THE DEPTHS

CHAPTER FOUR: THE DEPTHS

Maya's Monday morning began with a headache and a text message from an unknown number.

Impressive work with my mother. Not everyone earns her approval so quickly.

She stared at her phone, wondering how Luca had obtained her personal number before remembering who she was dealing with. The Riccis probably had her entire digital footprint mapped before she'd even stepped into their offices for her interview.

After a moment's hesitation, she typed back: Is this part of the standard employee onboarding experience?

The response came seconds later: Only for employees who wear emeralds as well as you do.

Maya felt her cheeks warm despite herself. She chose not to reply, instead focusing on getting ready for work. The weekend's events had left her unsettled, not just the moment on the balcony with Luca but the entire experience of being welcomed into the Ricci family's inner circle. It felt too easy, too comfortable, and that was dangerous. She needed to maintain perspective.

When she arrived at the office, she found a thick manila folder on her desk with "CONFIDENTIAL" stamped across it in bold red letters. Inside was a comprehensive overview of the Ricci family's investment portfolio legitimate and otherwise. It represented exactly what she'd asked Luca for on Friday, the information she needed to do her job effectively.

It also represented an extraordinary level of trust.

"He doesn't share those with just anyone."

Maya looked up to find Sophia standing in her doorway, arms crossed. Unlike the coolly elegant woman from Saturday night's party, today's Sophia was all business in a sharp charcoal suit, her dark hair pulled back severely.

"I need it to track the Gambino investments," Maya explained, keeping her tone professional. "To identify vulnerabilities."

Sophia entered the office, closing the door behind her. "Let's be clear about something. My brother may have taken a... personal interest in you, but I am not so easily charmed."

"I'm not trying to charm anyone," Maya countered. "I'm trying to do the job I was hired for."

"Are you?" Sophia raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Because from where I stand, it looks like you're getting awfully comfortable awfully quickly with a family you were terrified of just over a week ago."

Maya sighed, setting down the folder. "What exactly are you worried about, Sophia? That I'm some kind of undercover agent? Or that I'm going to break your brother's heart?"

"I'm worried about divided loyalties," Sophia replied coldly. "This organization succeeds because everyone in it knows exactly where they stand. Where do you stand, Maya Russo?"

Before Maya could answer, there was a sharp knock on the door. Franco poked his head in, his usually cheerful face serious.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we've got a situation. Luca wants everyone in the conference room."

Sophia's expression tightened. "Now?"

"Five minutes ago," Franco confirmed.

The conference room was already full when they arrived. Luca stood at the head of the table, his posture tense as he spoke quietly with two men Maya recognized from the party—one of his uncles and an older cousin whose name she couldn't recall. Other key members of the organization sat around the table, including Tony from security and several men she hadn't met before.

Luca looked up as they entered, his eyes finding Maya's briefly before focusing on his sister. "Good, you're here. We have a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Sophia asked, taking a seat at Luca's right hand.

Luca nodded to a nervous-looking man in his fifties who Maya hadn't seen before. "Tell them what you told me, Vincent."

Vincent cleared his throat. "One of our shipments was seized at the port this morning. Customs officials were waiting for it—they knew exactly which container to target."

A murmur ran through the room.

"What was in the shipment?" Maya asked before she could stop herself.

All eyes turned to her. Vincent looked uncertainly at Luca, who gave a slight nod.

"Unmarked electronics," Vincent said carefully. "High-end components with... modified tracking features."

Maya understood immediately. Smuggled tech, possibly stolen, is definitely illegal.

"How much are we looking at in losses?" Sophia asked.

"About three million in merchandise," Vincent replied. "But the bigger concern is how they knew which container to hit. This wasn't random."

"We have a leak," Luca stated flatly. "Someone tipped off customs."

The room fell silent. In an organization built on loyalty and secrecy, a leak was worse than just a financial loss—it was a betrayal.

"It could have been on the supplier's end," suggested one of the men Maya didn't know.

"Possible," Luca acknowledged. "But this is the second shipment we've lost in a month. Different suppliers, different ports of origin, same result."

Maya flipped through the file Sophia had given her, quickly scanning for information. "These electronics—they were coming through one of the shell companies?"

