Chapter 5 - THE SHADOW IN THE WINE CELLAR
The revelation shattered the quiet room like a concussive grenade.
Dominic Vance—the man who had managed Julian’s flagship restaurant for eight years, the man who handled the private reservations for the five families—had been the wheelman for the assassination team that murdered Sophia Thorne.
“Raymond!” Julian shouted.
The sound of his voice shook the crystal wall sconces in the hallway.
Raymond Caldwell appeared in the doorway in three seconds, his hand already resting on the butt of his suppressed sidearm:
“Julian?”
Julian thrust the charcoal sketch into Raymond’s chest:
“Run the registry on this plate. Check the parking records for Il Miracolo on the night of April fourteenth.”
Raymond scanned the drawing, his weathered face turning the color of spoiled milk:
“My God... Julian. Dominic was supposed to be in the kitchen that night inventorying the wine cellar.”
“He wasn't in the kitchen,” Julian snarled, his voice trembling with an arctic, terrifying rage. “He drove the chase car. He blocked Sophia’s limousine at the Queens boulevard intersection so the shooters could box her in.”
Julian turned toward the window, looking out over the misty Manhattan skyline:
“And why did he bring Toby to Il Miracolo on Friday night?”
Nora gasped, clutching her throat as the horrific puzzle pieces clicked into place:
“The tantrum,” Nora whispered, her eyes wide with dread. “When Toby walked into the restaurant on Friday... he didn't scream because he was tired. He screamed because he saw Dominic standing by the maître d' stand.”
Julian closed his eyes for two full seconds.
The grief that had crippled him for six months transformed into a white-hot, razor-sharp instrument of absolute retribution:
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“Toby recognized his mother’s killer,” Julian whispered.
“And Dominic knew it.”
