I play the first message.
A man's voice speaks in Italian.
"The ledgers are ready. I've planted the evidence showing Dante as the source of the skimming. The Turks will believe it once they see the proof."
The voice is familiar.
I've heard it before but I can't place it immediately.
I play it again and focus on the cadence and tone.
Then it clicks.
The voice belongs to one of Antonelli's lieutenants, a man who's been with him for years.
It's nothing I don’t know, but now I have proof to provide Kemal, at least.
Then I play the second message and the same man speaks again. "The data's been fed to the Turks. They believe it. Once they cut ties, his organization collapses. The boss moves in and takes over the territory without a fight."
I clench my jaw.
This is exactly what I suspected, but hearing it confirmed makes the rage burn hotter.
Antonelli didn't just steal my shipment.
He orchestrated an entire campaign to destroy my reputation and isolate me from my allies.
He's turned my suppliers against me through lies and manipulation.
It's evil and manipulative and just the world I live in now.
I've known it from the beginning of all of this, but with this proof in my hand, I know his days are numbered.
When I play the third message and hear the same lieutenant’s voice speaking to my supplier, it guts me.
Kemal believes all of this bullshit, the forgeries and coverups. And he's ready to move on me just as soon as his deadline runs out.
He thinks I can't be trusted.
But this phone proves otherwise.
These voice messages are hard evidence that Antonelli orchestrated the entire scheme.
If I can get this to Kemal before his deadline expires, I might be able to salvage the alliance and to turn the Turks against Antonelli instead of me.
Rico glances over while he drives. "What's on it?"
"Proof that Antonelli set me up. Voice messages between his lieutenant and a Turkish contact. They confirm the ledgers were forged and the skimming story was fabricated to turn Kemal against me."
"Will Kemal believe it?"
"I don't know. But it's the only chance I have to fix this before his deadline."
Finally, a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.
I might not have Kemal's missing shipment, but I do have proof that I'm not the one who took it.
Now, if I’m going to fully convince him that I'm still trustworthy, despite the skimming I've done, I have to get this to him and find a way past Gerard's defenses to get Kemal his drugs.
