Chapter 9 - THE HOUSE WITH THE STOPPED CLOCK
The country house stood outside the city, surrounded by bare trees and a long stone wall.
Federal agents arrived before dawn. Dante waited in a vehicle with Marco and his attorney while the team entered the property.
The grandfather clock was in the front hall.
Its hands were stopped at 7:00.
Exactly the time Lily had cut the tie.
Behind the clock, investigators found a small storage compartment containing documents, photographs, and a second copper device.
There were also letters from Salvatore to Victor.
They described a plan to regain control of the Moretti organization by exposing Dante's private arrangements and turning the other families against him.
One letter referred to Lily.
The child has a remarkable eye. She may have seen the courier. Keep her mother away from the house until we know what she remembers.
Dante read the sentence twice.
His attorney took the letter from him.
“This is evidence of intent,” she said. “We'll add it to the case.”
A federal agent approached.
“We found someone in the upstairs bedroom.”
Dante looked up.
“Salvatore?”
The agent nodded.
“He was hiding in a locked room. He surrendered without a fight.”
Salvatore was older, thinner, and less imposing than the photographs Dante remembered. His hair had turned white. His eyes were still sharp.
When Dante entered the room, Salvatore smiled.
“You look like your father.”
“I don't remember you looking like this.”
“Time changes everyone.”
“Why did you come back?”
Salvatore's smile faded.
“Your father took everything from me.”
“He gave you a place in the family.”
“He gave me rules.”
“You tried to use me.”
“I tried to preserve what belonged to us.”
Dante placed the letter on the table.
“You threatened a four-year-old.”
Salvatore looked away.
“I never intended to hurt her.”
“You put her name in a message. You had someone follow her to school.”
“She saw something.”
“She saw a man hide a device in a tie. She's a child.”
Salvatore's jaw tightened.
“Your father would have understood.”
“My father would have protected her.”
For the first time, Salvatore had no answer.
The agents took him into custody. Victor was formally charged later that day. Giuseppe Falcone and the courier provided statements. The evidence connected the men to the surveillance scheme and the attempted coercion.
Dante returned to the city before sunset.
He went straight to the apartment.
Elena opened the door.
“Is it over?”
“The men involved are in custody. The investigators have the evidence.”
Elena exhaled, as if she had been holding her breath for days.
“Can Lily go back to school?”
“Yes. The school has been informed, and there will be no one following her.”
Lily appeared behind her mother, holding the new sketchbook.
“Mr. Dante!”
He crouched.
“Hello, little artist.”
“I drew the clock.”
She showed him a picture of the grandfather clock, its hands stopped at seven.
Dante looked at it for a long moment.
“You remembered the time.”
“Seven is when you cut the tie.”
He smiled.
“Yes. It is.”
Lily handed him the drawing.
“You can keep it.”
May you like
Dante accepted it carefully.
“I will.”
