Chapter 10 - OWEN'S MESSAGE
Della watched the recording twice without speaking.
On the third time, she cried.
Owen sat inside what looked like a storage room.
His shirt was wrinkled.
His eyes were bloodshot.
But it was unmistakably him.
"I don't know how much time I have."
He looked over his shoulder.
"I found payments hidden inside Vance Development accounts."
"Land acquisitions."
"Port contracts."
"Judges."
"Inspectors."
"Security companies."
"People have been paid for years."
Della looked toward Luca.
He remained focused on the screen.
Owen continued.
"The oldest records go back almost thirty years."
"Some of the transactions involve Moretti companies."
Luca's jaw tightened.
"But I don't believe Luca Moretti authorized them."
Luca glanced at Della.
Owen leaned closer to the camera.
"There's someone inside Moretti Holdings feeding Conrad information."
"I don't know who."
"I only know they have access to executive travel, hotel security, and old port files."
Della whispered.
"Patrick Sloan."
Luca shook his head.
"He's too low-level for all three."
The video continued.
Owen's expression softened.
"Della."
Her breath caught.
"I'm sorry."
"I should have told you everything."
"I thought keeping you away from this would keep you safe."
"I was wrong."
Della pressed one hand over her mouth.
"If our baby is born before I come back, tell them I wanted them."
Her tears finally fell.
"I didn't run from you."
"I ran because somebody sent me a photograph of you leaving your doctor's office."
The room went silent.
"They knew."
Owen looked directly into the camera.
"They knew about the baby before my own mother did."
Della felt sick.
"So I made them believe I disappeared."
"I left the first copy of the ledger where nobody connected to Vance should find it."
Luca leaned forward.
Owen continued.
"The location is hidden in the Fulton Street file."
Luca froze.
"What?"
Owen's image flickered.
"If Luca Moretti is watching this, ask him what was removed from his coat the night he was shot."
The video ended.
Della turned.
"What does that mean?"
Luca did not answer.
"Luca."
He stood slowly.
"Eight years ago, when I woke in the hospital, my wallet was gone."
"Your wallet?"
"And something else."
"What?"
"A brass key."
Della frowned.
"A key to what?"
"I never knew."
He looked toward the dark window.
"The informant I was supposed to meet had mailed it to me the day before."
Della's heartbeat increased.
"You had it when I found you?"
"Yes."
"Then where did it go?"
Luca turned toward her.
"You took my coat off because of the wound."
Della remembered.
Rain.
Blood.
His heavy black coat.
She had removed it to press fabric against his side.
Her eyes widened.
"I put everything from your pockets into a plastic grocery bag."
"Where?"
"I gave it to the hospital nurse."
Luca shook his head.
"The hospital never received it."
Della remembered something else.
A man approaching the emergency entrance.
Suit.
Umbrella.
A gold pin on his collar.
He had told her he was Luca's brother.
Della whispered.
"There was someone waiting."
Luca became still.
"He said he was family."
"What did he look like?"
Della closed her eyes.
Then she remembered the pin.
A letter inside a circle.
V.
May you like
Her eyes opened.
"He worked for Vance."
