Chapter 4 - MATTEO'S WAR
Matteo received the call at 8:12 a.m.
His mother's old estate had been attacked.
He stopped breathing.
“What estate?”
The man on the other end gave him an address.
Matteo knew it.
He hadn't visited the place since childhood.
“Who was there?”
“Unknown.”
“Was anyone killed?”
“Three attackers.”
“Found?”
“No.”
Matteo slammed the phone down.
Thaddeus watched him.
“What happened?”
“My mother's estate.”
Thaddeus went pale.
“That place was abandoned.”
“Apparently not.”
Matteo grabbed his gun.
Frank followed.
“Boss, wait.”
“No.”
“We need a plan.”
“I don't have time for plans.”
He walked toward the door.
Thaddeus stepped in front of him.
“You're going to get yourself killed.”
Matteo stared at him.
“Then move.”
Thaddeus didn't.
For several seconds, the two men stared at each other.
Then Thaddeus said quietly,
“I know where Clara is.”
Matteo froze.
“What?”
“I don't know exactly.”
“Then explain.”
“Someone sent me coordinates.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
Matteo grabbed his collar.
“Who?”
Thaddeus pulled a phone from his pocket.
“There.”
A message.
One location.
One sentence.
She is alive. But if Matteo comes, she dies.
Matteo released him.
Frank looked at the message.
“Boss…”
Matteo stared at the screen.
Every instinct screamed to go after her.
But something stopped him.
Clara's safety.
For once, Matteo had to choose patience over power.
“Send no one.”
Thaddeus looked surprised.
“What?”
“No one follows the coordinates.”
“Boss—”
“I said no one.”
He walked into the study.
Closed the door.
And sat alone.
For the first time in his life, Matteo understood what fear really was.
Not losing money.
Not losing territory.
Not dying.
Losing the person who made him want to be better.
He opened Clara's old voicemail messages.
Her voice filled the room.
“Don't forget milk.”
Another.
“Matteo, call me when you get home.”
Another.
“I love you.”
He closed his eyes.
Then he noticed something.
A message from Clara he had never opened.
It was dated three weeks earlier.
He pressed play.
Her voice was quiet.
“If you're hearing this, something has happened.”
Matteo's heart stopped.
“I found something in your father's study.”
He leaned forward.
“A ledger.”
Matteo whispered,
“What ledger?”
Clara continued.
“I think someone has been using your name to move money.”
The recording ended.
Matteo immediately called Frank.
“Get me into my father's old study.”
“We sealed it.”
“Open it.”
“Boss, why?”
“Because my wife found something before she disappeared.”
An hour later, Matteo stood in the abandoned wing of the mansion.
Dust covered everything.
The old study smelled of leather and smoke.
He opened drawers.
Nothing.
Books.
Nothing.
Then he noticed a loose panel behind the fireplace.
He pulled it away.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside sat a black ledger.
Matteo opened it.
Names.
Payments.
Weapons.
Judges.
Police officers.
Politicians.
And one name appeared again and again.
MATTEO FALCONE.
But the dates went back fifteen years.
Before Matteo had taken control.
Before he had even married Clara.
His hands began to shake.
Then he saw the final page.
Written in red ink were four words:
THE QUEEN KNOWS EVERYTHING.
A voice came from behind him.
“You finally found it.”
Matteo turned.
His mother stood in the doorway.
Alive.
Matteo's gun came up instantly.
“Mom?”
May you like
Elena smiled.
“Hello, Matteo.”
