Chapter 7 - Retribution and Justice
The fallout was swift and absolute. Dominic did not use his usual methods of silent execution for Victoria and Silvio Santoro. Instead, he chose a far more agonizing fate for them: complete, public ruin.
Using the mountain of evidence Elena had gathered, along with financial records uncovered by Marcus, Dominic handed everything over to a select group of federal prosecutors whom he kept on his payroll.
Because of the high-profile nature of the child abuse videos and the murder of Catherine Moretti, the federal government moved with terrifying speed.
Victoria Santoro was arrested on the spot at the Drake Hotel, still wearing her emerald green gown, her wrists bound in steel cuffs as flashbulbs blinded her. The media coverage was relentless. The "Santoro Syndicate" was dismantled within forty-eight hours, their assets seized, their operations crushed under a mountain of racketeering, attempted murder, and child endangerment charges.
Two days after the gala, Dominic stood in the interrogation observation room, watching Victoria sit in an orange jumpsuit. She looked haggard, her hair messy, the glamour entirely gone.
“She wants to negotiate a plea,” Marcus said, standing beside Dominic. “She’s offering names in exchange for a lighter sentence.”
“No deals,” Dominic said coldly. “Tell the prosecutor that if she gets a single day less than life without parole, I will withdraw all financial support from his reelection campaign. I want her in maximum security. I want her forgotten.”
Dominic turned away from the glass. His phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out to see a text from Elena.
“They are laughing, Dominic. They played in the snow today. They are waiting for you.”
A tight knot in Dominic’s chest, one he had carried for years, finally began to loosen.
May you like
“Marcus, handle the cleanup here,” Dominic ordered, heading for the door. “I’m going to Wisconsin. And I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
“Take all the time you need, boss,” Marcus replied with a respectful nod. “You’ve earned it.”
