Chapter 5 - Dante’s Doubts
Back at the Caruso estate, the breakfast room was suffocatingly quiet. Dante sat at the head of the long mahogany table, an untouched cup of espresso growing cold in front of him. On the opposite side, Marisa was daintily spreading apricot jam across toast, speaking in measured, soothing tones about public relations strategies and family reputation.
""We have to file the formal police report by noon, Dante,"" Marisa urged gently, adjusting her reading glasses. ""The insurance company will require it, and the board will demand answers. It breaks my heart, but Julia's disappearance speaks volumes. An innocent woman doesn't walk into the rain without a coat.""
Dante didn't answer. His gaze was fixed on the small velvet tray resting on the console table by the entrance hall. Julia’s engagement ring and diamond studs lay there, gleaming under the chandelier. He kept replaying the look in her eyes before she walked out. There was no fear, no panic, and none of the frantic bargaining of someone caught red-handed. There had only been disgust.
Sal Greco walked into the room, holding an iPad. ""Dante. We checked the secondary vault logs from the east wing terminal. Julia wasn't just browsing the acquisition files yesterday.""
""What was she looking at?"" Dante asked, his voice sharp.
""She pulled the complete shipping manifests and foundation insurance claims dating back to the 2019 warehouse fire,"" Sal said quietly, deliberately avoiding Marisa's gaze. ""And there’s something else. The vault sensors Feld checked yesterday? The maintenance company confirmed Kenny Platt never serviced them. Someone used a manual bypass from the administrative computer upstairs at noon.""
Marisa’s spoon clinked against her porcelain teacup. ""Sal, you're grasping at straws. Julia had administrative access. She worked for the foundation.""
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""She had access to the files, Marisa,"" Sal responded firmly, meeting Dante’s eyes. ""She didn't have access to the master security panel. Only two people have that keycard. Dante... and you.""
Dante stood up from the table, the color draining from his face as a dark, sickening realization began to settle into his chest. For the first time in twenty years, the control he pride himself on was slipping through his fingers like sand.
