Chapter 5 - The Council at Oyster Bay
By nine o'clock that evening, the rain had ceased, leaving behind a thick, clinging coastal fog that rolled over the sixty-acre grounds of the Marquetti estate.
The private dining pavilion on the ground floor was sealed under armed guard.
Sitting around the thirty-foot mahogany table were the six senior caporegimes who commanded the maritime transport districts of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Vincent Marquetti sat at the head of the table, dressed in a sharp charcoal three-piece suit, his presence commanding absolute, breathless silence across the vast room.
Standing at his right hand was Frank Callahan, the family’s chief legal counsel, alongside Special Agent Raymond Callahan of the FBI’s Organized Crime Strike Force.
I sat at the far end of the room in a comfortable velvet armchair, holding four-year-old Lucy, who was fast asleep against my shoulder, wrapped in a soft cashmere shawl.
Frank Callahan placed six thick, red-embossed portfolios onto the center of the table.
"Gentlemen," Frank announced, his voice cutting through the room like a broadsword. "For the past six months, Marcus Vance of Boston has been executing an internal corporate sabotage campaign against the Marquetti shipping network, facilitated by our former estate manager, Thomas Reed."
Frank connected his tablet to the projection wall, illuminating the decrypted wire transfers, the stolen manifests from the Patek Philippe watch, and Thomas Reed's unedited video confession recorded thirty minutes earlier.
"Over forty million dollars in commercial freight tariffs were siphoned into Vance's offshore accounts in the Bahamas," Frank continued. "Furthermore, Marcus Vance had contracted a private mercenary unit from Jersey City to execute an armed raid on this estate during the upcoming Thanksgiving gala."
A roar of furious, collective outrage swept through the six caporegimes.
Capo Salvatore Bellini slammed his heavy fist onto the table, rattling the crystal water goblets. "Vance violated the 2018 territorial treaty! He planted a mole inside our Don's private house! This is an act of war!"
Vincent raised a single hand.
The room fell into an instant, absolute silence.
Vincent looked down the length of the table, his slate-gray eyes burning with sovereign, unshakeable authority.
"We do not fight this war in the dark, Salvatore," Vincent said softly. "Marcus Vance believed that by corrupting my house, he could force us into a chaotic street battle that would bring the federal task force down on our heads. Instead, we are handing his entire corporate conspiracy to the United States District Court."
Vincent turned to Special Agent Raymond Callahan.
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"Agent Callahan," Vincent said. "The federal warrants for Marcus Vance, his executive board, and his logistics intermediaries have been signed by Chief District Judge Evelyn Montgomery. Execute the raids at midnight."
Agent Callahan nodded with deep, professional respect, picking up his briefcase. "The Boston terminals will be under federal padlocks by 2:00 AM, Mr. Marquetti."
