Chapter 5 - THE NECKLACE WITH THE SEVEN-POINTED STAR
At nine o'clock the following morning, Irene walked into Aleandro Vulpe's office carrying a silver necklace and enough fear to make her hands numb.
The building stood in Chicago's financial district.
Forty stories of glass and steel.
The kind of place where people wore expensive suits and pretended the money passing through their hands had never touched anything dirty.
Aleandro waited behind a massive walnut desk.
He wore a dark shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms.
No tie.
No jacket.
His expression was unreadable.
“Miss Corv.”
Irene stopped.
“Mr. Vulpe.”
He gestured toward the chair.
“Sit.”
She remained standing.
“I know what you found.”
Aleandro's eyes narrowed.
“Do you?”
“You know my name.”
He leaned back.
“Isabella Corvino.”
The sound of it made her stomach tighten.
She had not heard him say it since they were children.
Aleandro stood.
“I remember you.”
Irene looked away.
“You remember a girl.”
“I remember a girl who beat me at chess and then told me I was too arrogant to deserve a rematch.”
Despite herself, Irene smiled faintly.
“You were arrogant.”
“I still am.”
The moment passed.
Aleandro's expression became serious.
“Why are you hiding?”
Irene looked at him.
“Because someone murdered my family.”
He said nothing.
“And I think your father helped.”
Aleandro went still.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Aleandro asked:
“Who told you that?”
Irene hesitated.
“Tomas Bellini.”
Aleandro's expression changed.
“He's alive?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“I won't tell you.”
Aleandro studied her.
Then nodded.
“Fair.”
Irene placed the necklace on the desk.
Aleandro stared at the crest.
A wolf beneath a seven-pointed star.
His face changed.
“Where did you get this?”
“My mother.”
He picked it up carefully.
“This belonged to the Corvino family.”
“I know.”
Aleandro turned it over.
Then noticed a tiny seam along the back.
He looked at Irene.
“May I?”
She nodded.
He used a small tool from his desk to open the concealed compartment.
Inside was a miniature storage key.
Aleandro stared.
Then looked at Irene.
“Do you know what this is?”
She shook her head.
He swallowed.
“A key to a private archive.”
Irene felt cold.
“Where?”
Aleandro looked at the crest.
May you like
Then whispered:
“Beneath the old Corvino shipping office in Calabria.”
