CHAP 7 — THE HOUSE IN MAINE
The island house was empty.
Almost.
They found Elena Vale’s room.
Books.
Medicine.
A half-finished crossword.
Fresh flowers.
Someone had lived there recently.
Mave touched the indentation in the pillow.
Her mother.
Alive.
Close enough to leave warmth in a room.
Gone before they arrived.
On the dresser stood a framed photograph.
Mave at age twenty-two.
Graduation.
She had never seen anyone taking it.
Inside the frame was a folded note.
My Mavie,
If you are reading this, then the men failed to keep you out of the truth.
Good.
Mave smiled through tears.
That sounded like her mother.
The letter continued.
Marcus believed numbers were honest.
He was wrong.
Numbers are only as honest as the person arranging them.
People hide greed inside percentages.
Murder inside losses.
Power inside debt.
But patterns tell the truth.
Find the pattern.
Do not let Vincent become his father.
Do not let him become Carmine either.
Mave looked toward Vincent.
He looked away.
She continued.
Carmine does not want the ledger because it proves murder.
He wants it because it proves ownership.
Mave frowned.
Ownership of what?
The answer came downstairs.
Leo found incorporation documents hidden beneath the floor.
Costa Maritime was not merely partially owned by Marcus Vale.
Its original charter contained a control provision.
If any Costa principal used company infrastructure for unauthorized criminal activity, the Vale partner could trigger a forced separation.
The legitimate company would split away.
Ships.
Warehouses.
Hotels funded through shipping profits.
Real estate.
Nearly seventy percent of Vincent’s legal empire.
Mave looked at him.
“I can take it.”
Vincent read the clause.
“Yes.”
“From you.”
“Yes.”
“And Carmine?”
“If you trigger it before he gets control, you strip him of the clean money.”
Gabriel smiled grimly.
“That’s why he kept Elena alive.”
Mave understood.
Her mother knew how to activate the clause.
Carmine needed her.
Then he needed Mave.
A car engine sounded outside.
Vincent immediately moved in front of her.
Mave touched his shoulder.
“Stop doing that.”
“What?”
“Putting your body between me and every problem.”
“It’s a habit.”
“Break it.”
He looked at her.
“Stand beside me.”
Something shifted in his eyes.
He moved.
Not away.
Beside her.
The front door opened.
Donovan entered.
Leo nearly drew his weapon.
Vincent stopped him.
Donovan looked older than Mave remembered.
Exhausted.
He held his hands away from his body.
“I found Elena.”
Mave stepped forward.
“Where?”
“Carmine moved her yesterday.”
“Where?”
Donovan swallowed.
“Back to New York.”
Vincent understood first.
“He wants the city.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s calling a meeting.”
“What meeting?”
Donovan looked at Vincent.
“Every captain your father ever had.”
Vincent’s face hardened.
“He’s taking the organization.”
Donovan nodded.
“Tomorrow night.”
Mave asked:
“And my mother?”
May you like
Donovan looked at her.
“She’s the invitation.”
