After Bianca left, Cesare's jaw was set like stone. "Marco, Luca, or Sofia. One of the Falco cousins isil falco."
"It has to be one of them," I agreed. "Viktor was using their family name as code."
"Arrogant bastard thought he was being clever." Cesare's expression hardened. "And the Italian language detail—whoever it is speaks fluent Italian. All three Falco cousins do."
"So we focus on all three," I said. "Wait for Giulio's data."
"And pray we're not already too late."
Giulio returned two hours later with his tablet and grim determination.
"I pulled movement records for the extended family. Based on what Bianca just told you about'il falco,I focused on the cousins."
He displayed profiles:
Marco Falco(32, Cesare's cousin): Manages shipping operations, had access to anniversary celebration plans, was at the venue early setting up security.
Luca Falco(35, Cesare's cousin): Handles East Coast territory negotiations, knew about the Giovanni meeting timing, coordinates with outside families.
Sofia Falco(29, Cesare's cousin): Oversees legitimate business fronts, coordinates family events, has deep access to schedules and movements.
"Any of them have debts to Viktor?" I asked.
Giulio pulled up financial records. "Marco has gambling debts. Significant ones. But they're to various casinos, not to Viktor directly."
"Could Viktor have bought the debt?" Cesare suggested.
"Possibly. I'd need more time to trace it."
"What about Luca?"
"Clean financially. But five years ago, his younger brother died of an overdose. Heroin. Viktor's organization controls most of the heroin coming into New York."
A revenge motive. Or leverage. If Viktor had something to do with the brother's death—
My stomach turned. "And Sofia? There’s no chance it’s her, right? Since Viktor used ‘cugino’ and not ‘cugina’?"
Giulio hesitated. "Sofia's always been close to the family. Loyal. But three years ago, her husband left her. It was a messy divorce and she lost custody of her daughter because of... connections to organized crime. The ex-husband had evidence."
"What kind of evidence?"
"The kind that could only have come from inside the family. Someone fed him information to use against her in court."
My eyes widened. "You think Viktor helped her ex-husband?"
"Or promised to get her daughter back if she helped him. That kind of leverage—a mother separated from her child—it's powerful."
I thought of the tiny heartbeat on the ultrasound. What would I do to protect that life? What wouldn't I do?
I'd been quiet, studying the profiles on Giulio's tablet whilst my mind assembled pieces.
"Can I see the timeline again? When each incident happened and where these three were?" I wasn’t ready to rule out Sofia just yet. Her motive was just as strong as the other two.
Giulio pulled it up. I traced the pattern with my finger.
The wedding day: Marco at the venue early (could have alerted Viktor to the switch), Luca in the city (no alibi), Sofia coordinating family logistics (access to everything).
The anniversary celebration: Marco there from the start, Luca arrived late (suspicious?), Sofia was the one who arranged the venue (had all the details).
