Chapter 5 - Shadows of the Harbor
Two days passed.
The news of Dante Rizzo’s arrest and the dismantling of his illegal extortion ring swept through the city's underbelly like wildfire.
Every small business owner on Grand Avenue realized that Alessandro Moretti was not their oppressor, but their protector.
However, peace in our world is always fleeting.
On Tuesday afternoon, Luca walked into my private office with a dark expression on his face.
“We ran Dante’s phone records from the last six months,” Luca revealed, placing a heavy file on my desk. “Dante wasn't just stealing extortion money for himself, Alessandro.”
I looked up from my desk. “Who was he working with?”
“Julian Vance,” Luca spat the name with disgust. “The head of the rival waterfront union. Vance was funding Dante’s operations in exchange for shipping manifests regarding our private supply routes.”
My eyes narrowed.
Julian Vance had been trying to seize control of the city’s northern docks for three years. He was a ruthless, greedy man who used union strikes, arson, and intimidation to destroy anyone who stood in his way.
“Dante was selling Vance our dock security codes,” I realized, cold anger rising in my chest. “That’s why Vance’s men were able to intercept our cargo last month.”
“It gets worse,” Luca added quietly. “Sophia Bennett’s late husband, Thomas Bennett, used to work as a head dock supervisor for Vance’s union four years ago.”
I sat back in my leather chair, processing the sudden revelation.
“Thomas Bennett died in a harbor explosion four years ago,” I recalled. “They called it a gas leak.”
“It wasn't a gas leak,” Luca confirmed. “Thomas found out that Vance was using the harbor vaults to traffic illegal arms. Vance blew up the warehouse to quiet him... and then sent Dante to harass his widow so she’d never ask questions about her husband’s pension.”
The pieces fit together into a picture of pure, unfiltered evil.
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Vance hadn't just tried to undermine my empire; he had systematically destroyed an innocent family to protect his dirty secret.
“Set up a meeting with Vance,” I commanded, my voice turning to stone. “Tell him Dante wants to sell him the final security keys for Dock 9 tonight.”
