Chapter 10 - The Brother Who Lost EverythingLuca Moretti was not dead.
That fact rearranged the entire investigation.
Official records said Luca died at Joliet Correctional Center following an assault by another inmate.
Helen checked federal archives.
The body had been identified through prison documentation, not DNA.
Anna hated the coincidence immediately.
“We are not turning this into some magical resurrection.”
Helen agreed.
“It isn’t. The prison physician later lost his license for falsifying records.”
Vincent looked toward the photograph.
“Carlo helped Luca escape.”
“Possibly.”
“Why would he?”
Sophia said quietly, “Maybe he didn’t.”
Vincent turned.
She pointed to the image.
“Look at Luca. He’s standing with Antonio, Marcus and my father. If those three were investigating Carlo…”
“Then Luca might have been helping them.”
Anna finished.
Helen searched old files.
Luca had been arrested for racketeering shortly before Antonio’s murder.
He accepted a plea bargain and received twelve years.
Then supposedly died two years later.
Marcus’s files contained one reference.
L.M. relocated.
Vincent whispered, “Witness protection?”
Helen shook her head.
“Not federal.”
“Then who relocated him?”
Anna stared at the ransom note.
“Maybe Marcus.”
At midnight Vincent ignored Helen’s instructions and went to the abandoned slaughterhouse.
Anna went too.
“You stay behind me,” Vincent said.
She almost laughed.
“You lost the right to arrange where I stand three years ago.”
He accepted it.
Inside, Dominic sat tied beneath a hanging industrial lamp.
Alive.
Vincent moved forward.
“Dominic.”
A man emerged from darkness.
Sixty-one.
Gray hair.
Scar beneath his left eye.
Vincent saw his father’s features in him immediately.
“Uncle Luca.”
Luca smiled sadly.
“You look like Antonio.”
Vincent’s hands curled.
“You let us believe you were dead.”
“It was safer.”
“For whom?”
“Not me.”
Anna stepped forward.
“You threatened my son.”
Luca’s expression changed.
“I never threatened Gabriel.”
“You sent the clinic warning.”
“To save you.”
“You wrote that you knew we survived.”
“Because Carlo had men searching hospitals.”
Vincent pointed toward Dominic.
“And this?”
“Dominic would not tell me where Marcus’s drive was.”
Dominic lifted his head weakly.
“Because you’re insane.”
Luca laughed.
“Still loyal.”
Anna approached.
“What truth did my father steal from you?”
Luca looked at her.
“My name.”
She frowned.
“Explain.”
“The Bennett-Moretti Trust originally had three family branches.”
Vincent went still.
“Three?”
“Antonio. Marcus.”
Luca touched his chest.
“And me.”
Anna understood.
“Marcus removed you.”
“No.”
Luca’s face hardened.
“Carlo forged documents removing me after my arrest.”
“Then why blame Marcus?”
“Because Marcus discovered it and did nothing.”
Dominic struggled against the ropes.
“That’s a lie.”
Luca kicked his chair.
Vincent moved instantly.
“Touch him again and this conversation ends.”
Luca studied his nephew.
“Antonio used to say that.”
The comparison cut deeply.
Anna asked, “Did you sabotage the plane?”
Luca looked genuinely confused.
“No.”
“You knew about Dominic’s operation.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Thomas Vale told me.”
“Vale worked for you?”
“He worked for Antonio first.”
Vincent whispered, “And after my father died?”
“He pretended loyalty to Carlo.”
Anna’s mind raced.
“Vale helped Dominic disable the sensor.”
“Yes.”
“But Dominic cancelled the operation.”
“Yes.”
“Who continued it?”
Luca looked toward Vincent.
“Carlo.”
Dominic shook his head.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
Dominic coughed.
“Carlo didn’t know about the sensor plan until after the explosion.”
Luca’s face tightened.
“You’re lying.”
“I was inside his financial system. He didn’t know.”
Vincent stared.
“Then who sabotaged the plane?”
Dominic looked at Sophia.
Her face slowly changed.
“No.”
Dominic whispered, “Raymond Carter.”
Sophia stepped backward.
“My father was dead.”
“Not when the maintenance request was created.”
Silence.
Raymond Carter had died eleven months after the crash.
Sophia’s eyes filled with fury.
“My father tried to kill me?”
“No,” Dominic said.
“I think he was trying to stop you from reaching Chicago.”
“What?”
Dominic explained.
“Raymond learned Sophia had Marcus’s memory card. He believed Carlo would kill everyone aboard if she brought it back.”
Anna frowned.
“So he disabled the sensor?”
“To force the jet to land at a smaller airport where federal agents could intercept Sophia.”
Vincent stared.
“Another controlled emergency?”
“Yes.”
“Everyone keeps creating controlled emergencies around my pregnant wife.”
Dominic looked ashamed.
“The explosion wasn’t part of either plan.”
Anna whispered, “Then who caused it?”
Dominic looked toward Luca.
“Thomas Vale.”
Luca’s face changed.
“No.”
“Vale accessed the fuel panel after landing.”
“No.”
“Rebecca heard my voice because I was speaking to Vale through his radio.”
Anna stared.
Dominic continued.
“I told him to stop.”
Vincent’s rage sharpened.
“And he didn’t.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Dominic looked toward Luca.
“Because Vale had discovered the trust.”
Luca stopped breathing.
Dominic continued.
“He didn’t work for Carlo.”
Vincent whispered, “He worked for you.”
Luca shook his head.
“I never ordered—”
“You didn’t have to,” Dominic said.
“Vale believed killing Anna would restore your branch’s claim.”
Anna’s stomach turned.
Luca looked horrified.
“I told him to protect her.”
“He decided your inheritance mattered more.”
For the first time Luca seemed old.
He lowered himself onto a chair.
“I didn’t know.”
Vincent untied Dominic.
Anna watched Luca carefully.
“If Vale died two years ago, who has been using his identity?”
Luca looked up.
“I don’t know.”
A slow clap came from the doorway.
Carlo entered with two armed guards.
“Wonderful.”
Vincent stepped in front of Anna.
Carlo smiled.
“The entire family together.”
His eyes moved toward Luca.
“Even the dead one.”
Luca stood.
“Brother.”
Carlo’s expression contained twenty years of hatred.
“You should have stayed buried.”
Vincent looked at the guards.
“Let everyone leave.”
Carlo laughed.
“You still think you control this family.”
Vincent’s voice became quiet.
“No.”
He glanced at Anna.
“That was always my mistake.”
Sirens suddenly sounded outside.
Carlo’s face changed.
Helen Park’s voice echoed through a loudspeaker.
“Federal agents! Drop your weapons!”
Luca smiled.
“You brought them?”
Anna shook her head.
“I did.”
Vincent looked at her.
Anna held up her phone.
She had been transmitting the entire conversation.
Carlo’s guards lowered their weapons.
Carlo did not.
Instead he looked at Anna with terrible calm.
“You think this ends with an arrest?”
Anna met his eyes.
“No.”
She looked toward Vincent.
“It ends when your family finally tells the truth.”
Carlo smiled.
“Then ask Vincent what happened after the explosion.”
Anna turned slowly.
Vincent froze.
Carlo laughed.
“He never told you?”
Anna’s voice became quiet.
“Told me what?”
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Carlo looked delighted.
“Vincent knew there was a chance you survived.”
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