Page 53 of Lorenzo

I keep my voice level. “She may have.”

Alessio looks at me. “People can want more than one thing at the same time.”

“I might be wrong.”

I'm not, and I think everyone in this room knows it, but he seems to need a little more time to take that fact in.

Chapter Seven

Lorenzo

The first sign that Alessio’s arrest has followed me into Conti Enterprises comes just after10:00 the next morning.

I am halfway through reviewing the weekly operations reports when someone knocks on my open office door.

Brennan Kessler stands in the doorway with a folder tucked beneath one arm. As director of vendor relations, he usually comes to me with contract issues, delayed deliveries, or complaints that have already been reduced to numbers and proposed solutions.

Today, he looks bewildered.

“Do you have a minute?” he asks.

“Come in.”

He steps inside and shuts the door behind him.

That gets him my full attention.

“I received two calls this morning that I don’t understand.”

“What kind of calls?”

“Vendors asking about your son.”

I lift my brows. “My son?”

“Alessio.”

“Which vendors?”

He gives me the names.

Both have worked with Conti Enterprises nearly since we opened our Chicago branch.

“What did they ask?”

Brennan opens the folder and glances down, though I doubt he needs the reminder.

“One wanted to confirm Alessio would no longer be involved in the approval of their work.”

I stare at him.

Brennan spreads one hand. “That was my reaction too.”

“Alessio has never been involved in approvals.”

“I told them that.”

“What did they say?”