Chapter 9 - The Black Notebook.
The notebook fit easily inside Emma's two hands.
Its cover was cracked at the corners.
A faded elastic band held it shut.
Alessandro stared at it as if it were an explosive device.
"Where did you get that?"
Emma looked at June.
June answered.
"I put it beneath the pay envelope."
Alessandro's patience thinned.
"Why put evidence in a bucket carried by a seven-year-old?"
"Because Sebastian checks staff lockers."
June's voice shook.
"He checks bags."
"He doesn't search children."
Alessandro's eyes became colder.
"There should not be children carrying evidence through my house."
"I know."
"Do you?"
June lowered her eyes.
Emma stepped between them before either adult expected it.
"She was scared."
Alessandro looked down at her.
"That doesn't make it safe."
"I know."
Emma's answer sounded annoyingly like his own.
She held out the notebook.
"But she helped Mom."
Alessandro took it.
The first pages contained dates and dollar amounts.
June had recorded payroll deductions for nearly two years.
Each worker had initials instead of a full name.
Beside many entries were notes describing threats, changed schedules, denied overtime, and sudden penalties after complaints.
The final pages were different.
They listed transfers between a payroll holding account and a company called North Coast Administrative Services.
Marco recognized the name.
"That's one of the old foundation vendors."
June nodded.
"It came back three years ago."
Alessandro turned pages faster.
"Who owns it now?"
"On paper, a holding company."
"In reality?"
"Sebastian's brother-in-law."
Alessandro closed the notebook.
"And Celia wanted this?"
Emma answered.
"She said Mr. Moretti needed it."
"What exactly did she say?"
Emma thought carefully.
"She said you were mad because I took something important."
Alessandro's jaw tightened.
"Then what happened?"
"She brought me here."
"Why here?"
"She said June would explain."
June shook her head.
"Celia called me twenty minutes before they arrived."
"What did she say?"
"That she was done protecting Sebastian."
Marco looked skeptical.
"And you believed her?"
"No."
June glanced toward the back door.
"That's why I had three people waiting upstairs."
"Where are they now?"
"Watching the exits."
Marco's expression became irritated.
"You built your own security plan?"
"Your security plan didn't protect our paychecks."
The words struck harder than June intended.
Marco said nothing.
Alessandro did not defend him.
"Where did Celia go?"
June looked at Emma.
"She got a phone call."
Emma nodded.
"She started crying."
Alessandro crouched beside her again.
"What did she say?"
Emma closed her eyes, concentrating.
"She said, You promised nobody would get hurt."
June's face changed.
"I didn't hear that."
Emma continued.
"Then she said, I gave you the girl, now leave my sister alone."
Alessandro looked at Marco.
Celia was not simply Sebastian's accomplice.
She was being controlled too.
"Who is her sister?"
Marco searched on his tablet.
"Melissa Ward."
"Where does she work?"
"Moretti Community Housing."
Alessandro felt the old foundation scandal widen again.
The housing program was one of the family's largest public charities.
"Get someone to Melissa now."
Marco stepped away to call.
June lowered her voice.
"There's something else in the notebook."
Alessandro looked at her.
"What?"
"Last page."
He reopened it.
The final page contained only a date and an address.
October 13.
Tonight.
Pier 46, warehouse three.
Beneath it were the initials S.V. and A.F.
Sebastian Vale and Anthony Ferraro.
Rosa had told them Anthony was missing.
Now his initials appeared beside a meeting scheduled for that night.
"Who wrote this?"
"Anthony mailed me the notebook three weeks ago."
June clasped her hands tightly.
"That page was already there."
"Did you contact him?"
"I tried."
"No answer?"
"He called me yesterday morning."
Alessandro stared at her.
"You spoke to him yesterday?"
"For less than a minute."
"What did he say?"
June's eyes moved toward Emma.
"He said Sebastian finally agreed to meet."
"Why would Sebastian agree?"
"Anthony told him he had copies of everything."
"And?"
"He said he was going to give Sebastian one chance to return the money before he went public."
Marco returned from his call.
"Melissa Ward is safe."
Alessandro nodded once.
"Good."
Marco looked at the notebook.
"What's the address?"
Alessandro showed him.
Marco's expression darkened.
"That warehouse is leased by North Coast Administrative Services."
June went pale.
"Then Anthony walked into Sebastian's building."
Alessandro checked the time.
It was four forty-five.
The meeting was scheduled for seven.
He looked at Emma.
"You're going back to your mother."
Emma opened her mouth.
"Not negotiable."
She crossed her arms.
"Adults say that when they mean definitely no."
"Correct."
Marco almost smiled again.
Then Alessandro's phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
He answered.
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Then Sebastian Vale spoke.
"You found Ferraro's box."
Alessandro's expression went still.
"Where is he?"
Sebastian ignored the question.
"Bring the notebook to Pier 46."
"You used my employees as a bank account."
"Your father started the arrangement."
"Where is Ferraro?"
A pause followed.
"Alive, for now."
Alessandro's voice dropped.
"If you touch him—"
Sebastian laughed once.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The Moretti threat."
His tone sharpened.
"The same threat everyone in your house has been hearing for years."
Alessandro said nothing.
Sebastian continued.
"Seven o'clock."
"Come alone."
The line went dead.
Before leaving for Pier 46, Alessandro called Sophia himself.
He expected anger when he admitted the meeting involved Anthony Ferraro.
Instead, she was quiet.
"Is Emma listening?"
"No."
"Then tell me the part you're hiding."
Alessandro looked at Marco.
Sophia had learned him quickly.
"Sebastian may be holding Ferraro there."
She inhaled slowly.
"And you're going."
"Yes."
"Because you think you can control it."
Alessandro almost objected.
Then he remembered the week he had just lived through.
"Because I think I can help end it."
Sophia accepted the correction.
"Come back."
The words surprised him.
"Emma will ask where you are."
"Tell her I'm fixing paperwork."
Sophia laughed softly.
"She'll tell you to read it first."
Alessandro smiled despite the warehouse waiting ahead.
"She already has."
As preparations for Pier 46 began, June asked Alessandro what would happen to employees who had helped hide documents.
"That depends on what they did."
June shook her head.
"That's not an answer."
Alessandro corrected himself.
"No one will be punished merely for preserving evidence or speaking to investigators."
"Put it in writing."
He looked at her.
"Tonight?"
"Fear doesn't wait for office hours."
Alessandro turned to one of the lawyers.
"Draft it."
June nodded once.
It was not gratitude.
May you like
It was verification.
Alessandro was beginning to understand the difference.
