Chapter 16 - The New Manager
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The sun rose over Lake Michigan, painting the sky in bruised shades of purple and orange. Despite getting exactly zero hours of sleep, I felt completely wired.
My new role as estate manager started immediately. By 7:00 A.M., I had the entire staff lined up in the kitchen. I reassigned duties, fired the caterers Vanessa had hired, and established a new protocol for the house. No one was to speak of the engagement, no one was to mention Vanessa Bellini, and Matteo was to be treated with absolute respect.
The staff, having witnessed the absolute chaos of the previous night, fell in line perfectly.
I was walking through the grand dining room, directing two maids to clear the floral arrangements, when Luca walked in. He had showered and changed into a pair of faded jeans and a simple grey t-shirt. Without the tailored suits, he looked less like a mafia boss and more like the mechanic his father raised him to be.
He held two mugs of black coffee. He handed one to me.
“Careful, it’s hot,” he said, looking at my bandaged hand. “How’s the burn?”
“Throbbing,” I admitted, taking a sip. “But manageable. Are you ready for your Saturday routine?”
Luca looked out the massive windows toward the detached garage sitting on the edge of the property. The morning fog was rolling in off the lake, obscuring the old wooden structure in a gray haze.
“I am,” he said quietly. “But I have a feeling today is going to be different. Vanessa’s note is bothering me. She wanted the floorboards torn up. My father died suddenly of a heart attack. He never left a will, never left instructions. Whatever is buried under there, he took the secret to his grave.”
“Do you think the Falcones know what it is?” I asked.
“Vanessa told them something,” Luca sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “And whatever it is, it’s valuable enough to risk a war with my family. I need to find it before they try again.”
Matteo bounded into the room, dressed in his favorite worn-out overalls, completely energized by the prospect of having his tools back.
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“Ready, Dad?” he asked, beaming.
“Ready, buddy,” Luca said. He looked at me, a silent invitation in his eyes. “Claire, why don't you come with us today? I think we might need an extra set of hands.”
