A Quiet Departure From the Shadows of a Chicago Empire
“They did not realize I was writing down every name.”
“Every date.”
“Every off-shore account number.”
Sophia’s hand stopped rolling the pen.
She leaned forward, her eyes fixed on mine.
“You have the ledger numbers?” she asked.
“I have more than that,” I said.
“I have the offshore routing codes for the Swiss accounts.”
“I have the names of the three judges in Cook County who take his cash.”
“And I know where he keeps the physical backup drive.”
Luca looked up, a frown creasing his forehead.
“The warehouse on 24th Street,” he said.
“He told me that was empty.”
“He lies to everyone, Luca,” I said.
“Even to his own blood.”
“The drive is in the basement, behind the old boiler.”
“It is in a steel box that requires a physical key and an eight-digit passcode.”
“He changes the passcode every month,” Sophia said, her voice skeptical.
“He did,” I said.
“But he used a mathematical sequence based on his mother’s birthdate.”
“He is a creature of habit.”
“He thinks his mind is the only safe place in Chicago.”