Beppe ushered him inside, where his wife, Carlotta, was busy with one of their grandchildren, helping the boy into his jacket and boots. She rose to kiss Valerio’s cheeks.
“It’s been too long,” she said. “How are Giorgia and the kids?”
They exchanged family news, then Valerio followed Beppe into the kitchen, where he prepared fresh coffee.
—
They had a simple, well-kept home—a blend of ornate antiques and IKEA minimalism, everything neatly arranged on hooks, on shelves, and in plastic bins.
“No cookies, I’m afraid,” Beppe said, handing him a cup. To Valerio’s relief, he placed a bowl of almonds on the table. Valerio grabbed a handful.
“You may as well spit the toad,” said Beppe. “Glad as I am to see you, I know this isn’t a social call.”
This was one reason Valerio had liked Beppe. He could gossip with the best of them, but when you needed something, he got exactly to the point.
“I didn’t want to put it in a message,” Valerio admitted. “I’m in a nice mess, and I don’t want to draw you into it. If you call the station, they’ll tell you not to talk to me.”
“I see,” said Beppe. “Well, it’s decent of you to warn me, but I’m not worried. I’m finished with the bullshit—political games, pandering. And I’m on my pension now, so I don’t have to pretend to like anyone anymore. But I’ve always liked you, Valerio. Truly. So, ask your questions and if they don’t appreciate it, they can go to hell.”
The resentment in the words contrasted so sharply with his pleasant tone, Valerio laughed. He had the urge to hug Beppe.
“Ah, I’ve missed you!” he exclaimed. “Alright then. Two thousand eight. You took a complaint from a woman named Agnese Cuomo about Paride Silvestri. You investigated, but the magistrate sealed the records. Do you remember?”
The smile faded from Beppe’s face.
“Oh, I remember,” he said. “But it’s my turn to warn you. If you’re looking into Paride Silvestri, you won’t get far. He’s protected at every level.Police…judiciary…government…youname it!”
“Is that why the records were sealed?”
“You guessed it. Officially, it was because a minor was involved.”
“So, what happened?” Valerio asked. “Who was Agnese Cuomo?”
“Agnese ran a souvenir shop in Sorrento. Her daughter, Felicia, was a beautiful little girl. Remarkable. Schoolboys followed her around, proclaiming their love. She was thirteen when one of Silvestri’s women spotted her.”
“Silvestri’s women?”
Beppe nodded grimly. “Yeah. We never identified her. But I think that’s how Silvestri operated. The woman was a lure…claiming to be a talent scout. She told Felicia she had the looks to be a model and invited her to a photo shoot at Paride’s home.”
Valerio’s stomach twisted. He didn’t like where this story was going.
“The photo shoot was innocent enough,” Beppe continued. “Nothing ugly there. But afterwards, the woman started asking questions. What did Felicia want for her future? Did she want to help her family? She told her that Silvestri could help her get her training and certification as a professional masseuse. Then came the next step: She’d need to demonstrate her skills on him.”
Beppe stopped and looked down at his hands.
“That was the beginning,” he said. “He abused her for several months before she finally told her mother.”
Valerio had seen his share of violent crime scenes without flinching, but anything involving children always sickened him.
“I’m not a violent man,” Beppe continued, rapping his knuckles on the table. “But if you ever left me alone in a room with Silvestri or any other pedo like him, I can’t guarantee they’d walk out again.”
They sat in silence for several seconds, digesting this.
“You investigated?” Valerio asked.
Beppe exhaled heavily. He looked suddenly older.
“It should have been straightforward,” he said. “Felicia gave clear, consistent details. She was a remarkable kid—so brave. And her mother, too. They had nothing—barely making it to the end of the month—but they were willing to take on this powerful billionaire. I knew there had to be other victims; Silvestri’s grooming was too well rehearsed. It should have been easy to build a case. But it was the hardest case I’ve ever worked. No cooperation. No support from my chain of command. They wanted me to shut it down before I could even get started. Even my own partner seemed to be working against me. And the magistrate wasn’t any better. The entire system was stacked with people who wanted this to just go away.”
