he died.
His death had been sudden.
One evening, he was discussing contracts.
The next morning, he was unconscious.
By afternoon, he was gone.
Dante had been told his brother suffered a catastrophic medical event.
There had been no reason to suspect otherwise.
At least, that was what everyone believed.
Now investigators were examining whether Lorenzo's death had involved criminal wrongdoing.
Dante hated the uncertainty.
He hated the possibility that he'd spent six months grieving a lie.
He visited Lorenzo's widow, Francesca.
She lived in a quiet house outside Chicago.
When Dante arrived, she looked surprised.
“What's wrong?”
He hesitated.
Then told her what had been discovered.
Francesca sat slowly.
For a long time, she said nothing.
Then she whispered:
“I knew something wasn't right.”
Dante stared.
“What do you mean?”
She looked toward the window.
“Lorenzo was afraid during his final weeks.”
“Of what?”
“He wouldn't say.”
Dante leaned forward.
“Did he mention Victor?”
Francesca's expression changed.
“Yes.”
She swallowed.
“He told me not to trust him.”
Dante felt cold.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Francesca looked at him.
“Because after Lorenzo died, Victor told me that if I questioned anything, the family would suffer.”
Dante stared.
Francesca began crying.
“I was afraid.”
Dante sat beside her.
He wanted to be angry.
But he saw the same fear he'd seen in Elena.
The fear of people who believed powerful men could make their lives disappear.
He took Francesca's hand.
“You should have been safe.”
She looked at him.
“So should Lorenzo.”
Dante closed his eyes.
May you like
For the first time, he understood that his family's reputation had not protected the people he loved.
It had made them afraid to ask for help.
