Chapter 11 - The Uncle at the Door.
.Damian was already moving before Lily finished the sentence.
“Do not go anywhere with him.”
Lily whispered, “Okay.”
“Put the officer on the phone.”
A woman’s voice replaced hers.
“Mr. Moretti, Mr. Salvatore Moretti is in the lobby.”
“Do not let him near Lily.”
“He says he has authority as charity chairman.”
“He has none over that child.”
Damian ended the call and looked at Anna.
Her face had gone white.
“Why would he come for Lily?”
“He knows Victor was caught.”
“And he thinks she heard something.”
Damian did not say the rest.
He did not need to.
They reached the restaurant within minutes.
Salvatore Moretti stood in the private dining room wearing a charcoal overcoat and an expression of wounded dignity.
He was sixty-eight, silver-haired, broad-shouldered, and accustomed to being treated as family royalty.
Lily sat behind the security officer.
When she saw Damian, she stood too quickly and winced because of the boot.
Damian went directly to her.
“You okay?”
“Your uncle said Mom asked him to get me.”
“I did not.”
“This is becoming ridiculous.”
“You lied to a child.”
“I was trying to protect her from a public scandal.”
“You were trying to move a witness.”
“Witness?”
Damian held up the flash drive.
Salvatore looked at it.
Damian’s voice stayed controlled.
“North Crest.”
His uncle looked away.
“Victor handled vendors.”
“You created the company.”
“Prove it.”
“I will.”
“You sound like your father.”
“I hope so.”
“No.”
The older man’s smile disappeared.
“Your father understood that businesses survive because somebody handles the unpleasant details.”
“Stealing from employees is an unpleasant detail?”
Salvatore barely looked at her.
“This does not concern you.”
Damian moved between them.
“Everything concerning her payroll concerns her.”
Salvatore stared at his nephew.
“You are going to burn your family name to defend a pastry chef?”
The little girl was watching.
He chose his answer for her as much as for Salvatore.
“If the family name needs a frightened six-year-old to stay quiet, it deserves to burn.”
Lily’s hand tightened around the officer’s sleeve.
“You have no idea what I did to keep your father’s restaurants alive.”
“Then tell me.”
“I paid debts.”
“With charity money?”
“I moved money where it was needed.”
“Into Victor’s accounts?”
“Into yours?”
The older man’s silence changed the room.
Salvatore looked toward the door.
“Don’t.”
“You won’t have me detained.”
“You’re right.”
Salvatore’s confidence returned.
“Because I already called the police.”
The front doors opened.
Two officers entered.
Salvatore lifted his chin.
He expected control.
Instead, one officer walked to Damian.
“Mr. Moretti?”
“Yes.”
“We received your attorney’s evidence package ten minutes ago.”
Salvatore’s smile faded.
The officer looked at him.
“Mr. Salvatore Moretti, we need to speak with you regarding suspected financial fraud and witness intimidation.”
Salvatore stared at Damian.
“You did this to your own blood.”
Damian’s expression remained calm.
“You did.”
The officers escorted Salvatore toward the lobby.
Before he left, he stopped beside Lily.
Damian immediately stepped between them.
Salvatore looked past him.
“You have no idea what this man is really like.”
Lily’s eyes widened.
Damian did not move.
Salvatore smiled thinly.
“Ask him why your mother works nights.”
“What?”
Salvatore continued before an officer pulled him away.
“Ask him who canceled the childcare fund last month.”
The doors closed.
Anna turned to Damian.
“You have a childcare fund?”
Damian frowned.
“Yes.”
“For employees?”
“Yes.”
“I applied twice.”
Damian’s face changed.
Anna’s voice became very quiet.
“I was told the program had been canceled.”
Damian looked toward the charity files on the desk.
May you like
Then he understood.
The money stolen from the childcare fund was the reason Lily had been in the restaurant at all.
