Chapter 11 - The Ghost Ledger of the Atlantic
The morning calm of the Greenwich coast was broken by the sharp, secure chime of Lorenzo’s encrypted satellite terminal resting on the cedar railing.
Lorenzo released his arm from around Nina’s waist for just a fraction of a second, his amber eyes dropping to the glowing screen. A digital readout flashed in crimson: SECURE ENCRYPTION ROUTE 09 — ZURICH FINANCIAL CLEARINGHOUSE.
"What is it, Lorenzo?" Nina asked softly, reading the sudden shadow that crossed his chiseled features.
"It’s Rocco," Lorenzo answered, his voice dropping into a register of cold, tactical focus. "Our forensic auditors in Switzerland flagged an irregular liquidity pulse moving through a dormant subsidiary of the Moretti syndicate. Even though Giancarlo and Dominic are locked away in federal prison, a secondary offshore reserve was just activated in Liechtenstein."
Nina set her coffee mug down on the teak table, the peaceful light of the morning hardening into sharp, resolute defiance.
"They left a backup plan," Nina stated, her voice steady. "They always do."
"A syndicate doesn't die when you cut off its head; it tries to regenerate through its shadow accounts," Lorenzo replied, sliding his phone into his pocket. He turned fully toward her, his strong hands resting on her shoulders. "The assets we seized last year covered the community trust and the Astoria trade school, but this new ledger points to a hidden network of real estate titles across Europe and the Northeast. They were planning to rebuild."
Ghost trotted up from the pebble beach, his jet-black coat glistening with salt water, dropping a soggy blue flying disc right at Lorenzo’s bare feet. The Rottweiler huffed happily, his old muzzle scar twitching as he panted.
May you like
Lorenzo looked down at the dog, then back to Nina.
"Pack a light bag, Nina," Lorenzo commanded softly, a dangerous, thrilling edge returning to his tone. "We are going to Zurich. Let's finish cleaning out their basement."