Luca nodded. "Horizon Tech Imports."

Finding the relevant page, Maya studied the structure. "According to this, Horizon operates through a series of intermediaries. The customs declaration would have listed Global Solutions Group as the recipient, not anything connected to Ricci."

"Exactly," Luca said grimly. "Which means whoever tipped them off knows our internal structure."

The implication hung heavy in the air. An inside job.

"We need to review everyone who had access to the shipping information," Sophia said. "How many people knew about this container specifically?"

"Twelve," Vincent supplied. "Including everyone in this room."

Maya felt the weight of suspicious glances. As the newest member of the organization, she was the obvious suspect. But logic quickly cleared her—she hadn't even known about the shipment until this meeting.

"I want financial audits on everyone," Luca ordered. "Bank accounts, credit cards, recent purchases. If someone's been paid to betray us, I want to know." His gaze settled on Maya. "That's where you come in."

"You want me to investigate your own people?" Maya asked, suddenly understanding why she'd been given that confidential file this morning.

"You're the forensic specialist," Luca said. "And you have the advantage of being new. No existing relationships to cloud your judgment."

Maya felt the tension in the room ratchet up. She was being asked to spy on people who already viewed her with suspicion.

"I'll need full access to your HR records," she said, making a quick decision. "And financial documentation for everyone on the list."

"You'll have it," Luca promised. "Franco will help you set up a secure workspace. I want this handled discreetly."

As the meeting broke up, Maya noticed the sidelong glances and whispered conversations. Her role had just been elevated from helpful outsider to internal investigator—trusted by the boss but potentially dangerous to everyone else.

Franco caught up with her in the hallway. "Don't take it personally if people avoid you for a while," he said with a weak attempt at his usual smile. "This kind of thing makes everyone jumpy."

"I'm just doing my job," Maya replied.

"That's what makes it scary," Franco said. "Come on, I'll show you to the secure room."

The "secure room" turned out to be a windowless office on the building's top floor, accessible only by key card. Inside was a standalone computer system, multiple monitors, and stacks of file boxes.

"These contain the personnel files," Franco explained, indicating the boxes. "The digital records are on the system, but Luca prefers keeping sensitive information offline when possible."

"Smart," Maya commented. "Harder to hack paper."

"Uncle Luca's old-school that way," Franco agreed. "He'll want daily updates, directly from you. No middlemen."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "Uncle?"

Franco's cheeks colored slightly. "Force of habit. In the office, it's supposed to be just 'Luca' or 'Mr. Ricci.' But I've known him my whole life, so..."

"Your secret's safe with me," Maya assured him. "Any advice on how to approach this without making everyone hate me?"

Franco considered this. "Be methodical. Don't play favorites. And maybe don't eat or drink anything you don't prepare yourself for a while."

"That's... concerning."

"I'm mostly joking." Franco's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "But seriously, watch your back. The last person who investigated the family from the inside..."

"Let me guess—relocated permanently?"

Franco didn't laugh. "Something like that." He handed her the key card. "Good luck, Maya. For what it's worth, I don't think Luca would have given you this assignment if he didn't trust you."

After he left, Maya surveyed the mountain of information before her. Twelve suspects, each with complex financial histories and potential motives. It was exactly the kind of forensic challenge she excelled at.

But there was an element here she hadn't faced before—the personal stakes. These weren't faceless corporations or distant fraud victims. These were people she'd met, shared meals with, and whose family gatherings she'd attended. People who could make her "relocate permanently" if they didn't like her findings.

She was three hours into reviewing Vincent's financial records when there was a knock at the door. Using the security monitor installed beside the entrance, she saw Luca waiting in the hallway, alone.

When she let him in, he carried two cups of coffee and a paper bag that smelled deliciously of fresh pastry.

"You missed lunch," he said by way of explanation, setting the items on the desk. "Franco mentioned you've been holed up in here since the meeting."

"I wanted to get started right away," Maya said, suddenly aware that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. "Thank you."

Luca nodded toward the screens where Vincent's credit card statements were displayed. "Finding anything?"

"Nothing concrete yet. Vincent has been with your family for what, twenty years?"

