Chapter 7
Sofia’s recording was made eight days before she died.
I knew because she mentioned Livia’s second birthday.
My daughter had worn a yellow dress.
Smeared frosting across my suit.
Sofia laughed for twenty straight minutes.
I had forgotten the sound until the tape gave it back.
Then her voice became serious.
“Camilla thinks motherhood made me sentimental. Maybe it did.”
Static.
“But she and Marco are manufacturing crises.”
I looked at Rafe.
He frowned.
“What crises?”
Sofia answered.
Threatening notes at the gate.
A stranger seen near Livia’s preschool.
A car following us twice.
Security alarms at night.
Every event had pushed me toward one conclusion:
We needed more Valenti guards.
More family presence.
More dependence on Marco, who oversaw several security teams.
I had thanked him.
Sofia had doubted him.
She investigated quietly.
Three of the supposed threats traced back to men who worked indirectly for Marco.
My jaw tightened.
Rafe cursed.
He had been head of field security then.
Marco controlled assignments beneath him.
Sofia continued.
“They want Domenico frightened enough to keep Livia inside the family compound.”
Exactly.
Fear as architecture.
Camilla had not needed custody.
Paperwork.
Official authority.
She only needed me convinced the outside world was more dangerous than she was.
Then Sofia mentioned the mountain house.
Our planned move.
“Marco told me if we leave, something will happen that brings us back.”
I stopped the tape.
Camilla shook her head.
“He said that to scare her.”
I looked at her.
“You say that as though it helps.”
She started crying again.
Sofia resumed.
“If anything happens on the road, ask who knew our route.”
My blood turned cold.
Rafe whispered:
“Boss.”
I knew.
Sofia died on a mountain road.
She had been driving alone to inspect the house we planned to move into.
The official cause was ice.
No other vehicle found.
No reason to question it.
Until now.
I looked at Camilla.
“Who knew her route?”
She answered instantly.
“Everyone.”
Too fast.
Sofia’s recording continued.
“I told only three people.”
My hand tightened around the recorder.
“You.”
Static.
“Rafe.”
Another pause.
“And Camilla.”
Rafe went completely still.
May you like
Camilla looked at him.
And suddenly both of them had something to explain.
