Chapter 9 - THE SISTER BEHIND THE GLASS
Mira Rostova was found forty-eight hours later.
Investigators traced the threatening messages to a network of rented properties used by a private security contractor connected to Massimo's financial operations.
The rescue was carried out by law enforcement.
Mira was frightened, dehydrated, and exhausted, but alive.
When Selene entered the hospital room, her sister began crying.
"Selene."
Selene crossed the room and embraced her.
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Then Mira whispered, "I'm sorry."
Selene pulled back.
"For what?"
"They made me take the parchment."
Selene shook her head.
"You were threatened."
"I thought they'd hurt you."
Selene closed her eyes.
Mira looked toward the door.
"There's something you need to know."
"What?"
"The man who kept asking questions about your research wasn't Massimo."
Selene frowned.
"Who was it?"
Mira swallowed.
"Professor Harrow."
Selene went still.
"He was there?"
Mira nodded.
"He wanted to know whether you'd translated the final witness."
Selene felt cold.
The final witness.
Her father's journal.
The hidden records.
The ancient cipher.
Everything connected.
"Did he say what it was?"
Mira hesitated.
"He said it wasn't a document."
Selene stared.
"What?"
Mira's voice trembled.
"He said it was a person."
That evening, Selene returned to the recovered microfilm.
She examined the coded names, dates, and transaction references.
One phrase appeared repeatedly.
Ultimus Testis.
The final witness.
She had assumed it referred to an archival source.
But Mira's revelation changed the interpretation.
She compared the phrase with an older legal formula embedded in the Oscan text.
Then she understood.
The final witness wasn't someone who had seen a crime.
It was someone authorized to authenticate the records.
A person whose identity had been concealed inside the cipher.
Selene decoded the final name.
Her hands began shaking.
She called Dante immediately.
"Where are you?"
"At the estate."
"Is Luca with you?"
"Yes."
Selene swallowed.
"Put him on the phone."
Dante frowned.
"Why?"
"Because I know who your father trusted with the original evidence."
A pause.
Then Dante said, "Who?"
May you like
Selene closed her eyes.
"Luca."