"Twenty-three. He was my father's right-hand man in the shipping business before he passed."

Maya took a sip of the coffee—prepared exactly how she liked it, which was another detail Luca shouldn't have known but somehow did.

"If Vincent were the leak, it would have to be recent," she said. "What changed in his life lately? Financial pressure? Family problems? Grudges?"

Luca leaned against the desk, close enough that Maya could smell his cologne. "His daughter just started college. Expensive private school in Boston. But Vincent's salary more than covers the tuition."

"Sometimes it's not about need but about greed," Maya pointed out. "Or fear."

"You think someone could be threatening him?"

"It's possible. I'll keep digging." She took a bite of the pastry—an almond croissant that melted in her mouth. "What about the others who had knowledge of the shipment?"

Luca's jaw tightened. "My inner circle. People I've trusted for years."

"Including Sophia?"

His eyes flashed. "My sister's loyalty is beyond question."

"Everyone's loyalty should be questioned in an investigation like this," Maya said firmly. "That's how forensic work functions. No assumptions, no sacred cows."

For a moment, she thought she'd crossed a line. Then Luca's expression softened slightly. "That's why I hired you. Anyone else would be too intimidated to look where they need to."

He moved to the window, gazing out at the city below. "Do you know why my father built this company the way he did, Maya?"

"For money and power?" she guessed.

"For stability," Luca corrected. "He grew up poor in Sicily, watching his own father struggle to put food on the table, always at the mercy of others. He swore his children would never know that uncertainty." He turned back to face her. "Everything the Ricci family has built—legitimate and otherwise—serves that purpose. Protection."

"Some might call it control," Maya observed.

"Control is protection," Luca replied. "When you control the board, no one can make you a pawn."

There was conviction in his voice, along with something that sounded almost like idealism—as if he truly believed the criminal empire his family had built was ultimately a force for good, at least for those under its protection.

"And what happens to those who threaten that control?" Maya asked quietly.

Luca's eyes met hers, dark and unreadable. "That depends on the nature of the threat."

A chill ran down Maya's spine. It was a necessary reminder of who she was dealing with—not just the charming man who sent her perfect dresses and remembered how she took her coffee, but someone who had likely ordered violence without hesitation when his family's interests were at stake.

"I should get back to work," she said, breaking the tension. "I'll have preliminary findings by tomorrow morning."

Luca nodded, moving toward the door. "One more thing, Maya. The person feeding information to customs may not realize the danger they're in. If you discover who it is, come to me first—before they make another mistake."

The implication was clear: Luca was offering whoever it was one chance at mercy, delivered through Maya.

"I understand," she said.

After he left, Maya returned to the financial records with renewed determination. Lives potentially hung in the balance of her investigation—not just the traitor's, but possibly innocent people caught in the crossfire of whatever retribution the Riccis might exact.

Hours later, as darkness fell outside the window, she found her first real lead. A series of cash deposits into Vincent's secondary account—small enough to avoid formal reporting requirements but substantial when added together. The timing aligned perfectly with the previous shipment seizure.

But as she dug deeper, something didn't add up. The deposits were too neat, too perfectly timed. Almost as if...

"Someone's framing him," she murmured to herself.

A new theory began to form in her mind. What if the leak wasn't about money at all? What if it was about power—an internal play for a position within the organization?

She pulled up the files on the other eleven suspects, focusing not on financial transactions but on relationships, roles, and recent changes in status within the Ricci hierarchy.

Near midnight, she found what she was looking for. Three months ago, Luca had promoted Anthony Gallo—Tony from security—to oversee all protection operations, a position that had previously been held by Domingo Vega, a long-time associate who had been quietly moved to a less prestigious role managing one of the family's legitimate businesses.

Further digging revealed that Vega and Vincent had a connection—they had married sisters, making them brothers-in-law. If Vincent were disgraced, it would be another blow to Vega's standing in the organization.

Maya sat back, contemplating the implications. This wasn't about money or betrayal—it was about an old guard being pushed aside by Luca's modernization of the family business, and their desperate attempt to prove that the new approach wasn't working.

