Chapter 7
Rachel allowed the three early capos inside.
Not into the family room.
Into the adjacent library.
Daniel followed.
She stopped him.
“No.”
His face hardened.
“They came to see me.”
“They came because you called.”
“Yes.”
“Then they can hear what you planned.”
Jason laughed nervously.
“You think showing them a broken toy matters?”
Rachel looked at him.
“No.”
She picked up the gaming storage module.
“This matters.”
His smile disappeared.
Daniel stepped forward.
“You are not playing private family recordings for capos.”
Rachel stared.
“You were going to play one of me.”
Silence.
No answer.
Because there wasn’t one.
The capos entered.
Three men.
All older than Rachel.
All had worked under her late father.
One looked at Daniel.
Then at Rachel.
“Boss.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
Jason heard it.
Really heard it.
The first fracture in his fantasy.
Rachel placed the storage module on the table.
“I’m told Daniel invited you early.”
The oldest capo nodded.
“He said there would be a transition.”
Rachel glanced at Daniel.
“What kind?”
The man looked uncomfortable.
“He said you were stepping back.”
Rachel smiled faintly.
“Did I?”
“No.”
Daniel interrupted.
“She was going to.”
Rachel turned.
“I was?”
“You need time with Ethan.”
There.
A respectable excuse.
Motherhood repackaged as incompetence.
Rachel looked at the capos.
“Daniel arranged footage intended to show me attacking Jason.”
One man frowned.
Jason said:
“She did hit Dad.”
Rachel looked at him.
“He hit me first.”
The oldest capo stared at Daniel.
Daniel looked away.
Rachel played the test recording.
Jason laughing about provoking her.
Daniel coaching him.
The room went silent.
Daniel said:
“This is family.”
The oldest capo answered:
“You brought it into organization business.”
That landed.
Rachel watched Daniel’s face.
For years he had told himself these men secretly wanted him.
Now one was looking at him with disgust.
Then another capo asked:
“What happens to the child during this transition?”
Daniel didn’t answer.
Jason did.
“He goes to the lake house.”
Rachel turned.
“Who told you that?”
Jason smiled.
“Dad.”
The oldest capo looked at Daniel.
“For how long?”
Silence.
Jason finally realized everyone was staring at him.
He added:
May you like
“Until Rachel stops fighting.”
And Rachel knew Ethan had been planned as leverage too.
