Chapter 7 - The Restaurant's Missing Records|
Natalie could barely speak.
Daniel had delivered the evidence to Anthony Russo.
The same man who had slapped her.
The same man who had fired her in front of an entire restaurant.
The same man who had complained when she tried to get medical help for Margaret.
It was possible that Anthony had received the documents before Daniel died.
It was possible that he knew exactly what Daniel had discovered.
And now Natalie understood why someone had threatened her over the notebook.
She looked at Dominic.
"Why would Daniel give evidence to the person he was investigating?"
"He may have believed Russo was going to cooperate. Or the document may be misleading. We need the original records."
"Can you get them?"
"Not without a proper investigation."
Natalie stood.
"Then we need to find someone who can."
Dominic nodded.
"Detective Hayes is already involved. She can coordinate with the appropriate agencies."
Alessandro arrived that evening.
He listened while Natalie explained the discovery.
"You're not going back to Bellissimo," he said.
Her expression hardened.
"Don't start."
"I'm not ordering you. I'm telling you the risk is increasing."
"And I am telling you that I won't spend the rest of my pregnancy hiding because Anthony Russo doesn't want people to know what he did."
Alessandro rubbed his forehead.
"You're seven months pregnant."
"And I'm still capable of making decisions."
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
"All right. What do you want to do?"
Natalie took out her notebook.
"I want to identify every employee whose pay was reduced. I want to know who received the missing money. And I want the restaurant's original payroll records."
Dominic opened his tablet.
"We may be able to obtain them through the investigation."
"Good. But I also want to speak to the bartender who recorded the slap."
Alessandro looked at Dominic.
"Find him."
The bartender was named Tyler James. He had sent the video to a friend after witnessing Anthony strike Natalie, and the recording had spread privately before reaching Alessandro.
Tyler agreed to meet with Natalie and a detective.
He was nervous.
"I didn't know what else to do," he said. "I thought if I posted it publicly, they'd fire me too."
Natalie understood.
"Thank you for recording it."
Tyler looked down.
"That wasn't the only thing I recorded."
He unlocked his phone and showed her another video.
It had been taken several weeks earlier, after closing time. Anthony was standing in the office with Richard Bell and a man Natalie recognized as the restaurant's payroll manager, Victor Lane.
The three men were arguing over a folder.
Anthony slammed his hand against the desk.
"You told me the original records were gone."
Richard replied, "I said the copies were gone. Parker kept something else."
Victor glanced toward the door.
"What if his wife has it?"
Anthony laughed.
"She has no idea what her husband was doing."
Natalie felt the room tilt.
Tyler paused the recording.
"I didn't know what they meant. I saved it because they looked like they were planning something."
"Did you tell anyone?"
"No. I was scared."
Natalie looked at the detective.
The video was not proof of a crime by itself, but it provided a lead that could be investigated.
Then she noticed the date.
The recording had been made only three days before Daniel died.
Tyler looked at her.
"There's another thing."
"What?"
"Anthony kept a locked drawer in his office. I saw him put a photograph inside it."
"What photograph?"
Tyler hesitated.
"The one from the restaurant opening. You, your husband, and Anthony Russo."
Natalie froze.
She had never taken a photograph with Anthony.
Then she remembered.
Daniel had attended Bellissimo's opening as a guest of Harbor Crest.
Anthony had stood beside him.
Natalie had been there too.
May you like
Tyler continued.
"On the back of that photograph, Anthony had written a date. The date your husband died."
