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“Does Roberto Rosolini refute this?” Sofia asked.
“I gave it all back,” Roberto said coldly. “Minus the 50 million euros he owed me.”
That didn’t exactly help our case.
Strangely enough, Sofia had Lau admit that he had spoken to Fausto –
Although it wassupposedlyon the grounds of Fausto investing with the Syndicate and nothing more.
Riiiiiiight.
But then…
In a devastating turn…
The old man outright lied.
“Did Fausto Rosolini ever ask you to kill Roberto Rosolini?” Sofia asked.
“No, he did not.”
“Objection!” I shouted. “Roberto wasin the room with Mr. Lauwhen he put Fausto on speakerphone and Fausto asked him to kill Roberto!”
“Fausto Rosolini never called me that day.”
“This is bullshit!” I shouted. “The witness is lying!”
“Quiet!” Don Severino admonished me.
“Lauknowswe can’t punish him for lying, so he can say whatever he wants!” I yelled.
“QUIET!” Severino roared.
I shut up and seethed in silence.
“Mr. Lau?” Sofia asked. “What is your response?”
“Believe what you want, but Fausto Rosolini was not on a phone call with me and Roberto that day. He certainly did not ask me to kill his nephew. Furthermore, I will not have my credibility questioned by a screaming lunatic. I bid you goodbye.”
“WAIT!” I screamed –
But the fucker hung up.
I realized I’d been had.
The entire exchange had been choreographed –
And Lau had ended the call exactly at the point Fausto wanted him to.
Once again, we’d had a sterling witness in Roberto, who could directly incriminate Fausto –
And they’d completely obliterated our case with a couple of lies.
I had no idea what Fausto had paid Lau –
But everything Roberto had said was now called into question.
And it wasn’t like we could extradite Lau from Hong Kong and charge him with perjury.