Chapter 3: The Call
The phone kept vibrating.
Nobody moved.
Javier stared at the screen as if the name displayed there had become a weapon.
Michael.
Dominic watched his son's name pulse across the screen and felt something cold settle behind his ribs.
“Answer it,” he said.
Javier shook his head.
“It’s not my call.””
Dominic held out his hand.
“No. It’s mine.””
Javier looked at him.
For the first time that night, the arrogance disappeared completely.
“You don’t understand.””
“I understand enough.””
Dominic took the phone.
The call ended.
Immediately, another came through.
Michael again.
Dominic answered.
“Where are you?””
Silence.
Then his son's voice.
“Dad?””
Dominic closed his eyes for half a second.
Michael sounded different.
Not frightened.
Careful.
Like a man trying to measure the distance between himself and a grave.
“I asked where you are.””
“I’m at home.””
“No, you’re not.””
A pause.
“What?””
“You called Javier.””
“I called because I heard there was a problem.””
Dominic looked across the room at Javier.
“Who told you?””
Nobody answered.
Michael said, “Dad, take Leo and leave.””
Dominic's expression changed.
“Why?””
Another pause.
“Just take him and go.””
“Why?””
“I don't have time to explain.””
“You've got time to explain now.””
Michael exhaled.
“Dad…”
Dominic lowered his voice.
“Your name is on the photograph.””
Nothing.
“Your father’s box had a date on it.””
Still nothing.
“And I have a hospital bracelet with Leo’s name in Javier’s pocket.””
The silence on the other end became so complete that Dominic could hear the faint hum of the banquet hall’s air conditioning.
Then Michael whispered, “You found it.””
Dominic stared straight ahead.
Not at Javier.
Not at Mara.
At the polished black floor beneath his shoes.
“You knew.””
“Dad—”
“You knew.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
Dominic laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“Protect me from what?””
Michael’s breathing turned ragged.
“Listen to me. There are things about that night you don't understand.””
“Then explain them.””
“I can't.””
“You can.””
“I can't do this over the phone.””
Dominic gripped the phone tighter.
“You're going to do it somewhere.””
“Dad, please.””
“Where?””
Silence.
“Where, Michael?””
Finally, his son gave him an address.
A private storage facility on the far side of the city.
Dominic knew it.
One of the buildings his family had used for years to store records that were too sensitive for the office and too important to destroy.
“Come alone,” Michael said.
Dominic’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
“Because if anybody follows you, I walk.””
The line went dead.
Dominic slowly lowered the phone.
Mara whispered, “What did he say?””
Dominic didn't answer.
He looked at Javier.
“You knew Michael was involved.””
Javier rubbed his chest where Dominic had hit him.
“I knew enough.””
“What happened the night Leo was born?””
Javier shook his head.
“Ask your son.””
Dominic moved toward him.
Javier stepped back.
“You've already hurt me.””
“I haven't started.””
“Dad.””
The voice came from Dominic’s left.
He turned.
Leo stood beside Mara.
His cheeks were wet. His little chest still rose too quickly.
Dominic softened immediately.
He crossed the room and knelt.
“Hey.””
Leo looked at him.
“Are you mad?””
“I'm angry.””
“At me?””
“Never at you.””
Leo nodded but didn't look convinced.
Dominic gently fixed the collar Javier had twisted.
“Did he say anything else to you?””
Leo thought.
“He said Daddy told him.””
Dominic froze.
“What?””
“He said Daddy told him where to find me.””
Mara's hand flew to her mouth.
Dominic's stomach tightened.
“Your daddy?””
Leo nodded.
“Daddy said I wasn't supposed to tell.””
Dominic looked up.
Mara was crying now.
“Mr. Moretti…”
“Get everyone out.””
She blinked.
“What?””
“Guests first. Then staff.””
“But—”
“Now.””
The room erupted into motion.
Chairs scraped. Shoes moved quickly across marble. Security opened the doors. People whispered as they were escorted out.
Nobody asked questions.
Not with Dominic standing there.
Within minutes, only four people remained.
Dominic.
Leo.
Mara.
Javier.
Dominic pointed at Javier.
“You stay.””
Javier swallowed.
Dominic lifted the old photograph.
“You're going to tell me what Michael was hiding.””
Javier shook his head.
“I swear, I don't know the whole story.””
“Then tell me the part you know.””
Javier looked toward Mara.
“Your hostess found the box. I found her opening it.””
Mara said, “You followed me.””
“Yes.””
“You threatened me.””
“I was trying to stop a leak.””
Dominic's eyes hardened.
“A leak?””
Javier nodded.
“There are financial records in that box.””
Dominic's pulse changed.
“From when?””
“Twelve years ago.””
“Whose?””
Javier hesitated.
“Michael's.””
Dominic stood.
“Take me to the box.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because it's gone.””
“Where?””
Javier stared at the floor.
“Michael took it.””
Mara shook her head.
“No.””
Everyone turned.
Her voice trembled, but she kept going.
“He didn't.””
Dominic stared at her.
“How do you know?””
“Because I saw where Javier put it.””
Javier's face went white.
Mara pointed toward him.
“He didn't give it to Michael.””
Dominic stepped closer.
“Where is it?””
Mara whispered four words.
“In your father's house.””
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“My father’s house burned twelve years ago.””
Mara looked at him.
“Not all of it.””
The banquet hall suddenly felt too warm.
Dominic looked down at Leo.
Then at the photograph.
Then at the man who had just attacked his grandson.
The story he had accepted for twelve years was breaking apart.
And somewhere inside the burned ruins of his childhood home, there was apparently a box Michael had been desperate enough to kill for.
Dominic picked up his coat.
“Javier.””
The man's throat bobbed.
“Yes?””
“You're coming with me.””
Javier stared at him.
“To where?””
Dominic opened the banquet hall doors.
“To the truth.””
As they stepped into the hallway, Dominic's phone vibrated again.
A message from Michael.
Three words.
DON'T TRUST MARA.
Dominic stopped walking.
Mara saw his face.
“What happened?””
He looked at her.
May you like
For the first time that night, doubt entered his eyes.
And Mara knew it.
