Chapter 5
Bianca called that afternoon.
Rocco answered only because Mia was asleep upstairs.
“You’re destroying everything over a punishment,” Bianca said.
Rocco remained silent.
“Grant’s employees are panicking. Vendors are calling me. People are saying you’ve lost control.”
“My three-year-old daughter stood in a garage for nine hours.”
“I told you why.”
“No. You told me a sentence.”
Bianca’s voice sharpened.
“She embarrassed me.”
“What was in the envelopes?”
Silence.
Rocco leaned back.
Bianca recovered quickly.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The storage room.”
Another pause.
Too long.
“Grant handles club business.”
“Not anymore.”
“You can’t remove him overnight.”
“I already did.”
For the first time, Bianca sounded afraid.
“Rocco, listen to me. You’re making decisions while you’re angry.”
“Maybe.”
He looked toward the staircase.
“But I’m not angry enough to stop asking questions.”
Bianca disconnected.
An hour later Grant called Michael directly.
Michael placed the call on speaker.
“You’ve worked there twelve years,” Grant said. “Don’t throw that away.”
Michael glanced at Rocco.
“I’m not.”
“You think Rocco will protect you when this gets ugly?”
Michael answered quietly.
“I’m not asking him to.”
Grant’s tone changed.
“Delete the backup footage.”
Michael went still.
Rocco gestured for him to continue.
“What footage?”
“You know what footage.”
Grant realized the mistake immediately.
The call ended.
Michael stared at his phone.
Rocco did not smile.
The request proved Grant knew the backup existed.
It still did not explain what the meetings were for.
Then Michael remembered something.
“The morning Mia was left downstairs…”
Rocco looked at him.
“Grant came in carrying a black equipment case.”
“What kind?”
“Hard shell. About this long.”
May you like
Michael held his hands apart.
“He left without it.”
