Chapter 7
The locker was beneath the vineyard garage stairs.
Rust covered the door.
The brass key still turned.
Inside sat one cassette recorder.
One black notebook.
One envelope marked:
VINCENT — IF SEBASTIAN STARTS AGAIN.
I looked at Ruth.
“You knew this was here?”
“I knew the locker.”
“Not the contents.”
She shook her head.
Sebastian remained outside under guard.
He shouted once.
“Henri was sick at the end.”
Classic.
Attack the dead man’s mind before anyone hears his words.
I pressed play.
My father’s voice filled the garage.
Weak.
Clear.
“If Vincent hears this, then Sebastian has probably convinced himself he is saving the family again.”
Ruth closed her eyes.
Again.
Not first time.
My father described the Albany accident.
Sebastian had not ordered his death.
He ordered a staged breakdown.
Same method.
My father was supposed to miss a meeting and be collected by men loyal to Sebastian.
Henri discovered the switch and drove anyway.
The compromised car failed unexpectedly.
He crashed.
Accident.
Inside sabotage.
Exactly like tonight.
My father continued:
“Sebastian does not think he is a traitor.”
That line mattered.
“He thinks anyone who disagrees with his definition of Moreau has betrayed Moreau first.”
I looked toward the terrace.
There it was.
The logic behind everything.
Then Henri named three men who helped Sebastian twenty years ago.
Two dead.
One alive.
Marcus Vale.
A senior Moreau capo still serving under me.
My stomach tightened.
Marcus had attended my meetings for twelve years.
Advised me on closures.
Argued against several reforms.
I called him old-fashioned.
Apparently he was continuity.
The recording continued.
“If Marcus is still near Vincent when Sebastian moves again, assume he never stopped.”
I stopped the tape.
Rafe understood.
So did Ruth.
This was not one retired uncle acting from nostalgia.
Sebastian had at least one man inside my senior circle.
Then my phone vibrated.
Message from Marcus Vale.
Boss, urgent. Ruth’s garage records show she ordered the work on your car.
I stared at it.
Perfect timing.
Sebastian’s fallback had already begun.
May you like
If Damien failed as the scapegoat—
they would use Ruth.
