Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN WHO REFUSED TO LOSE|
Vanessa Bellini came to the hospital carrying white roses.
The sight of them made me feel sick.
They were exactly like the roses that had decorated her engagement dinner.
She appeared at my doorway shortly after noon, wearing a tailored red coat and a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
“Emma.”
I sat up slowly.
“What are you doing here?”
“Checking on you.”
“I doubt that.”
She entered anyway.
The private room was small, with a narrow window overlooking a parking structure.
My father had called twice that morning.
Ben had promised to visit after his classes.
I was alone when Vanessa arrived.
She placed the roses on the table.
“I heard you were very brave.”
I didn't answer.
“Saving Teresa like that.”
“Firefighters saved both of us.”
She glanced at the oxygen equipment beside my bed.
“Still, what an unfortunate accident.”
“It wasn't an accident.”
Her expression didn't change.
“Investigators haven't determined that.”
“Someone chained the back door.”
“Old buildings have all kinds of problems.”
“And someone lowered the security shutter from outside.”
She looked toward the window.
“Tragic.”
My hands tightened around the blanket.
“Why are you really here?”
Vanessa sighed.
Then she pulled a chair toward the bed.
“Because we've all become involved in something much bigger than one restaurant.”
She crossed her legs.
“My father has investors who expect this redevelopment to happen.”
“Then perhaps he should find land that doesn't belong to frightened families.”
She smiled.
“You think the world works like that?”
“I think people have choices.”
“And I think you've mistaken your recent attention from Luca for importance.”
The words stung more than I wanted them to.
She noticed.
“Emma, men like Luca enjoy rescuing people.”
She leaned forward.
“Until those people become inconvenient.”
I looked directly at her.
“Maybe.”
“Then don't ruin your life over some old woman's sentimental attachment to a building.”
I glanced at the flowers.
“Mrs. Caruso nearly died last night.”
Vanessa's smile faded.
“That wasn't supposed to happen.”
The words landed between us.
For a second, neither of us moved.
Then her face changed.
“I mean, nobody expected a fire.”
I stared at her.
“Who told you there would be one?”
She stood.
“You're twisting my words.”
“Did you know?”
“Of course not.”
But she was suddenly moving toward the door.
I called after her.
“Someone sent me a photograph of my father.”
She stopped.
“Did you arrange that too?”
Her shoulders stiffened.
“Your family has nothing to do with this.”
“Then tell whoever is watching them to stop.”
Vanessa turned.
The kindness had disappeared from her expression.
“Your family will remain perfectly safe if you stop interfering.”
I felt cold all over.
“That's a threat.”
“That's advice.”
She opened the door.
“And Emma?”
I looked up.
“Don't confuse a powerful man's guilt with love.”
Then she walked away.
For several seconds, I remained motionless.
I wanted to call Luca.
Instead, I called Detective Vega.
She listened carefully as I described Vanessa's visit.
“Did she explicitly admit ordering the fire?”
“No.”
“Did she threaten your family?”
“Yes.”
I repeated her exact words.
Vega told me to write down everything while it was fresh.
Then she said something that mattered.
“People who intimidate witnesses often want them to feel isolated.”
I looked toward the roses.
“It's working.”
“Then let's make sure you're not isolated.”
She arranged for an officer to take another statement and coordinate additional patrols near our apartment.
Later that afternoon, Nina Alvarez arrived.
She carried a folder and two cups of coffee.
“I brought you something that isn't hospital coffee.”
I smiled for the first time all day.
“That's the nicest thing anyone has done since yesterday.”
She sat beside me.
“There's been a development.”
“Good or bad?”
“Both.”
I waited.
“The fire has triggered a formal investigation.”
“So they can't demolish the building?”
“Not while investigators need to preserve evidence at the scene.”
Relief flooded me.
“Thank God.”
“But Vincent Bellini has filed an emergency motion to resume demolition once the scene is released.”
I stared at her.
“He doesn't give up.”
“No.”
She opened the folder.
“And his lawyers are claiming Luca approved the entire project.”
I shook my head.
“He didn't.”
“That's what we're trying to establish.”
She showed me a transaction record.
“The redevelopment company received money through a Moretti Holdings account.”
“How much?”
“Eighteen million dollars.”
I almost dropped my coffee.
“Eighteen million?”
“Yes.”
Nina studied my face.
“And the transfer bears Luca's digital authorization.”
“But somebody used his office.”
“Exactly.”
I leaned forward.
“Can't you prove Vanessa did it?”
“We need more than suspicion.”
She closed the folder.
“That's why the computer access records matter.”
I stared out the window.
The city looked ordinary beyond the glass.
People were driving to work.
Buses were stopping at intersections.
Somewhere, somebody was probably ordering ravioli for lunch without knowing how many lives could be destroyed over the ownership of one restaurant.
Then Nina said, “Luca is making an announcement tonight.”
I turned.
“What announcement?”
“He's withdrawing from the redevelopment.”
“Good.”
“And publicly confirming that his engagement is over.”
I stared at her.
“He already told Vanessa.”
“Privately.”
Nina gave me a tired smile.
“Apparently, she told several newspapers they were merely having a disagreement.”
That evening, Luca appeared in front of reporters outside Moretti Holdings headquarters.
Ben sent me the live video.
I watched from my hospital bed.
Luca stood behind a microphone without his usual security entourage.
He looked exhausted.
“The acquisition and proposed demolition of properties along Taylor Street are under independent review,” he said.
“I have withdrawn my support from the project.”
Cameras flashed.
He continued.
“I also want to make clear that my engagement to Vanessa Bellini has ended.”
Reporters began shouting questions.
Luca waited until they quieted.
Then he said, “People who have spent their lives building a neighborhood deserve more than a notice taped to their doors.”
I felt tears sting my eyes.
He looked directly into the cameras.
“And anyone who used my name to threaten them will be held accountable.”
For a moment, I believed the worst might be over.
Then Nina called.
Her voice was urgent.
“Emma, don't go anywhere.”
“What happened?”
“The financial investigators found something in the transfer records.”
“Something about Vanessa?”
“Yes.”
I sat forward.
“And something about Luca.”
My stomach tightened.
Nina paused.
“The money didn't just pass through his company.”
I swallowed.
“What do you mean?”
“Years before this redevelopment, Luca personally approved payments to organizations that now appear connected to Vincent Bellini.”
I looked at the television.
Luca was still speaking to reporters.
Nina's voice became quieter.
May you like
“Emma, I don't think he's been telling us the whole truth about his business.”
For the first time, I wondered whether the man trying to save Mrs. Caruso's restaurant was also part of the reason someone had been able to destroy it.
