Chapter 4 - The Man Alessandro Trusted With His Life Was Standing Ten Feet Away When We Discovered His Face in My Husband’s Secret PhotographMarco had been with Alessandro for fifteen years.
He was the man who handled security.
Money.
Weapons.
Information.
Every family trusted him.
Or at least, they thought they did.
When Alessandro showed him the photograph, Marco didn't react.
Not immediately.
That was what frightened me.
A guilty man might panic.
An innocent man might become angry.
Marco simply stared.
Then he smiled.
“Old photograph.”
Alessandro's eyes narrowed.
“You knew Daniel?”
“Briefly.”
“You lied to me.”
“No.”
“You told me you'd never met him.”
Marco shrugged.
“I forgot.”
Nobody forgot Daniel.
Not after everything that had happened.
Alessandro stepped forward.
“How many times did you meet him?”
Marco looked around the room.
“Twice.”
“Three times,” I whispered.
Everyone looked at me.
Marco's eyes met mine.
I remembered.
Daniel had mentioned him.
A man named Marco.
Someone he trusted.
Someone who had promised to help him escape.
But Daniel had died before he could tell me more.
Marco smiled.
“Your husband was paranoid.”
“You knew him.”
“Yes.”
“You knew he was investigating the Black Serpent.”
Marco's expression hardened.
“Careful.”
I stepped forward.
“You knew.”
Alessandro raised one hand.
“Enough.”
He turned toward Marco.
“Search him.”
Two guards moved.
Marco didn't resist.
They found nothing.
No weapons.
No documents.
Nothing.
He smiled.
“Happy?”
Alessandro didn't answer.
Then Emma began crying.
She pointed at Marco.
“Mr. Bunny doesn't like him.”
Everyone froze.
Marco stared at her.
“Children are impressionable.”
Emma shook her head.
“No.”
She hugged the rabbit.
“He smelled like the bad room.”
My skin prickled.
“What bad room?”
Emma looked at me.
“The room where Daddy cried.”
I couldn't breathe.
Alessandro crouched.
“Emma.”
She whispered:
“Daddy took me there once.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
She was three.
She couldn't remember eight years ago.
Impossible.
Then she said:
“Not this Daddy.”
She pointed at the photograph.
“Daddy before.”
I understood.
Daniel had hidden memories inside objects.
The rabbit wasn't merely evidence.
It was a key.
Alessandro realized it too.
“Bring the rabbit.”
We examined every inch.
Under the left paw, another seam.
Inside was a tiny brass key.
A number was engraved on it.
317.
Marco's face changed.
Alessandro saw it.
“What is 317?”
Marco didn't answer.
I did.
“My husband's old storage unit.”
May you like
Marco looked at me.
And for the first time, I saw fear in his eyes.
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