Sebastian Gallo sat at the small wooden desk in his house. The morning newspaper lay spread out before him. The bold black ink of the headline stared back at him:
Hartley Mansion Destroyed in Overnight Gas Explosion.
He rubbed his chin, his rough, calloused fingers tracing the lines of his jaw as he read the article for the third time.
The official report was simple, concise, and completely definitive. A catastrophic leak in the main gas line had triggered a massive blast, leveling the estate and killing everyone inside within minutes.
The police department had already closed the case, citing it as an unfortunate accident.
Gallo let out a slow, heavy sigh and folded the paper. He had worked with Portello and Hartley long enough to know that the incident wasn't that simple.
He knew exactly who was behind it.
