Chapter 10 - THE SECOND ENVELOPE|
I stood in the middle of the apartment with my phone in one hand and Matteo's old suitcase lying open on the floor.
Margaret Hale was still speaking.
"Emma, are you listening?"
I barely heard her.
My fingers were touching the torn fabric beneath the suitcase lining.
There was something hard hidden inside.
Not paper.
Not clothing.
Something small and rectangular.
"Emma?"
I swallowed.
"I have to call you back."
"Wait."
Her voice became urgent.
"Don't tell anyone where you found the evidence."
I froze.
"What evidence?"
She hesitated.
"I don't know what Matteo left you."
"Then why would you say that?"
"Because the people involved are desperate."
I looked toward the window.
A security officer stood across the street.
His presence should have comforted me.
Instead, I suddenly felt very alone.
"Margaret, tell Detective Hayes everything you know."
"I will."
"Then stop calling me."
I ended the call.
For several seconds, I simply stood there.
Then I called Leonardo.
He answered immediately.
"Emma?"
"I found something."
His voice changed.
"What?"
"There's another compartment in Matteo's suitcase."
"Have you opened it?"
"Not yet."
"Don't touch anything else."
I looked down.
"Why?"
"Because it may be evidence."
I swallowed.
"Are you coming?"
"Yes."
He paused.
"Are you safe?"
"I think so."
"Lock the door and stay inside."
I nodded even though he couldn't see me.
"Okay."
"Emma?"
"Yes?"
His voice softened.
"You're doing fine."
I closed my eyes.
"I don't feel fine."
"I know."
For the next twenty minutes, I sat beside the suitcase without touching it.
Every sound in the building made me jump.
A door closing upstairs.
Footsteps in the hallway.
A car horn outside.
I kept remembering the way Bianca had grabbed my hand at the engagement dinner.
The way she'd tried to pull off my ring.
The way she'd looked at me when Leonardo discovered the truth.
I had thought she wanted to erase Matteo's marriage.
Now I wondered whether she'd been trying to erase the last person who could expose her family's crimes.
When Leonardo arrived with Anthony and a police evidence technician, I nearly cried from relief.
He looked at the suitcase.
"Show us."
I pointed toward the lining.
"Under there."
The technician photographed everything before carefully opening the concealed compartment.
Inside was a small plastic sleeve.
And inside the sleeve was a flash drive.
Anthony exhaled.
"Matteo was careful."
Leonardo stared at it.
"He knew someone might search his belongings."
The technician sealed the device in an evidence bag.
I suddenly felt disappointed.
"Can we see what's on it?"
"After it's properly copied and examined," Anthony answered.
I looked toward Leonardo.
"Matteo wanted you to have it."
He nodded.
"I know."
Then he crouched beside me.
"Emma, there's something I need to tell you."
My chest tightened.
"What?"
"Margaret Hale contacted investigators."
I stared.
"She called me too."
Leonardo looked surprised.
"When?"
"Just before I found the drive."
He closed his eyes briefly.
"Did she threaten you?"
"No."
I hesitated.
"She said she wanted to help."
Anthony looked concerned.
"Tell us exactly what she said."
I repeated the conversation.
When I mentioned the recording, his expression changed.
"She claimed to have a recording of Matteo and Richard?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
Leonardo stood.
"Then we need to make sure Hayes knows."
Anthony took out his phone.
But before he could call, someone knocked at the apartment door.
Three sharp knocks.
Then silence.
Leonardo's expression changed immediately.
He moved toward the door while one of the officers checked the hallway.
A moment later, the officer spoke quietly.
"It's Claire Bennett."
I exhaled.
Leonardo opened the door.
Claire stood outside holding a small cardboard box.
Her face was pale.
"Emma."
I stepped forward.
"What's wrong?"
She looked at Leonardo.
"Caroline Ashford asked to speak with me."
My heart stopped.
"About your daughter?"
Claire nodded.
"She says she wants to tell the truth."
Leonardo frowned.
"Did she contact you directly?"
"Through her attorney."
Claire looked at me.
"She says she never knew I existed."
I didn't know what to say.
Then Claire continued.
"She thought the baby had been voluntarily placed for adoption."
Anthony stepped closer.
"Has she agreed to cooperate with investigators?"
"Yes."
Claire's voice trembled.
"She gave them every document she received."
I looked at the box.
"What's that?"
Claire slowly opened it.
