40. His Wife #3
“I am not a detective. But I do believe in facts. And facts tend to reveal themselves, especially when people try to manipulate the narrative around them.”
“Are you saying you think your husband is being framed?”
“All I am saying is that I believe investigations should be thorough, and all information should be regarded with care and consideration. My husband is cooperating and will face the investigation the same way he faces everything else... with courage. The truth will eventually reveal itself, and I look forward to having him home, as well as my father.”
“Arianna–”
“That is all I have to say. Thank you,” I said, backing away as Belio stepped between me and them, guiding me back towards the car. The moment I climbed in, I dropped my head back against the leather interior and cursed.
“That took some balls,” Max said, twisting around from the passenger seat to grin at me. “Sani is going to want to marry you all over again after that.”
I smiled, dropping my shoulders as the tension gradually eased from my body. “Hopefully, for the first time since the explosion, the story being told about Santino Buccini will be different from what they’ve been hearing.”
“Only one more loose end to tie up. You still up for it?” Max smirked.
I nodded and took the leverage we had over Detective Morelli from him.
We drove around the city for a few minutes, waiting for all the paparazzi and journalists to clear, and then pulled up around the corner of the small café Morelli always went to on his break and waited.
As soon as Morelli walked inside and ordered, I climbed out of the car.
Morelli reappeared outside and took a small table in the sun.
Big-T kept a short distance behind me as we approached, giving me space but constantly scanning the area.
“Detective Morelli?”
He twisted his neck to look up at me and frowned, blowing out smoke.
“Signora Buccini.”
“Aria is fine.” I offered with a sweet smile. “I’m glad I caught you alone. Can I sit?”
“I can’t discuss an ongoing investigation,” he said as if on autopilot.
“I’m not here to discuss the investigation.” I pulled out the chair and took a seat anyway.
That made him pause. He took another inhale, watching me over his vape with intrigue.
“Here.” I slid the large envelope across the table towards him.
“What’s this?”
I didn’t answer as he opened it, pulling out the indecent photographs of him in the club, snorting white powder, and then the police report he’d sabotaged seven years ago to ensure his nephew didn’t get sent down for dealing that class A drug.
He didn’t react immediately, but then his face gradually changed. Anger overflowed as he shoved it all back inside and leaned over the table, veins protruding in his neck. Belio immediately moved closer. Morelli froze, sensing the warning from the huge man behind my shoulder.
I smiled.
“Where did you get this?” he growled through clenched teeth.
“That’s not important. What is important is how it’s going to help you correct a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“My husband is sitting in a detention cell for a crime he didn’t commit.”
“The evidence suggests he did.”
I tilted my head. “Does it?”
Morelli rubbed his thumb along his bearded jaw with disgust etched across his face. “You’re blackmailing me.”
“My husband is innocent.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“For one, because there was a temporary VPN connection on his servers the day before the explosion. He’s being framed.”
Morelli rolled his tongue over his teeth and looked away. Oh, my God, they already knew that, didn’t they?
“But you intentionally left that out of the report.”
He snorted. “Your husband might be innocent of this, but we both know he still deserves to be behind bars.”
“You have two choices here, Detective. You let a man who did not commit that crime walk free, or I’ll leak these photos and the report to the media and your supervisor. Your nephew will go to prison, and your career will be finished. You may even share a cell together.”
He clenched his jaw, thinking it over. But really, what was there to think about? I had him by the balls, and for the first time, I could see the appeal of this power. It was delicious.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Just do the honest thing. Include all the new evidence in your report, which proves that the investigation is compromised, and drop the charges against my husband.”
He shoved the envelope back in my hand. “And this goes away?”
“Of course.”
“Fine.” He shook his head, staring at me. “You should be careful choosing this path, Arianna.” When I didn’t respond, just held his gaze, he elaborated. “Because once you get a taste of corruption, you’ll never stop.”
He brushed past me and stormed back into the station. I twisted in the chair to watch him go and exhaled, glancing over at Big-T. For the first time since I met him, the brute had a smile on his face.
“How’d I do?”
“You’re a natural, Signora.”
Sani’s phantom voice whispering ‘good girl’ in my ear sent a ripple of pleasure down my spine, and I smiled. Perhaps, Sani had always been right about me. He’d seen the rebel in me before I even recognised her.