« I watched people disappear after they threatened your business. »
« You always told me not to ask questions. »
His jaw tightened.
« I protected you. »
« You protected us with fear. »
« I protected you because I loved you. »
« And because of that love… »
Her voice broke.
« …our son became a target. »
Alessandro felt the ground shift beneath him.
« What are you saying? »
She reached into her coat pocket.
Folded carefully inside was a newspaper clipping.
She handed it to him.
The headline read:
LOCAL BUSINESSMAN KILLED IN APPARENT CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
Below the article was a photograph.
Alessandro recognized the man instantly.
Marco Bellini.
One of his accountants.
He had been murdered thirteen months earlier.
« I remember. »
« You told me it had nothing to do with us. »
« It didn’t. »
Elena looked at him sadly.
« It did. »
She pointed toward a paragraph buried near the bottom of the article.
Witnesses had reported seeing a small child climbing into the victim’s vehicle moments before the shooting.
