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"My colleagues here don’t think so—" I frown, "What’s your name?"
"Tobias." He swallows, "My mother calls me Toby."
"Of course, she does." I look him up and down, "Tell me, Toby, what will it take for you to tell me who you were siphoning off the information from our books to?"
"I… I wasn’t," he insists. "I am just an accountant. I was doing my job."
"Who were you doing the job for?"
"For you, Capo." He presses his hands together in his lap, "I am loyal to you, just like my father was to your father, and my father before that."
"Hmm," I stroke my chin, "so your family has served mine for generations."
He nods, "That’s what I mean when I say, I wouldn’t dream of betraying you."
"Not even for your girlfriend."
He pauses, "My g…girlfriend?"
"Does she have a name?"
He opens and shuts his mouth again as he stares at me. "Her…her name?"
I tilt my head and he lower his chin.
"C… Clara," he mumbles.
"What’s that?"
"Clara." He juts out his chin, "Her name is Clara."
"And I assume Clara likes good food, good wine, and flowers and…expensive lingerie?"
His gaze skitters away.
"And diamonds…"
His throat moves as he swallows.
"Did you buy her a diamond ring to propose to her?"
"I did," his chin wobbles, "but it’s not what it looks like, it—"
Just then, Antonio arrives with a tray on which there is a jug of water, a glass, a plate of food and a mug of coffee. He places it on the table in front of Toby who stares at it longingly. "Eat," I order. When he hesitates, I lean back in my seat. "We have plenty of time, Tobias. You may as well as eat and drink and fortify yourself before we proceed."
Toby shudders, then squares his shoulders. He reaches for the panini, crunches down on it, pausing only to take a few sips of the espresso. He inhales the food, then leans back with a sight. I pour some of the water from the jug, push it toward him. "Drink," I command, and this time, he grabs the glass of water. His fingers are steady as he drinks from it.
"Who did you give the information to, Tobias?"
He shakes his head, lowers the glass of water. "I didn’t." He jerks his chin toward Luca, "He’s lying."
"Asshole," Luca growls, and I raise my hand.
"Why would he lie?" I fix my gaze on the man, "What possible reason would my brother have to frame you?"
"Because…" He licks his lips. His fingers tremble and some of the water spills onto his lap. "Because he is jealous of you, because…" Toby glances around the space, "he wants your position; he—"
"What the hell—?"
