Chapter 7 - The Price of Javier’s Loyalty
Before Dante could meet Bianca, Javier contacted him.
The message came from an unknown number.
I know what was on the tablet. I know why Celeste is doing this. I want protection.
Nora read it.
"Send it to Detective Reeves."
Dante hesitated.
"What if he disappears?"
"Then that's a police problem."
"He attacked my son."
"Which is exactly why you don't arrange a private meeting."
Dante knew she was right.
He hated it anyway.
Reeves arranged the meeting at a public attorney's office with Javier's defense lawyer present.
Javier looked smaller without his security uniform.
There was a bruise along his jaw from the controlled takedown on the lawn.
Dante felt no satisfaction.
He sat across from him.
"Why Leo?"
Javier looked toward Reeves.
His attorney said, "My client is exploring cooperation. Nothing he says here constitutes a complete proffer agreement until terms are formalized."
Dante leaned back.
"I didn't ask about terms."
Javier looked at him.
"The tablet."
"I know."
"He recorded Celeste."
"Doing what?"
"Talking to Grant Weller."
Dante knew the name.
Chief executive of Hawthorne Capital.
The buyer pushing for Bellaforte.
"Who else?"
"Victor."
Dante's jaw tightened.
"What did they discuss?"
Javier rubbed his palms together.
"Getting you removed from the trust."
Reeves asked, "How?"
"Make Dante look unstable."
"Be specific."
Javier looked at Dante.
"I was supposed to provoke you."
At last.
The truth from his own mouth.
"By hurting Leo."
Javier looked down.
"I wasn't supposed to hurt him."
"You pinned him face-down."
"He wouldn't give me the tablet."
Murderous anger flashed through Dante.
Nora touched his arm.
He remained seated.
Javier noticed.
"So that was the plan?" Dante asked. "Attack my son and wait for me to beat you?"
"They said you'd lose control."
"They?"
"Celeste and Sloane."
"Victor?"
"Victor knew some of it."
"What were you supposed to do after?"
Javier hesitated.
His lawyer murmured, "Answer only what you're comfortable proffering."
Javier nodded.
"I was supposed to get Leo into the pool house."
Dante's body went rigid.
"Why?"
"There was a camera in there."
"For what?"
"They wanted video of Leo crying. They wanted him saying he was afraid to go back to you."
Dante stood.
Nora immediately said, "Dante."
He turned away.
He could hear Leo calling from the lawn again.
Dad! Get him off me!
Dante pressed his fists against the conference table.
"Did you plan to make him say that?"
Javier said quietly, "Sloane had questions prepared."
Reeves' voice sharpened.
"What kind of questions?"
"'Does Daddy scare you?' 'Does Daddy yell?' Things like that."
"Leading questions."
Javier nodded.
Dante looked at him.
"You were going to terrorize my eight-year-old son and film his fear as evidence against me."
"I owed them."
"Money?"
Javier's face twisted.
"Two hundred eighty thousand."
"For what?"
Javier did not answer.
Dante did not need to know.
"What did Celeste offer?"
"Clear the debt. Keep my job. Fifty grand cash."
"And you accepted."
Javier finally looked him in the eye.
"Yes."
No excuse.
That somehow made it worse.
Reeves asked, "Who financed the debt?"
"Arbor Ridge."
Nora and Dante exchanged a glance.
"Was Celeste controlling Arbor Ridge?" Reeves asked.
"I never dealt with her directly about money."
"Who did you deal with?"
Javier swallowed.
"Mrs. Moretti's family office."
Dante's voice dropped.
"My mother."
"Her finance manager."
"Did Bianca know?"
"I don't know."
Dante believed that answer.
For now.
Javier continued.
"There was more."
"What?"
"After the pool house video, somebody was supposed to make an anonymous child-welfare report."
Dante felt nausea rise.
"Based on what?"
"Pills in your study."
Nora leaned forward.
"What pills?"
"I don't know. Prescription stuff."
Dante stared.
"They were going to plant drugs in my home?"
Javier nodded.
"Then what?"
"Celeste would file for emergency protection of the kids."
Silence filled the room.
It was no longer a corporate maneuver.
It was an attempt to manufacture a father into a danger to his own children.
Dante asked, "Why didn't the plan continue?"
"Because you didn't hit me the way they expected. And Margaret called police."
"And Leo fought you."
Javier looked ashamed.
"Yes."
"Where's the tablet?"
"Sloane took it."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
Dante took one step closer.
Reeves stood.
"Mr. Moretti."
Dante stopped.
Javier's eyes moved toward him.
"Celeste's scared of something else."
"What?"
"Your wife."
Dante stared.
"Isabel is dead."
"I know."
"Then explain."
Javier reached into his attorney's folder and removed a photocopy.
An email.
Sent by Isabel four years earlier.
To an outside accountant.
Subject:
BELLA FORTE / RELATED-PARTY PAYMENTS / IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME
Dante read the first line.
I believe Celeste and Victor are diverting company money and using a family office entity to conceal the destination.
He looked up.
Javier said, "Celeste thought all copies were destroyed."
"Where did you get this?"
"From Sloane."
"Why?"
"Insurance."
Dante's eyes hardened.
"You kept evidence against the woman paying you."
Javier gave him a hollow smile.
"That's how people survive around your family."
Dante thought about the garden.
Javier's smile after the attack.
The smile of someone who knew the plan was bigger.
For the first time, Dante understood something.
Javier had not looked confident because he trusted Celeste.
May you like
He had looked confident because he believed everyone in the Moretti family was compromised.
And Dante was beginning to fear he might be right.
