Chapter 6
That night, Clara went home.
She couldn't sleep.
At 3:17 a.m., someone knocked on her apartment door.
She froze.
Nobody visited her.
She looked through the peephole.
Empty hallway.
Then her phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
Don’t trust Rico.
Another message.
He knows what happened to Elena.
Clara's heart raced.
Then a third message.
Ask him about the red notebook.
She stared at the screen.
Red notebook.
She didn't know what it meant.
But someone did.
The next morning, she went to Rico.
He was in his office.
"What's a red notebook?"
His face changed.
Clara noticed.
"You know."
"Where did you hear that?"
"Answer me."
"Who told you?"
"Someone texted me."
Rico stood.
"Give me your phone."
"No."
"Clara."
"No."
His expression became dangerous.
She didn't move.
"Someone is watching you."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"What was in the message?"
"That you know what happened to Elena."
Rico closed his eyes.
Then opened a drawer.
He took out a red notebook.
Clara stared.
"You have it."
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't know who to trust."
"Open it."
Rico hesitated.
Then opened the first page.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Addresses.
Clara's eyes widened.
"This is a ledger."
"Yes."
"Whose?"
"Elena's."
Rico turned a page.
"This is what she was investigating before she died."
Clara looked at the final entry.
One name appeared again and again.
Dante Russo.
She looked up.
"Your security chief?"
Rico's face hardened.
"Yes."
Clara swallowed.
"Did he kill her?"
"I don't know."
"But you suspect him."
"I suspect everyone."
She pointed at the ledger.
"Then why is he still alive?"
Rico looked at her.
"Because I needed proof."
Clara stared.
Then she noticed something.
A second name.
Written beside Dante's.
Marco Bellini.
The restaurant manager.
Her blood ran cold.
"Marco."
Rico looked at the page.
"He's been paying Dante."
"For what?"
May you like
Rico's eyes hardened.
"Information."
