PART 12 – The Secret Data in the Box
"Inspector Morelli, this is Captain Luca Ferri speaking," Luca said with a rock-solid, authoritative voice. "I am personally aware of the situation surrounding flight AZ206. Exactly what data was found in that box?"
On the other end it fell silent for a moment, as if the inspector was surprised to have the notorious captain on the line.
"Captain Ferri," the inspector responded after a brief hesitation. "We have now gained access to the encrypted files on the found USB sticks. It's not just internal corruption data from the real estate company, but... it also contains communication with foreign accounts and transactions directly linked to a large-scale money laundering network in Switzerland and Italy. Your ex-husband, Stefano Rossi, wasn't just a pawn. He was the linchpin in a financial syndicate."
The word 'syndicate' hung in the air like a dark cloud.
I put my hands over my mouth. My ex-husband, the man I had had a child with, the man I once trusted, turned out to be at the head of an international criminal network that pumped millions in black money through the airline. And we—myself and my fourteen-month-old daughter Vittoria—had unknowingly been on the exact same flight as that illegal cargo.
"What does this mean for Elena and Vittoria?" Luca asked immediately, his protective tone leaving no room for doubt. "They knew nothing about it. They were victims of his blackmail."
"Our earlier investigations have also pointed that out, Captain," the inspector answered reassuringly. "Mrs. Rossi has nothing to fear from criminal prosecution regarding the smuggling. But... due to the nature of this data, Stefano is now panicked. Now that he's locked up, we fear his accomplices in the network will try to tie up loose ends. We strongly advise Mrs. Rossi not to return to her apartment in Rome or Milan until the situation is completely under control."
The ground seemed to drop out from under me once more. No more going home? Where were we supposed to go then? Where were we safe if Stefano's accomplices were still walking free?
Luca hung up after thanking the inspector. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tightly against his chest. His warm, familiar scent gave me a little bit of anchorage in this nightmare.
"You don't have to be afraid of anything, Elena," he whispered softly in my ear, holding me tight. "You're not going anywhere I'm not with you. We're going to my house in the mountains, far away from all this chaos, until this is resolved for good."
