Chapter 7 - The Audit of the Underworld
Three days later, I sat at the mahogany desk in the west wing, surrounded by thick binders, shipping manifests, and financial ledgers that detailed the Casaro family’s legitimate and semi-legitimate holdings across New York and New Jersey.
Behind me, the heavy oak door swung open, and Leo walked in, carrying a fresh cup of black coffee.
“You’ve been in here for six hours,” Leo noted, setting the mug beside my laptop. “Even my most hardened accountants take breaks.”
“I’m looking at the logistics infrastructure,” I said without looking up, pointing to a discrepancy on the spreadsheet. “Specifically, the shipping lanes out of Port Newark. For the last three quarters, overhead costs have risen by fourteen percent, but the freight volume hasn’t changed. Someone is skimming off the top.”
Leo stopped, his coffee mug hovering near his lips. He walked around the desk, peering over my shoulder at the financial records. His brow furrowed.
“Show me,” he commanded.
I pulled up the digital ledger, clicking through three layers of encrypted sub-accounts. “Look here. The shell company receiving the surplus funds is registered under an LLC called Vanguard Logistics. It’s a clean front, but if you trace the corporate registration back two steps, it leads to a man named Dominic Vance—one of Nico’s closest associates.”
The temperature in the study seemed to drop ten degrees.
“My son’s inner circle,” Leo whispered, his voice dangerously low. “Nico didn’t just run up gambling debts; he was bleeding my supply lines dry to fund his own private operations behind my back.”
“Not just Nico,” I added, standing up to face him. “Chloe was the one managing the hospitality accounts where a lot of those funds were being laundered. They weren't just playing games with my heart, Leo. They were running a secondary syndicate right under your roof.”
Leo didn’t yell. He didn’t slam his fists. But the absolute stillness that came over him was far more terrifying than any explosion of rage.
“Get your coat, Myra,” Leo said quietly.
May you like
“Where are we going?”
“To a family meeting.”
