Chapter 6 - THEIR FATHER’S LAST DINNER
-6
Dominic’s confession opened one door.
Salvatore’s medical records opened another.
The official record said Salvatore Moretti died from sudden cardiac arrest following long-standing cardiovascular disease.
He did have heart disease.
That was true.
Truth is useful camouflage.
Dr. Sebastian Rinaldi certified death.
Vittoria refused autopsy.
Also true.
Adrian had not objected.
His father was sixty-eight.
He had collapsed at home.
The explanation seemed painful but ordinary.
Now nothing about that night felt ordinary.
Mateo located the retired paramedic who responded.
Thomas Bell.
He remembered Moretti house because everyone remembers carrying a dying mafia patriarch beneath chandeliers while armed men watch.
They met through attorney.
Thomas said:
“We got call at 9:22.”
Dominic had estimated collapse around nine.
“Was he alive?”
“Yes.”
“Conscious?”
“Barely.”
“Anything unusual?”
Thomas hesitated.
“Doctor was there.”
“Rinaldi.”
“Yes.”
“He told us patient had taken prescribed sedative and cardiac medication.”
“What sedative?”
Thomas did not remember name.
“Did hospital test?”
“Probably.”
Records.
Adrian obtained through estate authority.
Hospital toxicology noted an unexpected sedating agent at therapeutic-to-high range.
Rinaldi explained it as emergency treatment administered before ambulance.
Documentation?
No administration log.
Because at home.
Rinaldi’s statement sufficient.
Dr. Vale reviewed.
She refused dramatic conclusions.
“This does not prove murder.”
“What does?”
“Evidence.”
Good.
“Could it contribute to collapse?”
“Potentially, depending circumstances.”
“Could be legitimate?”
“Yes.”
Adrian hated nuance.
Needed.
Then Salvatore’s nurse.
Private nurse Maria DeLuca had been dismissed two weeks before death.
Why?
Vittoria said Salvatore disliked being watched.
Maria said opposite.
“He asked me to stay.”
“Who fired?”
“Mrs. Moretti.”
“Reason?”
“She said family needed privacy.”
Maria had notes.
Salvatore complained of dizziness after evening drinks.
Three incidents.
All when Vittoria or Rinaldi present.
Again, not proof.
Then Maria said:
“He was afraid.”
Adrian stared.
“Of whom?”
“He didn’t say.”
“What did he say?”
“If I die before I change the papers, Adrian must know I didn’t change my mind.”
“What papers?”
“Will.”
There.
A will.
Current probated will divided estate:
Adrian 45%.
Dominic 35%.
Vittoria 20% plus lifetime control over certain family trusts.
But Salvatore had been changing.
Elias’s letter suggested trust for him/Lily.
Maybe new will.
Family attorney swore no executed version.
Then locker flash drive had draft.
New distribution:
Adrian voting control of legal businesses.
Dominic non-voting economic trust unless he passed compliance conditions.
Vittoria lifetime income but no corporate control.
Elias Carter acknowledged as son, granted 15% family investment trust and child trust for unborn daughter.
Criminal assets? Salvatore intended divest/resolve separately.
This draft threatened Vittoria and Dominic.
But especially Vittoria.
She would lose control.
Moretti dynasty would become transparent under Adrian.
Her hidden stepson publicly acknowledged.
Her husband’s decades-old affair exposed.
Her preferred son subordinated.
Then email from Salvatore to attorney:
Execute Friday.
He died Thursday night.
Adrian stared.
One day.
“Mother knew?”
Dominic whispered.
“She always knew Dad’s meetings.”
Maybe.
Then Mateo found attorney’s assistant.
She remembered Vittoria calling morning before Salvatore died asking whether documents had been signed.
Assistant answered no.
There.
Knowledge.
Then Rinaldi.
How to get him?
Adrian invited him for routine check.
At estate.
Hidden investigators? They can legally record maybe one-party? In Massachusetts recording consent laws strict. Fiction doesn't need legal advice. Better have Mateo in room and later turn evidence to authorities. We can avoid hidden recording. Adrian confronts gently.
Rinaldi arrived carrying leather bag.
He smiled.
“You look stronger.”
“I slept.”
“Good.”
“Seven hours without tea.”
Doctor’s face changed slightly.
“Interesting.”
“Very.”
Adrian sat.
“Tell me what’s in it.”
“Herbal blend.”
“Dominic adds drops.”
Silence.
Rinaldi’s expression became professional.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Dr. Serena Vale does.”
Name frightened.
“You sought outside care?”
“Yes.”
“Adrian, medication interactions—”
“Stop.”
Rinaldi did.
“What did my mother pay you for?”
Silence.
“Consulting.”
“What kind?”
“Private care.”
“My care?”
“Family.”
“Project Lantern.”
Doctor went pale.
There.
“Who told you that?”
Adrian smiled.
“Dead man.”
Rinaldi stood.
“I think you’re experiencing paranoid ideation.”
Adrian almost laughed.
