Page 58 of Lorenzo

I hold his gaze.

Mario looks back at the page.

“How far has it spread?”

“Not far. No operational problems. No one has backed out of a contract. Employees are still doing their jobs.”

“But people are nervous.”

“Yes.”

He closes the folder.

“That was fast.”

“Too fast.”

“You think someone is pushing it.”

“I think one arrest that did not result in charges should not have reached three separate business contacts this quickly.”

“The name did the work for them.”

“Maybe.”

Mario leans back.

He has always been good at waiting before deciding what something means. He can sit with a problem until everyone else becomes impatient enough to reveal more than they intended.

Typically, I'm good at that as well.

But I am less interested in patience when the problem concerns my son.

“What are you thinking?” he asks.

“That whoever set up Alessio may have wanted more than an arrest.”

“Your private investigator, Donna, already raised that possibility.”

“She asked why him. This could be part of the answer.”

“Damaging the company?”

“Or testing what happens when pressure is applied.”

Mario’s face remains still.

“To whom?”

“All of us.”

The silence between us is brief.

We both understand the difference between someone trying to imprison Alessio and someone using Alessio to force the family into motion.

“What did you tell Brennan?” Mario asks.

“To document every call and keep the response consistent. Alessio has not been charged, and his arrest does not affect the company.”