Chapter 4 - THE NIGHT SEBASTIAN CHOSE WRONG
August Moretti had been Sebastian’s uncle in every way that mattered.
Not by blood.
By loyalty.
He had served Vittorio for twenty years and Sebastian for twenty-six.
When Sebastian became boss, August was the man who placed the signet ring on his finger.
When Sebastian’s wife died, August stood beside him at the funeral.
When Adrian was accused of betrayal, August spoke last.
That mattered.
Sebastian remembered the night clearly.
A Moretti shipment disappeared from the river yard.
Two guards were found beaten.
A rival family somehow knew which gate would be unprotected.
Adrian had been seen near the yard hours earlier.
Then Chad arrived at the council room carrying Adrian’s cufflink.
Found beside the broken lock.
Adrian denied everything.
Sebastian asked where he had been.
Adrian refused to answer.
Helena called that guilt.
Chad called it betrayal.
August said nothing for twenty minutes.
Then:
“Blood cannot become an excuse for blindness.”
Sebastian looked at his brother.
Adrian’s face was furious.
“Ask August where I was.”
August had looked surprised.
Then disappointed.
“I have no idea.”
Adrian laughed.
“You lying old bastard.”
That was when Sebastian stood.
Adrian looked directly at him.
“If you throw me out, you’re giving him exactly what he wants.”
Sebastian demanded proof.
Adrian had none he could show without revealing something else.
Sebastian chose the family over his brother.
Or so he told himself.
Now he understood he had actually chosen certainty over doubt.
He had wanted the crisis solved before dawn.
Adrian’s exile gave him an answer.
The wrong answer could still feel peaceful if enough men agreed.
Back in the chapel, Sebastian replayed the cassette.
Anthony stood near the stairs.
Clara watched his face.
“You think August.”
“I think Adrian wanted me to.”
“Same thing?”
“No.”
Good.
He was learning.
Sebastian returned to the house before sunrise.
August remained in the council room.
Alone.
A glass of whiskey before him.
He looked up when Sebastian entered.
“You found the chapel.”
Sebastian stopped.
August did not pretend ignorance.
Interesting.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Your father showed me when you were twenty.”
“Why not me?”
“You weren’t ready.”
Sebastian laughed.
“Everybody enjoys deciding that for me.”
August studied him.
“What did Adrian leave?”
Sebastian did not answer.
August smiled faintly.
“Then enough.”
“Did you betray him?”
“No.”
“Did you know where he was the night of the river-yard attack?”
August’s eyes sharpened.
“No.”
“Adrian said you did.”
“Adrian said many things.”
“Where were you?”
“At dinner with Helena.”
Sebastian looked toward the door.
“Helena says you left for forty minutes.”
August’s face changed slightly.
So Sebastian had guessed correctly.
Helena had not said that.
Yet.
“Interesting,” Sebastian said.
August realized the trap.
“You’re testing me.”
“Yes.”
“Your father would be disappointed.”
“My father is dead.”
“Dead men still own more of you than you admit.”
Sebastian leaned toward him.
“That includes Adrian?”
August’s smile disappeared.
“You want absolution.”
“No.”
“Good.”
August stood.
“Because you will not get it.”
Sebastian’s jaw tightened.
August continued:
“Adrian came to me that night.”
Silence.
“He knew the river yard would be attacked.”
“How?”
“He had been watching somebody.”
“Who?”
“Wouldn’t say.”
“Why?”
“Because he believed the name would get Leo killed.”
Leo had not yet been born when Adrian first investigated the Black Table.
But by the river-yard attack Leo was eighteen months old.
“Then what happened?”
“Adrian asked me to help him disappear.”
Sebastian stared.
“You helped.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I told him to come to you.”
Sebastian felt anger rise.
“He did.”
“Yes.”
“And I threw him out.”
August looked almost sad.
“I know.”
“Then?”
“He disappeared without my help.”
“Dead?”
August’s expression became unreadable.
“I never saw his body.”
“You said at the funeral you believed he was dead.”
“I believed you needed the funeral.”
Sebastian stared.
“For what?”
“To stop searching.”
The answer chilled him.
“You wanted me to stop.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
May you like
August lowered his voice.
“Because somebody was waiting for you to follow him.”