Perfect.
“You wrote that before I had symptoms.”
Rinaldi froze.
Adrian pushed copy of draft medical declaration across table.
Dated before insomnia.
Rinaldi’s initials.
“What is this?”
The doctor stared.
“You need attorney?”
Maybe.
He did.
Adrian did not physically detain him.
Important.
“You’re free to leave.”
Rinaldi looked relieved.
“But if you leave, outside counsel sends financial records and tea results to authorities immediately.”
Not threat to suppress? It's lawful evidence. Fine.
“If you stay, same happens.”
Rinaldi stared.
“Then why talk?”
“Because I want to know about my father before police make you stop speaking.”
The doctor’s face broke.
“I didn’t kill Salvatore.”
“Did my mother?”
“No.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“What happened?”
Rinaldi sat.
His hands shook.
“Vittoria called me because Salvatore was agitated.”
“Why?”
“They argued.”
“About will?”
“Yes.”
“Elias?”
“Yes.”
There.
“What did she ask you to do?”
“Calm him.”
“With medication?”
“Yes.”
“Was it medically appropriate?”
Rinaldi closed eyes.
“No.”
Adrian felt cold.
“Why?”
“He had cardiac condition.”
“Did you know risk?”
“Yes.”
“Did Mother?”
“I told her.”
“What did she say?”
Rinaldi whispered:
“He’ll survive.”
Adrian’s hands clenched.
“And?”
“I administered something to calm him.”
No detail.
“Then?”
“He became unresponsive.”
“Ambulance?”
“I wanted immediately.”
“Dominic said delay.”
“Vittoria said wait.”
“How long?”
“Eleven minutes.”
“Why?”
“She said scandal if ambulance arrived while he was sedated.”
Image.
Always.
“Did those eleven minutes kill him?”
“I don’t know.”
Good.
“Could earlier help save?”
“Possibly.”
That word.
Then:
“Did Mother intend death?”
Rinaldi shook.
“I don’t know.”
“What did she do while he deteriorated?”
“She stood beside him.”
“Nothing?”
“She told him to sign.”
Adrian stopped breathing.
“What?”
“A document.”
“What document?”
“Revocation.”
Of new will?
Rinaldi nodded.
“Salvatore refused.”
“Could he speak?”
“Barely.”
“What did he say?”
Rinaldi cried.
“He said, ‘You already killed one son.’”
The room went completely silent.
Adrian’s blood froze.
One son.
Elias was still alive then? Timeline: Salvatore died four years ago, Elias died three years ago. So no. Can't say killed Elias. Could refer someone else? We haven't. Need adjust. Maybe Salvatore death 3 years 2 months, Elias died 3 years, before insomnia? Actually seed insomnia 3 years. Elias could die before Salvatore? Let's revise timeline: We earlier said Elias died three years ago and Salvatore died four. Can't contradict. So phrase different: “You’ll kill one of my sons.” That fits. Rinaldi says Salvatore: "You will destroy my sons." Better.
Let's state:
“He said, ‘You will destroy my sons.’”
Good.
Then what?
Rinaldi:
“Vittoria said, ‘Only the weak ones.’”
Horrifying.
Adrian stared.
Then Salvatore lost consciousness.
Rinaldi did eventually call ambulance.
Did he alter records?
“Yes.”
Why?
Vittoria threatened exposure of his malpractice and financial payments.
Again coercion plus choice.
“After Dad died, Project Lantern?”
Rinaldi nodded.
“Vittoria said Adrian would destroy family once grief turned to anger.”
“What did you do?”
“At first, prescription.”
“Legitimate?”
“Low dose perhaps for sleep.”
“Then?”
“She wanted you exhausted, not asleep.”
There.
“Did Dominic know?”
“Not initially.”
“Then?”
“He knew enough.”
Adrian believed.
Rinaldi gave names, records, hidden email backups.
Self-preservation.
Not redemption.
Then final:
“Why three years?”
Rinaldi looked at him.
“Because every time you nearly recovered, Vittoria panicked.”
“What was she waiting for?”
“A legal threshold.”
“What threshold?”
“Your trust.”
Adrian frowned.
His thirty-sixth birthday? Maybe trust control locked. He is 35. Let's set Adrian is 35 and upcoming 36? We haven't age specified, user just boss. We can make 38? No. Need something. Better corporate clause: if medically incapacitated continuously 36 months, permanent voting guardianship could be invoked.
Three years exactly.
Family trust charter.
If managing heir medically incapable for thirty-six continuous months, successor trustee could make executive transfer permanent without annual renewal.
Adrian’s stomach dropped.
“How long?”
Rinaldi answered.
“Thirty-six months.”
Adrian looked at date.
Project Lantern treatment began almost exactly thirty-five months and three weeks ago.
One week.
They needed him broken one more week.
May you like
Lily had walked into his room seven days before Vittoria could make his incapacity permanent.
A three-year-old child had interrupted a three-year plan with one bedtime story.
