“What did you do?”
“I investigated anyway,” Beppe said. “Silvestri was already a big influence in two thousand eight. He threw these gigantic parties, with businessmen, politicians, celebrities. I knew I needed ironclad proof. But the more I investigated, the more resistance I got.”
“It’s hard without the support of your team,” Valerio observed.
Beppe nodded. “I kept going. Kept pushing. Then, suddenly, I was accused of soliciting bribes. The charges were bullshit, but I was suspended while internal affairs investigated. Eventually they cleared me. But by then, little Felicia had taken her own life.”
Beppe stopped, and pressed his lips together, then shook his head, and began scratching something off the table with his thumbnail.
“After that, there was no case against Silvestri,” he continued. “Agnese and her mother closed the shop and moved north.”
Valerio took a slow breath, holding down the sick feeling in his gut.
“Did you ever see any connections between Paride Silvestri and Luca Errichiello?”
Beppe seemed to think.
“There are similarities,” he admitted. “Although Silvestri is considered a legitimate businessman—and everyone knows that Errichiello isn’t. Both men seem to be involved in human trafficking. And both are untouchable. I can’t remember a single case that’s ever stuck on either of them. Can you?”
Valerio shook his head. “They’re well protected.”
“Not just that,” said Beppe. “Impenetrable. Think about the biggest Camorra capos we’ve seen. There’s always a chink somewhere: a prosecutor willing to take the risk, someone willing to testify. But with these two? Nothing. Silence.”
Valerio agreed. “It’s been almost twenty years since Agnese came forward and, as far as I know, Silvestri hasn’t been investigated since. If he’s still doing this, we’ll find a lot more victims.”
Beppe cautioned him.
“If you choose to investigate, keep it to yourself,” he said. “Be careful who you trust. You could get burned.”
—
It took Valerio the rest of the afternoon to shake off the nausea and disgust from what Beppe had told him.
The shadows were lengthening by the time he met Maurizio at the storefront kebab shop. Maurizio had invited him to his house but Valerio was too tired to deal with Maurizio’s wife. She always wanted to know what was happening and participate in the conversations. He wasn’t in the mood to argue with her.
As they ate greasy meat wraps at the plastic outdoor tables, Valerio recounted his visit to Silvestri’s villa and his conversation with Beppe.
Maurizio gave a low whistle.
“You don’t get into the normal sort of trouble, do you?” he said. “It’s not enough to be in deep with Errichiello—you have to go looking for problems with Silvestri, too? If Beppe couldn’t make a case stick against him, what makes you think you can?”
“Beppe didn’t have the connection between Errichiello and Silvestri,” Valerio said. “I didn’t expect to find a connection either. Therewas just that one photo in Ines’s house. I went to Silvestri because I didn’t have a better plan. But now, I’m sure they’re working together. Why else would Errichiello’s head of security be at Silvestri’s villa?”
He passed Maurizio the bag containing the surveillance gear.
“Would you run these plates for me?” he asked. “I’d do it, but I don’t want to get into a fight with Bonetti about this administrative leave. If Beppe’s right, I can’t afford to attract attention. Also, can you run a facial recognition search on our white-haired friend? First name’s Ivan. It would be good to get a full name and profile.”
Maurizio took the bag. He looked worn out.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” he said. “I don’t like you pinning your hopes on a decades-old complaint against a billionaire. Even if there’s a connection between Silvestri and Errichiello, it would take months—maybe years—to investigate. And you need a whole team working it. You’re not some lone wolf.”
“I don’t have that kind of time,” said Valerio. “And I don’t need a full case against them…just enough to make him back down.”
Maurizio shook his head. “Valerio—”
“Think about Gaetano,” Valerio cut in. “He knew something important. That’s why Errichiello killed him. I need to find out what it was. Silvestri’s my only lead. Gaetano’s girlfriend said that Gaetano used to drive women to exclusive parties in Sorrento. If I can confirm those parties were at Silvestri’s villa, I know where to look next.”
“Gaetano’s dead for what he knew,” Maurizio argued. “I don’t see this helping you. And I don’t want you to get killed.”
