Chapter 5 - THE MAN WHO HAD EVERYTHING TO LOSE
Daniel Mercer arrived at Castiglione Holdings furious.
Roman received him in the executive conference room.
Mercer wore an expensive navy suit.
His smile was polished.
His eyes were cold.
“Roman.”
“Daniel.”
Mercer sat.
“I understand you're delaying the investment.”
Roman nodded.
“Pending an independent review.”
Mercer laughed.
“That's unnecessary.”
Roman leaned back.
“Then you shouldn't object.”
Mercer's smile faded.
“Do you know how much work has gone into this transaction?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you suddenly questioning it?”
Roman looked at him.
“Because I discovered discrepancies.”
Mercer stared.
“What discrepancies?”
Roman slid a report across the table.
Mercer glanced at it.
Then looked up.
“Where did you get this?”
Roman smiled faintly.
“Does it matter?”
Mercer closed the folder.
“I think someone is feeding you misinformation.”
Roman nodded.
“Possibly.”
He leaned forward.
“Which is why we're auditing everything.”
After Mercer left, Marco entered.
“He's nervous.”
Roman looked toward the door.
“Good.”
Meanwhile, Nora and Evelyn reviewed the photograph of Sophie.
The image contained several clues.
A street sign.
A distinctive water tower.
A small church in the background.
Investigators began examining possible locations.
Nora stared at the photograph for hours.
She remembered Sophie laughing over cheap coffee.
Sophie complaining about office politics.
Sophie insisting they should report the fraud.
And the last message Sophie had sent:
Don't trust Daniel.
That evening, Nora received another anonymous text.
STOP LOOKING FOR HER.
She forwarded it to Evelyn.
Then sat quietly.
Roman called.
“Are you okay?”
Nora almost lied.
Instead, she said:
“No.”
He was silent for a moment.
Then answered:
“Would you like company?”
Nora closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
When Roman arrived, he brought dinner.
Not from Bellaforte.
From a small neighborhood deli.
Sandwiches.
Soup.
Two slices of chocolate cake.
Nora stared.
“You bought cake?”
He looked embarrassed.
“I wasn't sure what you liked.”
She smiled faintly.
“Chocolate works.”
They ate at her tiny kitchen table.
Roman looked around the apartment.
Books everywhere.
Financial textbooks.
Old accounting manuals.
Legal reference guides.
He smiled.
“You really do read a lot.”
Nora laughed softly.
“I warned you.”
For the first time, they talked about things unrelated to money or danger.
Books.
Music.
Childhood.
The cities they'd lived in.
Roman told her about growing up in Chicago.
Nora told him about her father, who had taught her to balance a checkbook before she turned ten.
At midnight, Roman stood to leave.
Nora walked him to the door.
He hesitated.
“I'm glad you came to my restaurant that night.”
She smiled.
“I was assigned to your table.”
“I know.”
He looked at her.
“Still.”
May you like
Nora watched him leave.
And realized she was beginning to trust a man she'd once believed was the most dangerous person in Chicago.
