Chapter 4
Rocco ordered an independent review of every property surrounding the club.
By midnight, the pattern had expanded beyond Vance Bakery.
Seven small businesses had received aggressive purchase offers.
Four eventually sold.
Two closed.
One remained open under new ownership connected to North Crest Redevelopment.
Dominic’s company.
Rocco stared at the map spread across his study.
Vance Bakery was one of only three privately controlled properties remaining on the block.
His consigliere, Frank Delaney, stood near the fireplace.
“This looks like a consolidation plan.”
Rocco’s gaze stayed on the map.
“Why wasn't I told?”
Frank hesitated.
“You gave Dominic operational authority.”
“Operational authority does not mean forging deeds.”
“No.”
Rocco looked at him.
“But?”
Frank exhaled.
“You also gave him redevelopment authority.”
Rocco’s eyes narrowed.
Frank placed an old board authorization on the desk.
Four years earlier.
After a fire damaged two neighboring properties, Rocco authorized Dominic to negotiate acquisitions, settle access disputes and “secure the long-term integrity of the Castellano Club district.”
The signature at the bottom was real.
Rocco’s.
He remembered the meeting vaguely.
Dominic had been twenty-nine.
Hungry.
Capable.
Rocco wanted to give him responsibility.
“Secure the district,” Rocco murmured.
Frank nodded.
“That language is broad.”
“Not broad enough to steal a bakery.”
“No.”
Frank looked at the map again.
“But broad enough that outsiders might believe Dominic was acting for you.”
That was exactly what had happened.
Rocco sat back.
His thumb slowly rotated the signet ring on his finger.
The same ring stamped onto club menus, property letters and charity invitations.
A symbol people associated with his word.
Dominic had borrowed more than his name.
He had borrowed the fear attached to it.
Then Samuel entered carrying an old digital archive.
“We found something else.”
Rocco looked up.
Samuel placed a tablet in front of him.
“Audio from the redevelopment meeting.”
Rocco pressed play.
His own younger voice filled the room.
Dominic was explaining delayed acquisitions.
Then Rocco heard himself cut him off.
The words were cold.
Impatient.
He had forgotten saying them.
He told Dominic he did not care about excuses, that weak properties around the club created vulnerability, and that he wanted the block cleared before weakness became someone else’s opportunity.
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Rocco stared at the dark screen.
Frank finally said:
“Dominic may have taken it too far.”
Rocco’s gaze remained lowered.
“No.”
His voice was quieter now.
“I gave him a sentence he could turn into permission.”
Then Samuel spoke.
“There’s another problem.”
Rocco looked up.
Samuel opened the property authorization file.
Beneath Rocco’s genuine four-year-old signature was a later amendment expanding Dominic’s powers.
That signature looked identical too.
May you like
Unlike Thomas Vance’s forged signature, the forensic system marked this one as authentic.
Someone had obtained Rocco’s real approval for much more than he remembered authorizing.
