32. Bella
THIRTY-TWO
Bella
Hours pass, each ticking minute stretching into an eternity. I pace the room, my mind a whirlwind of anxiety and fear. The silence is deafening, and every small noise outside the door makes me jump.
I can't shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong. My phone remains stubbornly silent, and the dread gnaws at me with every passing second.
Then, a sharp knock on the door. I rush to answer it, my heart pounding in my chest. Standing there is a police officer, his expression grave. "Mrs. Pierce?”
"Yes," I reply, my voice trembling. "What is it?"
"I'm sorry to inform you," he says slowly, "but the hotel manager is dead, and we think Alex Pierce did it before shooting himself."
The words hit me like a physical blow, and I stagger back, my vision blurring with tears. "No... no, that can't be true."
The officer steps inside "I know this is difficult, but I need you to come with me to identify the body."
Numbly, I nod, letting him lead me out of the room. The world feels surreal, like I'm moving through a nightmare I can't wake up from. We drive to the morgue in silence, my mind a jumble of disjointed thoughts and overwhelming grief.
When we arrive, the officer escorts me inside. The sterile smell of antiseptic fills the air, and the harsh fluorescent lights make everything feel even more surreal.
We walk down a long corridor, and as we turn a corner, I see an unfamiliar face waiting for me.
He’s almost as tall as Alex, dressed just as sharply but with a few more gray hairs. “Bella,” he says. “My name is Ricardo Rossi. We need to talk.”
Fear spikes through me, and I stop dead in my tracks. "What's going on?" I demand, my voice shaking.
The officer who brought me here steps back, and I realize with a sickening jolt that he's in on this. “This way.” My heart races as Ricardo gestures for me to follow him into a small, dimly lit room. The door closes behind us with an ominous click.
"I know Alex lied about you and your father," Ricardo begins, his voice low and menacing. "I know you're married to him. Now, tell me who you're working for and how you managed to corrupt my best employee."
“Wait, is Alex dead or not?”
“Not yet. Who are you working for?”
"I'm not working for anyone," I protest, my voice rising in desperation. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Ricardo's eyes narrow, and he takes a step closer, his presence suffocating. "Don't play games with me, Bella. I know Alex too well. He wouldn't have done this on his own."
"I swear, I don't know anything," I plead, my voice trembling. "I didn't corrupt him. I love him."
A cruel smile twists Ricardo's lips. "Love? That's rich. But it doesn't matter. You're going to die here, and the footage of your death will be sent to your father. Now, where is Alex?"
Tears stream down my face, and I shake my head frantically. "I don't know where he is."
Ricardo's face hardens, and he pulls out a gun, pressing it to my temple. "Where did your father hide it?"
"I don't know," I sob, my voice breaking. "You’re just going to have to kill me." I’ll never share the location with him. If Alex has run off with it, so be it. I won’t betray him, no matter what.
Ricardo's grip tightens on the gun, and I can feel the cold metal against my skin. "You're sure about that?"
"Yes, I swear," I whisper, my whole body trembling with fear.
My heart pounds in my chest, my breath coming in shallow gasps. I muster every ounce of courage I have left and repeat, “I don’t know where he is or what he’s looking for. I swear.”
“So Alex didn’t tell you what it was?”
“Not one word.”
“I guess he is loyal after all.”
To my shock, Ricardo’s expression softens slightly. He lowers the gun and steps back, a grudging respect in his eyes. “I see why he married you. You’ve got more courage than a lot of men I’ve worked with.
“Lied with a straight face about not knowing where it is. I’ve seen men crumble far easier than you, men who’ve been in the game thirty years. Bravo.”
“You’re not going to kill me?”
He puts the gun away, and the tension in the room shifts. “Just a test,” he says, his tone unexpectedly gentle. “Had to be sure if you’re joining the family.”
I stare at him, disbelief mingling with my anger. “You wanted to know if I can be trusted? By threatening to kill me?”
Ricardo’s face remains impassive. “I needed to see how you’d react under pressure. If you’re going to stay married to Alex, I need to know you won’t crack. You stared death in the face and didn’t snitch. I admire that.”
My anger flares. “That wasn’t right! You can’t just?—”
“It won’t happen again,” he interrupts, raising a hand to placate me. “You now have my permission to stay together.”
I glare at him, my fists clenched. “Your permission? How generous of you.”
Ignoring my sarcasm, Ricardo continues. “Alex has gone to get it. Once he has it, we can resolve all this.” He takes a seat, indicating I should do the same. “I trust you, Bella, so I’m going to tell you what this is all about.”
I sit down, my mind racing with a mix of anger and curiosity. “Go on.”
“You ever seen Trading Places?”
“The Eddie Murphy movie? Sure.”
“This is the same kind of thing. Your father got hold of a crop report. It’s highly valuable, but he can’t open it or the bidders will know it was compromised.
“He can’t use the information because it would be traced back to him, and he’d be jailed for insider trading. The person who gave it to him works in the crop report field and bribed or seduced an unknown employee to get it.
“Your father heard that the mob would pay good money for this intel. He’s holding a bidding war between two mob families. My own and Vince Russo’s.
“Only Vince decided it would be easier to torture your father to get hold of it. Daddy ran, leaving me to track him down before Vince could get to him. Report goes live in a couple of days, after that it’s useless.”
My heart sinks as the pieces start to fall into place. “My father worked in finance years ago. That’s why he’s involved. He must have some old contacts in the business.”
“Exactly,” Ricardo nods. “The crop report is for a new type of genetically modified corn. If it’s growing well, the value of standard corn will plummet because there will be more supply than demand. If it’s growing badly, the value of standard corn will soar because those relying on the GM crop will have to buy standard, increasing demand.”
“Should that mean anything to me?”
“All you need to know is this heat is decimating the new crop. With that information, I can buy a fuck ton of futures in standard. When the report goes live, the price will soar and I’ll be a very rich man.”
“So this is all about money?”
“Not just money. If Russo is given a fake version of the crop report, he’ll bet the house and lose. That’s what matters to me. Not just getting rich but making him poor. Same as in the movie.”
I swallow hard, the enormity of the situation sinking in. “So, you planned to steal the document from my father and then kill him to prevent him from telling anyone?”
“Correct except for the killing part. Russo kills people on a whim. I do it when there is no alternative. Your father would have been paid if he’d come straight to me but he chose to auction the report. That was foolish.”
Ricardo’s gaze is steady. “Yes. We need to track him down, or Russo will torture him into giving up the report’s location. I need you to call your father and tell him you must see him. While there’s still time.”
“Why couldn’t he tell me what he was looking for?”
“The more people know, the less useful the intel. Plus, Russo might have tortured you to see what you knew.” He smiles. “At least I know you’d have given him jack shit. You’ve got a hell of a spine, Bella. Now call your dad and arrange a meeting.”
I shake my head, defiance rising within me. “I’m not doing anything until I see Alex is alive for myself. For all I know, you’ve killed him already.”