Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WHO CAME BACK FROM THE DEADMargaret Vale arrived at the estate on a rainy Thursday.
She was sixty-two, with silver hair and a quiet voice.
When Nicole saw her, he froze.
Then began crying.
Margaret knelt beside his wheelchair.
"Oh, sweetheart."
Nicole reached for her.
She hugged him.
And for several minutes, neither let go.
Dante stood nearby.
"Margaret, why did you disappear?"
She looked at him.
"Because your father told me to."
Dante went still.
"What?"
Margaret explained that Carlo Falcone had discovered evidence of betrayal within his business network.
He suspected Vittorio Sorello was secretly working with rival criminal groups.
Carlo had planned to confront him.
But before he could, the warehouse fire occurred.
"Your father knew someone was coming for him," Margaret whispered.
Dante stared.
"Why didn't he tell me?"
"He wanted to protect you."
Dante laughed bitterly.
"That worked beautifully."
Margaret lowered her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
She continued.
"Carlo asked me to take Nicole away if anything happened. But the fire spread too quickly."
Nicole began trembling.
Margaret took his hand.
"I thought I'd lost you."
Dante looked at her.
"What happened after the fire?"
"Vittorio's men came looking for me. I ran."
"Why didn't you contact the police?"
"I was terrified. And I didn't know whom to trust."
Margaret produced an old notebook.
Inside were dates, meetings, and handwritten references to payments between Sorello Logistics and several shell companies.
The records matched portions of the recovered shipping documents.
Dante stared at the notebook.
Then looked toward Nicole.
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His brother had spent seven years carrying the memory of a crime nobody believed he could explain.
Now the truth was finally beginning to emerge.
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