Chapter 3 - THE SILVER WOLF RING
-3
Salvatore Moretti entered smiling.
That was the first thing Clara hated.
Not because smiles were suspicious.
Because his smile reached the room before concern did.
“My boy.”
He opened his arms toward Rico.
Rico did not move.
Salvatore stopped.
He was sixty-one, broad-shouldered despite age, silver hair combed straight back, expensive charcoal suit.
On his right hand:
The wolf ring.
Silver.
Black stones for eyes.
Leo saw it.
His body locked.
Clara noticed before Rico.
She moved her chair slightly closer.
Not touching.
Just available.
Salvatore looked at Leo.
“Little lion.”
Leo whimpered.
Rico’s face changed.
Elena called him that.
Many family members knew.
Maybe.
Then Salvatore noticed Clara.
“Who is this?”
“Waitress,” Rico said.
Clara understood immediately.
He was hiding her identity.
Good.
Salvatore looked irritated.
“Why is staff in a family meeting?”
“She calmed Leo.”
“Then pay her and send her downstairs.”
Leo grabbed Clara’s sleeve.
Salvatore saw.
His smile disappeared for half a second.
Then returned.
“Children attach quickly.”
Rico watched every twitch.
“You heard he had an episode.”
“Yes.”
“From who?”
Salvatore shrugged.
“Marco called around asking whether to shut restaurant.”
Marco had not.
Rico knew because he had ordered Marco upstairs only after.
“Interesting.”
Salvatore poured himself water.
“Why?”
“No reason.”
He sat.
Leo watched the ring.
Clara kept one hand open on the table.
Leo slowly reached.
He touched her palm.
Then drew two little ears.
Wolf.
Salvatore looked.
“What is he doing?”
Rico said:
“Playing.”
Leo pointed under the table.
At Salvatore’s hand.
Clara’s pulse pounded.
Rico saw.
Salvatore did too.
“What?”
He laughed.
“You like the ring?”
Leo’s breathing quickened.
Salvatore extended it.
“Come here.”
Leo screamed.
Not like before.
A sharp terror sound.
Clara immediately stood between.
Salvatore recoiled.
“What the hell?”
Rico rose.
“Take the ring off.”
Salvatore stared.
“What?”
“The ring.”
“Why?”
“Take it off.”
The room chilled.
Salvatore slowly removed ring and placed it on table.
Leo stopped screaming but buried face against Clara.
Rico watched.
Something cracked inside him.
Children can react irrationally.
A ring proves nothing.
But Salvatore knew that too.
Yet his face had gone pale.
Rico picked up ring.
“You’ve worn this twenty years.”
“Longer.”
“Did Elena ever hate it?”
Salvatore laughed.
“Elena hated half the family traditions.”
True.
Then:
“Why are we discussing jewelry while your son melts down?”
Rico looked.
“My son hasn’t spoken properly in six months.”
Salvatore’s eyes flickered.
“So?”
“Tonight he spoke.”
A pause.
“What did he say?”
Too quickly.
Rico noticed.
“Why?”
“I’m his uncle.”
Great-uncle technically.
“You’ve called every week asking if he talks.”
“Because I care.”
“Do you?”
Salvatore’s expression hardened.
“Be careful, Ricardo.”
Only family called him Ricardo.
Rico hated it.
Then Clara felt Leo’s fingers move.
He traced something on her palm.
A line.
Then three taps.
Then a circle.
She did not understand.
He tried again.
“Car?”
she whispered.
Leo nodded.
Salvatore stood.
“This is ridiculous.”
Rico blocked.
“Sit.”
“I don’t take orders in a room from a waitress.”
“You take mine.”
Salvatore stared.
Rico stared back.
Slowly, Salvatore sat.
Clara asked Leo:
“Black car?”
Leo nodded.
Rico felt sick.
The drive-by vehicle had been black.
Common.
“Wolf in car?”
Leo froze.
Then nodded.
Salvatore laughed loudly.
“Oh, for God’s sake. He is three.”
Clara looked up.
“Nobody accused you.”
His laugh stopped.
That mattered.
Rico’s eyes sharpened.
Salvatore realized mistake.
“I’m saying this is absurd.”
“Then why are you defensive?”
“Because you’re staring at me like murderer.”
Rico said nothing.
Salvatore cursed.
Then:
“Elena was killed by Albanians. We know this.”
Rico’s heartbeat slowed.
They had blamed an Albanian crew.
But Clara had not mentioned rivals.
Neither had Rico.
Salvatore had offered answer before question.
Could be common knowledge inside family.
Still.
Then Dante stepped forward.
“Uncle Sal, who told you about tonight?”
Salvatore looked.
“I told you.”
“Marco didn’t call.”
Salvatore’s jaw tightened.
“Someone did.”
“Who?”
Silence.
Then his phone buzzed.
He looked.
Rico held out hand.
“Give me phone.”
Salvatore laughed.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“Yes.”
The answer startled everyone.
Rico’s voice stayed calm.
“My wife is dead. My son is afraid of your ring. A woman appears with information Elena hid from me, and you arrive before I call. So yes, maybe I have lost my mind. Give me the phone.”
Salvatore stood.
“No.”
Dante moved.
Salvatore’s bodyguards outside shifted.
Tension.
Clara suddenly slapped her palm on table.
Everyone looked.
“Leo is here.”
Silence.
She pointed at Rico.
“You promised without saying it.”
Rico understood.
No violence in front of child.
He backed.
“Dante, nobody draws.”
Dante nodded.
Rico looked at Salvatore.
“Leave.”
Salvatore seemed surprised.
“You’re letting me?”
“I’m asking you to leave my restaurant.”
“This is my family’s restaurant.”
“No.”
Rico’s voice became ice.
“It is mine.”
Salvatore’s eyes hardened.
There was something there.
Not fear now.
Resentment.
Old.
“You always were Elena’s favorite weapon.”
Rico froze.
“What?”
Salvatore smiled.
“Nothing.”
He took wolf ring from table.
Leo whimpered.
Salvatore put it in pocket instead of finger.
Then left.
Dante watched until door shut.
Rico turned.
“What did he mean?”
Clara did not know.
But she remembered Elena’s last call.
One sentence she had never understood.
He thinks I made Rico weak enough to steal from.
Clara said it aloud.
Rico stared.
“Who is he?”
“I think you know.”
Then Dante’s phone rang.
This time he looked at number and went pale.
“Atlantic Meridian Bank.”
Rico frowned.
“Why?”
Dante answered.
Listened.
Then looked at Clara.
“Someone tried to access box 317 this afternoon.”
Her blood went cold.
“Who?”
“The bank won’t say by phone.”
Rico looked toward the door Salvatore had just used.
The key in Clara’s pocket suddenly felt heavier than metal.
May you like
Somebody knew it existed.
And somebody had tried to reach Elena’s secret before they did.
