Chapter 18 - Before the Bells
At five Sunday morning Massimo canceled every unsecured element of the wedding.
Food.
Drinks.
Transportation.
Private rooms.
Even ceremonial candles were inspected.
Three hundred guests still believed they were attending the social event of the year.
In reality they were walking into one of the most controlled spaces in New York.
Marco hated it.
“We should evacuate the whole thing.”
“The remaining threat may be a bluff.”
“Vivian has not exactly built credibility.”
“No.”
Massimo looked toward the cathedral doors.
“But if we cancel, she disappears.”
Police had enough to arrest Vivian already.
Massimo knew that.
The remaining question was whether Damian, Vale and Lowell would all remain exposed.
More importantly, prosecutors wanted the offshore-transfer attempt to occur under controlled conditions.
That would turn a complicated family dispute into undeniable fraud.
Lucia arrived at nine.
She wore midnight blue instead of the silver dress Vivian selected.
“Wedding rebellion?” Massimo asked.
“Your father hated this color.”
“That seems an odd reason.”
“It is why I stopped wearing it.”
Lucia smiled.
“I’m correcting many foolish habits this week.”
Sophie arrived beside her wearing a simple dark green dress.
No housekeeping uniform.
Massimo noticed.
Sophie noticed him noticing.
“Don’t.”
“What?”
“Whatever expensive-person compliment you were preparing.”
“I was going to say you look nice.”
“That was surprisingly normal.”
“I practice.”
For a few seconds the nightmare receded.
Then church bells began.
Guests arrived.
Politicians.
Business leaders.
Relatives.
Employees.
People who had known Enzo.
People who remembered Carlo.
Damian entered alone.
He approached Massimo.
“You have police everywhere.”
“You expected less?”
“I expected subtlety.”
“They’re subtle enough for everyone except criminals.”
Damian almost smiled.
Then he became serious.
“I’m not going through with the transfer.”
Massimo studied him.
“Are you willing to tell prosecutors?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“After the ceremony.”
“Why after?”
“Because Vivian will run if I vanish now.”
Massimo nodded.
It was imperfect.
But it was a choice.
“Thank you.”
Damian looked wounded.
“Don’t thank me.”
“Fair.”
Arthur Vale entered next.
He looked confident.
Dr. Lowell followed.
Elena Rossi sat in the fourth row with federal counsel nearby.
Everything was in place.
Except Vivian.
At ten forty-five, fifteen minutes before the ceremony, she had not arrived.
Massimo felt the first real panic of the day.
Marco checked every feed.
“No vehicle.”
“Phone?”
“Off.”
“Apartment?”
“Empty.”
Damian looked terrified.
“She knows.”
Then Sophie’s phone rang.
Vivian.
Sophie answered on speaker.
“Where are you?”
Vivian’s voice sounded calm.
“With something Massimo wants.”
“What?”
A pause.
Then another voice came through.
Henry Pike.
The estate administrator.
“Mr. Moretti?”
Massimo grabbed the phone.
“Henry?”
“I’m sorry.”
His voice shook.
Marco began tracing immediately.
Massimo said, “Where are you?”
“Vivian found the original financial archive.”
Massimo looked at Lucia.
“What archive?”
Lucia went pale.
Henry continued.
“Documents from Enzo’s private safe. She says she’ll destroy everything unless Damian completes the transfer.”
Damian swore.
Vivian came back on the line.
“Hello, darling.”
Massimo’s stomach tightened.
“Where are you?”
“You spent three years telling me you loved surprises.”
“This isn’t one.”
“It is for Damian.”
She laughed softly.
“Apparently his father left more evidence than he knew.”
Damian moved closer.
“What evidence?”
“Proof Carlo never legally surrendered a second group of properties.”
Damian froze.
Massimo looked at Marco.
If true, the restitution calculation could increase dramatically.
Vivian continued.
“You have thirty minutes.”
“For what?” Massimo asked.
“Nothing dangerous.”
Her voice became sweet.
“Just get married.”
Massimo stared.
“You still want the ceremony?”
“I want witnesses.”
“To what?”
“To the moment the Moretti family becomes mine.”
The line disconnected.
Marco failed to trace it.
Massimo turned toward Damian.
“You know where she might be.”
“No.”
“Think.”
Damian paced.
“Thomas Bell had a warehouse.”
“Where?”
“Queens. Near the old rail yards. But it was sold years ago.”
Marco already had teams moving.
Then Lucia spoke.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
“Thomas had another place.”
“Where?”
“A records room.”
Massimo crouched beside her.
“Mother.”
“Beneath the original Moretti accounting office in Red Hook.”
“That building was demolished.”
“The street-level building.”
Lucia swallowed.
“The basement connected to an old freight tunnel.”
Marco stared.
Massimo did not hesitate.
“Send police.”
Lucia grabbed his arm.
“There is something else.”
“What?”
“If Vivian found Enzo’s private archive, she found the signed Harbor Point indemnity.”
Massimo frowned.
“What indemnity?”
Lucia’s eyes filled.
“The paper proving your father knew Carlo was competent when he forced the transfer.”
Massimo became still.
That document could transform a morally ugly corporate maneuver into clear evidence of fraud.
It could destroy Enzo’s legacy permanently.
It could also validate Damian’s entire grievance.
Marco asked, “Do we delay the wedding?”
Massimo looked toward the cathedral.
Three hundred guests were seated.
Vivian wanted the spectacle.
Massimo finally understood why.
She was not coming down the aisle to become Mrs. Moretti.
She was coming to put the Moretti family on trial.
Massimo straightened.
“No delay.”
Sophie stared at him.
“What are you doing?”
“Giving her exactly what she asked for.”
The organ began.
Everyone turned toward the doors.
They opened.
Vivian stood there in white.
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Smiling.
And beneath the lace sleeve around her wrist, Massimo could see a tiny black remote control.
