Chapter 10 - The Lie Inside Lorenzo's House
Lydia ran.
The elevator doors began closing.
She caught them with both hands.
Mateo was inside.
Alone.
His wrists were tied.
She entered and hit the stop button.
“I'm here.”
Mateo blinked frantically.
She cut the restraints.
“Lorenzo!”
A voice answered from the hallway.
“Lydia.”
Relief nearly dropped her.
Lorenzo emerged from the darkness.
Blood ran along his temple.
“Blackwood?”
“Gone.”
“Carlo?”
“Gone.”
“Vincent?”
“Alive.”
For now.
They got everyone out.
Vincent was transported to a private hospital under guard.
Back at the estate, Lydia examined Mateo's wheelchair.
Inside the left armrest she found a narrow compartment.
A USB drive.
Mateo's tablet spoke.
CARLO.
PUT.
IT.
THERE.
Lorenzo frowned.
“When?”
BEFORE.
AMBUSH.
Lydia understood.
Carlo had once tried to protect Mateo.
Before betraying him.
Nothing was simple.
The drive contained recordings.
One showed Charles Vane ordering Blackwood to eliminate Frank Coppola.
Another showed Blackwood paying Dr. Cole.
A third showed Carlo arguing with Vane.
“I won't kill Mateo,” Carlo said.
Vane answered, “Then make sure somebody else does.”
Lorenzo stopped the recording.
“He tried to play both sides.”
Lydia nodded.
“And eventually there was no side left that trusted him.”
Another file appeared.
Dated three days before Lydia was hired.
Carlo sat in the Moretti study.
He spoke directly toward the camera.
“If Lydia Coppola enters this house, don't trust her.”
Lydia stared.
Lorenzo looked equally confused.
Carlo continued.
“Not because she's working for Blackwood. Because Frank left something with her without telling her. Vane will come for it.”
Lydia whispered, “What did Dad leave me?”
Mateo looked at her.
Then at her necklace.
She touched it.
A plain silver pendant.
Her father's last birthday gift.
Lydia removed it.
Lorenzo examined the clasp.
There was a seam.
Inside was a tiny memory chip.
For six years she'd carried the evidence around her neck.
They loaded it.
One audio file.
Frank's voice.
“Lydia, I'm sorry.”
She closed her eyes.
“If you're hearing this, then keeping you ignorant didn't keep you safe.”
He described everything.
Then:
“Carlo tried to help us at first. Vincent betrayed him. But fear changes people. Don't decide who is good by what they say when they're safe. Watch what they do when being good costs them something.”
Lydia looked at Lorenzo.
The cameras.
The irony was almost painful.
Frank continued.
“Mateo knows the final account number.”
Mateo typed it.
The account belonged to a shell foundation controlled by Charles Vane.
Enough evidence existed now to expose the network publicly.
Lorenzo could destroy Vane.
But doing so would expose Moretti financial crimes too.
Lydia understood immediately.
“If we release everything, your organization goes down with his.”
“Yes.”
“You could go to prison.”
“Yes.”
Mateo looked at his brother.
Lorenzo stared at the screen.
For his entire adult life, power had meant control.
Now truth demanded surrendering it.
Lydia didn't tell him what to choose.
That choice had to belong to him.
Lorenzo finally said, “Make three copies.”
Carlo's voice came from the doorway.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
He stood there unarmed.
Exhausted.
“Don't release it yet.”
Lorenzo reached for his weapon.
Carlo raised his hands.
“I came back voluntarily.”
“Why?”
“Because Vane has someone.”
“Who?”
Carlo looked at Lydia.
“Daniel Mercer.”
Lydia stood.
Carlo swallowed.
“And he sent a message for you.”
He placed a phone on the table.
The screen showed Mercer tied to a chair.
Behind him stood Charles Vane.
Vane looked into the camera and smiled.
May you like
Then he spoke.
“Bring me Frank Coppola's daughter.”
