Chapter 10 - The Man Who Had Carried the Secret for Five Years|
The mechanic's name was Thomas Grady.
He was fifty-eight years old and lived in a small town outside Milwaukee.
For five years, he'd avoided the Moretti family.
Changed jobs.
Moved twice.
Refused interviews.
But when federal investigators located him, he finally agreed to talk.
I wasn't present during his official statement.
Luca told me about it afterward.
We were sitting in the kitchen.
Lily was upstairs finishing her homework.
The smell of fresh lemon cake filled the room.
I'd started making it every Sunday because Lily had asked.
At first, I worried it would make Luca sad.
Instead, he said the smell made the house feel like home again.
He sat across from me, holding a cup of coffee.
“Grady admitted Daniel paid him to damage Sarah's car.”
My hands froze.
“He confessed?”
“Yes.”
Luca stared at the table.
“He said Richard Bellini ordered it through Daniel. Grady was told Sarah's car needed to fail before she reached her attorney.”
I felt cold.
“He knew she could die?”
Luca nodded.
“He says he tried to convince himself it would only frighten her. But he knew what tampering with brakes could do.”
I looked down.
“What happens now?”
“The investigators have his statement. They also found old payment records.”
Luca swallowed.
“Richard and Daniel are going to face charges connected to Sarah's death.”
I nodded slowly.
Then asked the question I'd been afraid to ask.
“And Vanessa?”
His expression hardened.
“She'll be prosecuted for her own crimes. The threats. The attempted removal of Lily. Her role in the fraud and cover-up.”
He looked toward the window.
“Her lawyer says she's cooperating.”
I stared at my hands.
“Do you believe her?”
“About some things.”
He paused.
“But I don't believe she ever cared about Lily.”
The words hurt.
Because I remembered how desperately Lily had wanted Vanessa's approval.
How carefully she'd made that cake.
How proudly she'd written the yellow letters.
FOR DAD. LOVE, LILY.
Luca looked at me.
“Claire, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Why did you bring the cake upstairs?”
I smiled sadly.
“Because Lily worked so hard on it.”
He shook his head.
“You knew Vanessa might fire you.”
“Yes.”
“And you did it anyway.”
I thought for a moment.
Then answered honestly.
“Because when I was little, my mom worked long hours. Sometimes she missed birthdays or school events because she was trying to keep our house.”
Luca listened.
“One year, I made her a birthday cake. It looked terrible. The frosting melted. The sides collapsed.”
I laughed softly.
“But she acted like it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.”
His expression softened.
“She told me she could buy a perfect cake anywhere.”
I looked at him.
“But nobody else could make one with my love inside it.”
Luca stared at me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he whispered, “That's exactly what Sarah would have said.”
My eyes filled.
He reached across the table.
Gently took my hand.
And said, “Thank you for understanding my daughter.”
I looked down.
His hand was warm.
The tattoos across his fingers looked severe against my skin.
But his touch was careful.
Almost uncertain.
Then footsteps sounded.
We immediately released each other.
Lily appeared in the doorway.
“Claire?”
I smiled.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Is the cake ready?”
“Almost.”
She looked at her father.
“Can we put yellow flowers on it?”
Luca laughed softly.
“Absolutely.”
Lily climbed onto the stool.
She helped me spread frosting.
Then carefully arranged tiny sugar flowers around the edges.
This time, the cake was still imperfect.
One side leaned.
The frosting was uneven.
But Lily didn't seem worried.
She looked at her father.
“Dad?”
“Yes, peanut?”
“Do you think Mom would like this one?”
Luca smiled.
“I think she'd ask for the biggest slice.”
Lily giggled.
Then she said something that made my heart ache.
“Can we make this every Sunday?”
Luca looked at me.
I nodded.
He smiled.
“Every Sunday.”
And just like that, a new family tradition began.
A week later, the newspapers reported Richard Bellini's arrest.
Daniel Mercer had been taken into custody.
Thomas Grady was cooperating with prosecutors.
Vanessa remained under court supervision while the investigation continued.
The engagement was officially over.
But Luca didn't celebrate.
He stood beside Sarah's photograph one evening and whispered something I wasn't meant to hear.
“I'm sorry I didn't protect you.”
I stayed in the hallway.
Then he continued.
“I'll protect her now.”
I knew he meant Lily.
And for the first time, I believed the promise completely.
But our lives were about to change again.
Because the following morning, Luca received a letter from Sarah's attorney.
It had been held in a sealed file for five years.
And when he opened it, he discovered something none of us expected.
May you like
Sarah had made arrangements for Lily's future.
And she had written down exactly what kind of person she hoped would help raise her daughter.
