Chapter 11 - THE TRAITOR INSIDE
Lorenzo moved Sophia and Lily into the main house under police protection.
Isabella refused to sleep alone.
That night, both girls slept in the same room while two armed guards remained outside.
Sophia sat in the hallway.
Lorenzo brought her coffee.
Neither had slept in nearly thirty hours.
“I’m sorry.”
Sophia looked at him.
“For what?”
“For not seeing what was happening in my own house.”
“You trusted someone.”
“I trusted the wrong person.”
Sophia thought about the staff who watched Valentina humiliate her.
“You’re still trusting people.”
Lorenzo understood.
Someone inside Moretti International had helped Gabriel.
Perhaps several people.
The next morning, Lorenzo called an emergency executive meeting.
Only six senior employees attended.
Sophia remained in an adjacent office with Detective Ramirez.
The executives were told that police had recovered the chapel records.
That was only partly true.
Lorenzo deliberately announced that one ledger listed every person receiving illegal payments.
It did not.
He was setting a trap.
Within twenty minutes, one executive left the room to make a phone call.
Chief Financial Officer Malcolm Reeves.
Detective Ramirez traced the call.
The number belonged to a prepaid phone purchased near River Road.
Police followed Malcolm when he left the estate.
He drove directly to an abandoned warehouse.
Gabriel was not there.
But Victor was.
Both men were arrested.
Victor refused to speak.
Malcolm did not.
Within two hours, he was negotiating for protection.
The conspiracy was larger than anyone expected.
Gabriel had recruited customs officials, trucking contractors, accountants, port supervisors, and two Moretti executives.
They moved illegal cargo through legitimate shipments.
They stole company money.
They forged manifests.
And they planned to frame Lorenzo for everything.
Then Malcolm revealed the worst part.
“Gabriel isn’t trying to escape.”
Lorenzo stared at him through the interrogation room glass.
“What does he want?”
Malcolm swallowed.
“The family vault.”
“What’s inside it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why does he need it?”
Malcolm hesitated.
“Because your father left something there.”
Lorenzo went still.
“My father died six years ago.”
Malcolm nodded.
“He knew Gabriel was alive.”
Sophia felt a chill.
“What did Lorenzo’s father leave?”
Malcolm looked toward her.
“A recording.”
Lorenzo leaned closer.
“Recording of what?”
May you like
Malcolm lowered his voice.
“Gabriel confessing to murder.”
