Chapter 8 - The Corrupt Director Crumbles
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Luca grabbed Dr. Finch by his silk tie and shoved him backward into his private office.
The heavy mahogany door slammed shut behind them, leaving Claire, Marco, and two armed guards inside the room.
Finch stumbled over an oriental rug and fell against his large executive desk, knocking over a brass lamp.
"Please, Mr. Moretti!" Finch begged, raising his trembling hands.
"This is a private medical facility!"
"You cannot just barge in here!"
Luca pulled out a wooden chair, spun it around, and sat down calmly, resting his forearms on the backrest.
"You took a five-hundred-thousand-dollar cash deposit from Vanessa Moretti three days ago," Luca said, his voice terrifyingly calm.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Finch gasped.
"Mrs. Moretti merely inquired about our memory care services!"
Marco stepped forward and slammed a thick leather folder onto the desk.
Inside were printouts of the encrypted wire transfers that Luca’s tech team had extracted from Vanessa’s phone.
"The transfer originated from an offshore account in the Bahamas," Marco said.
"Account holder: Dr. Alistair Finch."
"Transaction memo: 'Specialized Care - Patient R.M.'"
Luca leaned forward, his dark eyes boring into Finch's soul.
"You agreed to hold my mother under chemical restraints."
"You agreed to sign false psychiatric affidavits stating she was legally incompetent."
"And you agreed to notify Vanessa the moment my mother was too sedated to understand what she was signing."
Finch began to hyperventilate, pulling at his collar.
"I was only following the legal instructions of the primary family representative!"
"Vanessa said she had power of attorney!"
"Did you verify that power of attorney with me?" Luca whispered.
Finch swallowed hard, unable to speak.
"Did you think that because my last name is Moretti, I would simply let my mother vanish into the woods?"
"Julian Vance told me you wouldn't interfere!" Finch blurted out in desperation.
The room went dead silent.
Claire watched Luca’s eyes darken further.
"Julian Vance told you that?" Luca asked softly.
"Yes!" Finch cried, completely breaking down.
"Vance called me personally last week!"
"He said the Moretti family was undergoing a restructuring!"
"He said Luca Moretti was facing a federal indictment and that Vanessa would take over the entire estate!"
"He guaranteed me immunity from the syndicate!"
"He promised me three million dollars once the riverfront logistics warehouses were signed over to his development group!"
Claire felt a cold shiver down her spine.
The plot was far larger than just family money; it was a total coup designed to destroy Luca from the inside out.
"Where are the audio files, Finch?" Luca asked suddenly.
Finch blinked, sweat pouring down his forehead.
"What audio files?"
"A scumbag like you never enters a conspiracy without recording his partners," Luca said with chilling accuracy.
"You keep leverage to protect yourself in case things go wrong."
"Open the safe behind the portrait of your medical license."
Finch stared at Luca in absolute terror.
Realizing he had zero leverage and zero protection, the doctor crawled to the wall, pushed aside the framed diploma, and spun the combination dial on a small wall safe.
He pulled out a black external hard drive and handed it to Luca with shaking hands.
"Everything is on there," Finch wept.
"Phone recordings with Vanessa."
"Voice memos from Julian Vance."
"Even the draft of the fraudulent conservatorship decree signed by a corrupted county judge."
Luca handed the hard drive to Marco.
"Plug it into the tablet."
Marco connected the drive and hit play on the most recent audio file.
Vanessa’s sharp, arrogant voice filled the office:
'Once the old woman is locked up at Whispering Pines, Luca will be too distracted to notice the warehouse contracts.
And if Luca asks too many questions, make sure his mother’s heart simply gives out in her sleep.
A grieving son doesn't fight legal battles; he surrenders.'
Claire covered her mouth in absolute horror.
Luca didn't flinch.
He stood up, adjusted his cuffs, and looked down at the pathetic doctor groveling on the floor.
"Marco, call the State Police and the Department of Health."
"Hand them Finch, the building, and every medical record in this facility."
"What about Finch, Boss?" Marco asked.
"Leave him for the feds," Luca replied coldly.
May you like
"Losing his license, his freedom, and his millions will hurt him far more than a bullet."
"And besides," Luca added, walking toward the door, "I have a date with Julian Vance."
