Page 54 of Captured By the Bratva

Joe takes a deep breath, his eyes flickering with a mix of fear and resignation. “Jeff did not die of a heart attack,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. “It was murder.”

Violet’s face drains of color, her eyes widening in shock. “Murder?”

What the hell are you talking about, Joe?”

I stand there, my mind reeling. I had suspected foul play, but I always thought Joe was the culprit. The revelation is a twist I hadn’t seen coming. Even Dimitri, who usually remains unflappable, looks taken aback.

The room explodes into chaos. Everyone starts talking at once, voices overlapping in a cacophony of disbelief and anger.

“How could you keep this from us?” Violet cries.

“This changes everything,” I say, my voice cutting through the noise, but no one hears me. I shout louder, my voice booming. “Everyone, shut up and listen!”

The room falls silent, all eyes turning to me. I turn to Joe, my interest piqued. “Joe, you’re saying Jeff was murdered. Explain yourself, and make it good.”

Dimitri reappears at the door, catching the last part of the conversation. “Have you made any progress?”

I nod towards him, a grim expression on my face. “You’ll want to be here for this, Dimitri. Jeff was murdered.”

Dimitri’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and he steps fully into the room, closing the door behind him. The tension in the room is palpable as everyone turns their attention back to Joe.

Violet stands beside me, her hands trembling. “Please, Uncle Joe. Tell us the truth.”

Joe looks around, his eyes settling on each of us in turn. He seems to gather himself, preparing to speak, but he waits until he has everyone’s undivided attention. The room is silent, the weight of his next words pressing down on us all.

Violet is on the verge of tears, her body shaking with barely suppressed sobs. “Uncle Joe, please.”

I take a step closer, my voice low and demanding. “Start talking, Joe. We need to know everything.”

Joe swallows hard, looking down at his bound hands before lifting his gaze to meet mine. “Just… give me a moment to gather my thoughts. This is difficult for me too, you know.”

I doubt that very much.

Joe takes a deep breath, looking around the room to make sure everyone is listening. “Jeff supposedly had a heart attack, despite the fact that he was only fifty-eight. He ate healthy, was on no medications, and was in perfect health. Our family has always had a strong constitution, rarely suffering from major illnesses.”

Violet’s eyes widen with disbelief. “He was always so careful about his health.”

Joe nods, his face grim. “Exactly. It didn’t add up. Knowing that Jeff had many enemies, I became suspicious. I started digging, looking into his debts, the people he owed money to, and other potential enemies. I knew I had to find out if there was more to his death.”

Dimitri’s jaw tightens, his anger barely contained. “What did you find, Joe?”

Joe takes another breath, his eyes meeting mine briefly before shifting back to Violet. “I requested an autopsy, even after it was officially deemed a heart attack. I knew it was a long shot, but my hunch was right. The doctor found a drug in Jeff’s system. Digitalis. It mimics heart attack symptoms with a nearly one hundred percent mortality rate.”

The room falls into stunned silence. Violet’s hand flies to her mouth, tears streaming down her face. “Digitalis? I’ve never heard of it.”

Dimitri murmurs, “It’s expensive, and not a lot of people make it these days. Most people can’t get their hands on it.”

Violet sniffles. “So, it was murder. Someone wanted Dad dead and made it look like a natural cause.”

Joe nods solemnly. “Yes, it was murder. Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing. They wanted to make sure Jeff didn’t survive.”

I feel a cold fury building inside me. “You’re saying someone in his circle, someone with access, poisoned him?”

Joe swallows hard, his eyes reflecting the gravity of his revelation. “Yes.”

I glance at Violet, who’s standing beside me, looking more fragile than ever. “Violet, maybe you shouldn’t be here for this. Digitalis is a dangerous drug, and you shouldn’t have to hear the details of how your father died.”

Joe nods in agreement. “Kirill’s right, Violet. This is hard enough already. You don’t need to hear this.”

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