She was so absorbed in her analysis that she didn't hear the door open behind her. The first warning was a reflection in her computer screen—a shadowy figure moving silently toward her desk.

Maya whirled around, adrenaline surging, to find Sophia standing there, her expression unreadable.

"Jesus! You scared me half to death," Maya gasped, heart pounding. "How did you get in?"

"Family privilege," Sophia replied, holding up a key card identical to Maya's. "Find anything interesting?"

Maya hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. If she was right about Vega, he might have allies throughout the organization—possibly even Sophia herself.

"I'm still piecing things together," she said carefully. "Your brother asked for my report tomorrow morning."

Sophia moved closer, glancing at the screens. "Vega and Vincent? Interesting connection."

"Just covering all angles," Maya said, discreetly minimizing the windows with her most damning evidence.

"My brother thinks you're some kind of financial savant," Sophia said, perching on the edge of the desk. "He's impressed by you. Luca doesn't impress easily."

"I'm just doing what I was hired to do," Maya replied, increasingly uncomfortable with Sophia's scrutiny.

"Are you?" Sophia's perfectly manicured nail traced a pattern on the desk. "Because from where I sit, you're doing a lot more than forensic accounting. You're inserting yourself into family matters."

"Your brother asked me to find a leak. That's a financial investigation, which is my specialty."

"My brother asks for many things," Sophia said coolly. "Not all of them are good for him, or for this family."

The implication was clear Sophia viewed Maya as a potential threat to the Ricci power structure.

"I have no interest in family politics," Maya stated firmly. "I'm here to do a job, get paid, and hopefully avoid ending up in the East River wearing concrete shoes."

To her surprise, Sophia laughed a genuine sound that transformed her severe features. "You really do say exactly what you think, don't you?"

"It's saved time in past jobs," Maya said with a shrug. "Though I'm not sure it's the wisest approach in my current position."

"On the contrary," Sophia replied, studying Maya with new interest. "It's refreshing. Most people are too terrified to speak honestly to us."

"Fear makes for poor business relationships," Maya pointed out.

"True. But so does infatuation." Sophia's gaze was penetrating. "My brother doesn't usually take such a personal interest in employees."

Maya felt heat creeping up her neck. "I'm sure he's just being thorough in monitoring a high-risk new hire."

"Is that what you think the dress was about? Monitoring?"

"The dress was inappropriate," Maya admitted. "But I've made it clear that I'm here in a professional capacity only."

Sophia raised an eyebrow. "Have you? Because that's not what I observed on the balcony Saturday night."

Before Maya could formulate a response, Sophia stood. "Just be careful, Maya. Luca has plans for this family—legitimate plans that would move us away from the old ways. He doesn't need complications."

"I'm not a complication," Maya insisted.

"Everyone who gets close to a Ricci becomes a complication," Sophia replied cryptically. "One way or another."

With that, she left, leaving Maya alone with her thoughts and her investigation.

It was nearly two in the morning when Maya finally pieced together the full picture. Domingo Vega had orchestrated the customs tip-offs, using information from Vincent who likely had no idea his conversations with his brother-in-law were being passed along to authorities. The cash deposits in Vincent's account had come from one of Vega's shell companies, carefully structured to look like payments for betrayal.

The intended outcome was clear: Vincent would take the fall, Luca would look weak for trusting the wrong people, and the family would reconsider the wisdom of pushing experienced members like Vega aside in favor of Luca's more modern approach.

It was elegant, vindictive, and potentially lethal—for Vincent, at least.

Maya compiled her findings into a concise report, careful to include all the evidence linking Vega to the betrayal while emphasizing Vincent's likely innocence. Her conclusion was clear: Vega was the traitor, not Vincent.

She was about to email the report to Luca when she paused, remembering something Franco had said about Luca preferring sensitive information to be kept offline. Instead, she encrypted the file on a USB drive and tucked it into her purse. She would deliver it personally in the morning.

As she was packing up to leave, her phone chimed with a text.

Still working? It's past 2AM.

Maya stared at the message, unsettled by the implication that Luca was monitoring her whereabouts even at this hour.

Just finished. Found your leak.

The response came immediately: I'll send a car.

Not necessary. I'll brief you i