Inside were baby photographs.
A hospital blanket.
And a little pink knitted hat.
My eyes filled.
"Claire."
She nodded through tears.
"Caroline sent copies."
I reached for her hand.
"Have you seen your daughter?"
"Not yet."
Claire smiled shakily.
"But I saw a photograph of her yesterday."
I covered my mouth.
"She's beautiful, Emma."
Her voice broke.
"She has my eyes."
I hugged her carefully.
For the first time since we'd met, Claire was crying because of hope.
Later that evening, after Claire left, Leonardo received a call from Detective Hayes.
The evidence technicians had safely copied the flash drive.
Anthony turned on his laptop so we could review the material with the investigators.
The drive contained dozens of documents.
Invoices.
Bank records.
Emails.
And a folder labeled FINAL ACCOUNTING.
But one file caught Leonardo's attention.
It was a video.
The filename contained a date.
The evening before Matteo died.
Leonardo looked at me.
"Do you want to watch?"
I stared at the screen.
Every part of me wanted to say no.
I was afraid of seeing my husband's face.
Afraid of hearing his voice.
Afraid that the recording might reveal something that would change my memories of him.
But then I touched my wedding ring.
"Yes."
The video began.
Matteo was sitting in a dimly lit office.
He looked tired.
His hair was messy.
There was a small bruise near his cheekbone.
And when he spoke, my heart broke.
"Leo, if you're watching this, something went wrong."
Leonardo stopped breathing.
Matteo continued.
"I know we argued."
He looked down.
"And I know you think I'm trying to destroy everything you've built."
Leonardo covered his mouth.
"But I'm not."
Matteo looked directly into the camera.
"I'm trying to save what matters."
My tears began falling.
"Richard's been moving money through Bellweather," Matteo said.
"I've found records linking the foundation to illegal child placements, false medical reports, and payments to people who make problems disappear."
Anthony leaned closer.
Matteo continued.
"I don't know how many families they've hurt."
His voice tightened.
"But I know one thing."
He looked toward the camera.
"Some of the people receiving these children don't understand what they're involved in."
Claire had been right.
Matteo wanted everyone told the truth.
Then he took a breath.
"And Leo, there's something else."
Leonardo gripped the edge of the table.
Matteo looked nervous.
For a moment, he almost smiled.
"I got married."
I began sobbing.
"Her name is Emma Collins."
He laughed softly.
"You'll like her."
Leonardo closed his eyes.
"She's stubborn."
I laughed through my tears.
"She's kind."
Matteo's expression softened.
"And she makes me want to come home."
I covered my mouth.
He continued.
"I was going to tell you after I sorted this out."
His voice broke slightly.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
Leonardo whispered, "Matteo."
Then Matteo leaned toward the camera.
"There's one more thing."
He looked down at a paper.
"I found medical records suggesting Emma may be pregnant."
I went completely still.
He knew?
My heart started pounding.
On the screen, Matteo smiled.
A beautiful, frightened, hopeful smile.
"I haven't asked her yet."
He looked almost embarrassed.
"I wanted to buy flowers first."
My hands flew to my face.
He continued.
"If it's true, I'm going to be a dad."
Leonardo bowed his head.
Matteo laughed softly.
"Can you believe it, Leo?"
He wiped his eyes.
"I'm terrified."
Then he smiled.
"But I've never been happier."
I couldn't stop crying.
For eight months, I'd believed Matteo died without knowing about our baby.
Now I understood.
He had suspected.
He had hoped.
He had imagined becoming a father.
And somewhere on the night before he died, he had been happy because of us.
The video continued.
Matteo's expression became serious.
"If anything happens to me, protect Emma."
He paused.
"And don't trust anyone who tells you she doesn't want our child."
My entire body shook.
Then he leaned closer.
"One last thing, Leo."
Leonardo lifted his head.
Matteo looked directly into the camera.
"The person behind this isn't hiding in the clinic."
A silence followed.
"He sits at our family table."
Leonardo stared.
Matteo swallowed.
"And he's been doing business with you for years."
The screen went black.
Nobody moved.
Then Anthony whispered, "Richard."
Leonardo stared at the empty screen.
But I noticed something he hadn't.
Matteo hadn't said Richard's name.
He'd said someone who sat at their family table.
Someone who did business with Leonardo.
May you like
Someone who had access to the Moretti household.
And suddenly I realized the danger might be much closer than any of us believed.
