Chapter 8
Marcus denied it.
“That’s insane.”
Dante met him in a lawyer’s office rather than the estate.
“You were going to blame a fifteen-year-old?”
“No.”
“Leo handled the boot.”
“So?”
“The memory card contains restricted footage.”
Marcus leaned forward.
“You think I put evidence of my own security review in there so I could frame my nephew?”
“You tell me why it was there.”
Marcus looked toward his attorney.
“I don't know.”
Dante watched him.
For once, Marcus’s confusion looked genuine.
That bothered him.
Grant’s attorney offered a different explanation.
Grant claimed Leo stole the memory card after becoming obsessed with security work.
According to him, Leo had been sneaking into restricted rooms and trying to prove he was ready for adult responsibilities.
Leo’s boxing and self-defense training suddenly became part of the accusation.
“Impulsive.”
“Overconfident.”
“Playing bodyguard.”
Exactly the qualities Marcus had encouraged for years.
Dante listened to the allegations.
Then he did something Leo did not expect.
He did not immediately defend him.
He asked for evidence.
Leo was furious.
“You believe them?”
“I believe you deserve more than me saying you're innocent because you're family.”
The teenager stared at him.
That answer did not comfort him.
But he remained.
Device-access logs showed Leo had entered the security office twice in three months.
Both times authorized.
Once with Marcus.
Once with Nathan.
No evidence showed him copying footage.
But the accusation exposed another problem.
Marcus had gradually made Leo interested in security systems.
If something illegal appeared in Leo’s possession, the story would sound plausible.
Dante asked his nephew:
“Did Marcus ever tell you to keep anything secret from me?”
Leo hesitated.
That hesitation changed everything.
“Leo.”
The teenager looked down.
“Just training stuff.”
“What training stuff?”
Marcus had been giving him unofficial assignments for months.
Follow a guard without being seen.
Memorize vehicle plates.
Identify camera blind spots.
Time response routes.
May you like
Leo thought they were exercises.
Dante realized Marcus had been using his nephew as unpaid reconnaissance.
