Chapter 6 - The Deal That Could Destroy the Costello Family
Clara Bennett resurfaced forty-eight hours later.
She called Genevieve.
“I know what happened to the money.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
Genevieve closed her eyes.
“You contacted me. That means you trust me enough to speak.”
“No.”
Clara's voice trembled.
“I trust you because they already destroyed you.”
Genevieve said nothing.
Clara continued.
“Your case was a cover.”
“For what?”
“A transfer.”
“What transfer?”
“Ownership.”
Genevieve stared at Dominic.
Clara explained.
Hastings had been buying ports and logistics companies through shell entities.
Sterling companies would collapse publicly.
The Costello family would then be blamed.
Assets would be seized.
Investors would panic.
Hastings' associates would purchase everything at a fraction of its value.
Dominic's family would lose control of the East Coast network.
“But why me?”
Clara hesitated.
“You were the only CFO who understood the structure.”
“So they framed me because I could expose it.”
“Yes.”
Dominic took the phone.
“Ms. Bennett, what do you have?”
“Proof.”
“Where?”
“Manhattan.”
“Name the place.”
“No.”
Dominic's expression darkened.
Clara said:
“Come to Saint Jude's Cathedral tomorrow at noon.”
“Why there?”
“Because they won't shoot me inside a church.”
The call ended.
Dominic arranged security.
But Genevieve had already understood the danger.
“They know we're looking.”
“I know.”
“They may be expecting this.”
“I know.”
“Then what are we doing?”
“Going anyway.”
At noon, they entered Saint Jude's through separate doors.
Clara waited in a side chapel.
She held a small leather portfolio.
“You have twenty minutes.”
She gave Genevieve the files.
Inside were original bank compliance reports.
Two names appeared repeatedly.
Richard Sterling.
Charles Hastings.
But there was a third.
Dominic Costello.
Genevieve looked up.
Clara whispered:
“Your family's account was used to move money.”
Dominic stared.
“Who authorized it?”
Clara pointed.
“Your father's signature.”
He took the page.
The signature looked authentic.
Genevieve immediately noticed something.
“It's not.”
“What?”
“This was signed by someone else.”
“How can you know?”
“I studied your father's signatures during my case.”
She traced the ink.
“The pressure is wrong.”
Dominic looked at her.
“My father was right-handed.”
“The person who signed this pressed harder at the end of the line.”
She looked at Clara.
“Do you know who had access?”
Clara nodded.
“Sofia March.”
Dominic's face changed.
“She's dead.”
“She disappeared.”
“What?”
Clara swallowed.
“The car accident was staged.”
Genevieve looked at Dominic.
“Sofia is alive.”
A gunshot shattered the chapel window.
Everyone dropped.
Clara screamed.
Dominic pulled Genevieve behind the stone column.
Vincent's men returned fire.
A second bullet hit the wooden pew.
Then silence.
Clara shook.
“It's them.”
Dominic looked toward the stained-glass window.
“No.”
Genevieve frowned.
“What?”
He had seen the shooter.
Only for a second.
But the silhouette had been unmistakable.
“Leo.”
Genevieve stared.
“Your brother?”
“He's not shooting at us.”
Outside, Leo emerged from an alley carrying a handgun.
He wasn't alone.
A man ran toward him.
Leo raised the weapon.
The gunshot echoed.
The attacker dropped.
Dominic rushed outside.
Leo looked at him.
“I was followed.”
“You shot him?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Someone from Hastings.”
Dominic stared.
Leo lowered the weapon.
“I found something.”
He handed over a folder.
“Beatrice's lawyer.”
Inside were travel records.
Bank transfers.
And a passport copy.
The passport belonged to Sofia March.
She had been living under another name.
And she had recently entered the United States.
New York.
Dominic looked at Genevieve.
The impossible had become real.
Sofia was alive.
And she was coming back.
The question was why.
That evening, Sofia contacted them herself.
She wanted to meet Genevieve alone.
Dominic refused.
Sofia sent one photograph.
A little girl.
About nine years old.
Genevieve stared.
“Who is that?”
Sofia answered:
“Your sister.”
Genevieve went completely still.
Her father had told her she was an only child.
Sofia smiled through the phone.
“He lied to protect her.”
“Why?”
“Because if Richard Sterling ever found out she existed, she would be dead.”
Genevieve's voice broke.
“Where is she?”
May you like
Sofia whispered:
“With me.”
