Chapter 15 - THE MAN ABOVE LUCA
Arthur Mercer was seventy-one years old.
He had worked beside Antonio Moretti before Luca was born.
He had held Luca at his baptism.
He had attended his mother's funeral.
He had taught Luca how to read balance sheets.
And for seventeen years, he had chaired the board governing Moretti Holdings.
Della watched him enter the conference room with a silver cane and the calm expression of a grandfather arriving for Sunday dinner.
"Della Marsh."
He smiled.
"I've heard a great deal about you."
Luca remained standing.
"We need to talk."
Arthur looked toward Detective Ellis.
"Apparently."
Mara placed the Fulton Street photograph in front of him.
Arthur studied it.
No reaction.
Della spoke.
"I remember a man mentioning your name."
"Eight years ago?"
"Yes."
"Trauma affects memory."
Della's jaw tightened.
"So does guilt."
Arthur smiled slightly.
"I understand why Luca likes you."
Luca's expression turned cold.
"This isn't amusing."
"No."
Arthur sat.
"But it is unfortunate."
Mara asked about Conrad Vance.
Arthur admitted knowing him.
Everyone knew Conrad.
He denied illegal partnerships.
He denied ordering anyone to recover Luca's brass key.
He denied knowing Owen.
Then Della mentioned Harbor Renewal.
Arthur's fingers stopped against his cane.
Only for a fraction of a second.
But she saw it.
"So you do know."
Arthur looked at her.
"Know what?"
"That project matters."
Luca leaned forward.
"Answer her."
Arthur sighed.
"Harbor Renewal is worth four billion dollars."
"Of course it matters."
"Why did Owen Hale believe it connected to my shooting?"
"I couldn't possibly know."
The meeting ended without confession.
Arthur walked toward the elevator.
Della followed.
"Mr. Mercer."
He turned.
She lowered her voice.
"Owen is alive."
It was a lie.
They only believed Owen might be alive.
Arthur's eyes changed anyway.
Fear.
Small.
Immediate.
Then gone.
"I hope you're right."
He entered the elevator.
Della turned toward Luca.
"He knows."
Luca nodded.
That night, Arthur Mercer boarded his private jet.
Mara obtained an emergency order delaying departure.
Police entered the aircraft.
Arthur was not aboard.
The pilot was.
Two crew members were.
Arthur's phone was sitting on his seat.
But Arthur Mercer had disappeared from the airport.
Security footage showed him entering a service corridor seventeen minutes earlier.
Nobody recorded him leaving.
Then Della's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered without speaking.
Owen's voice came through.
"Della."
Her eyes filled.
"Where are you?"
"Listen carefully."
"Owen."
"Arthur knows they lost control."
"Who is they?"
"The Vances."
"Mercer."
"And someone else."
Della looked at Luca.
"Who?"
Owen breathed heavily.
"The person who started all of this."
"Give me a name."
"I can't."
A sound interrupted him.
A door opening.
Owen whispered quickly.
"Tomorrow night."
"Vance Foundation gala."
"The original ledger will be there."
"Where?"
"Inside the hotel."
Della's blood went cold.
"The Ashworth?"
"Yes."
"The same place Cordelia pushed you."
The line crackled.
May you like
Then Owen said one final thing.
"Della, if you see me tomorrow, don't come toward me."
