Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN WHO OPENED THE DOOR|
I had never heard my mother sound so frightened.
Not when she broke her hip.
Not when the hospital sent a bill we couldn't afford.
Not even when she called to tell me she was afraid she'd never walk without a cane again.
But now her voice trembled through my phone.
"Rachel, I don't want you coming home alone tonight."
My hands went cold.
"Mom, did the person threaten you?"
She hesitated.
"Not directly."
"What did they say?"
"That you were making trouble for important people."
I pressed my fingers against my forehead.
"Did you recognize them?"
"No."
"Was it a man?"
"Yes."
"How old?"
"I don't know, sweetheart."
Her voice cracked.
"He wore a dark coat and sunglasses."
I felt Caroline gently touch my arm.
She mouthed two words.
Tell Luca.
I nodded.
"Mom, listen carefully."
"I'm listening."
"Lock the door."
"It's locked."
"Don't let anyone inside until I get there."
"Rachel—"
"And keep the envelope."
My mother started crying.
"I'm sorry."
I closed my eyes.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Because I know how much you need this job."
Something inside me broke.
My mother had spent my entire childhood working double shifts at a grocery store.
She'd packed my school lunches after midnight.
She'd walked three miles to work when her car broke down.
Now she was frightened in her own apartment, and her first instinct was to worry about my paycheck.
"Mom, none of this is because of you."
I took a shaky breath.
"I'm going to get help."
After I ended the call, Caroline looked at me.
"Rachel, we need to tell Luca."
I shook my head.
"I don't want to make things worse."
"Someone went to your mother's home."
"I know."
"That's already worse."
Her voice wasn't angry.
It was firm.
And I realized she was right.
Five minutes later, we found Luca in his study.
He was reviewing documents with Frank and a woman I hadn't met.
Caroline knocked once.
"Luca."
He looked up.
When he saw my face, he immediately stood.
"What happened?"
I tried to explain.
But my voice failed.
Caroline stepped in.
"Someone threatened Rachel's mother at her apartment."
The room became silent.
Luca looked toward Frank.
"Call the police."
Frank nodded.
Then Luca turned back to me.
"Rachel, is your mother safe?"
"She's inside."
"Is anyone with her?"
"No."
He looked toward the woman beside his desk.
"This is Elena Brooks, our family attorney."
Elena stepped forward.
She was in her forties, with short dark hair and a calm expression.
"Rachel, I'd like to help you document what happened."
I nodded shakily.
"Okay."
Luca took his phone from the desk.
"I can arrange transportation to your mother's apartment."
I shook my head.
"Mr. Moretti, I don't want to cause trouble."
His expression softened.
"Rachel."
I looked up.
"Someone has frightened your mother because you told the truth about my son."
I swallowed.
"That matters."
For the next twenty minutes, Elena asked careful questions.
What time had the stranger arrived?
Had he entered the apartment?
Was the threat spoken or written?
Had my mother seen his vehicle?
I answered everything I knew.
Elena made notes.
She explained that preserving the envelope, describing the visitor, and reporting the incident would be more useful than confronting anyone ourselves.
Then Frank returned.
"The police are sending an officer."
Luca nodded.
"Good."
I glanced at the clock.
Benjamin would be finishing lunch.
Normally, I would help him with his reading afterward.
But today, all I wanted was to get to my mother.
Luca noticed.
"Rachel, you're off duty for the rest of the day."
I shook my head.
"Sir, I can't afford—"
"Your wages won't be affected."
I stared at him.
"And Frank will arrange a driver."
My eyes filled.
"Thank you."
He nodded.
Then he added quietly, "I'm sorry your family has been dragged into this."
I couldn't answer.
Because for the first time, I believed he understood what it felt like when someone else's power could change your life overnight.
Before leaving, I stopped outside Benjamin's bedroom.
The door was open.
He sat on the rug with Caroline, building a cardboard model of the solar system.
When he saw me, he smiled.
"Miss Rachel!"
I forced a smile.
"Hi, sweetheart."
"Mommy says Saturn has lots of moons."
"She's right."
He held up a little paper planet.
"Look."
"It's beautiful."
Then he noticed my coat.
"Are you going home?"
"Yes."
His smile disappeared.
"Are you coming back?"
My throat tightened.
"Tomorrow."
He studied my face.
"Promise?"
I crouched beside him.
"I plan to be here tomorrow."
Benjamin hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Okay."
Caroline watched us quietly.
I turned toward the doorway.
But Benjamin called after me.
"Miss Rachel?"
"Yes?"
"Tell your mommy I said hi."
I smiled.
"I will."
"And tell her I'm glad she has you."
I stopped.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Then I nodded.
"I'll tell her, sweetheart."
When I arrived at my mother's apartment, she opened the door before I knocked.
Her gray hair was pulled into a loose bun.
She wore her old blue cardigan.
And when she saw me, she began crying.
I dropped my bag and hugged her.
"Mom."
"I'm okay."
"I know."
"I'm sorry I frightened you."
"Please stop apologizing."
We stood in the doorway holding each other.
Eventually, she led me into the kitchen.
The blue envelope lay on the table.
Beside it sat a cup of tea she hadn't touched.
I put on disposable gloves the responding officer had provided and avoided handling the letter further.
The officer photographed the envelope and its contents.
Then he read the message aloud.
Tell your daughter to stay out of family business.
Below that was another sentence.
Some people cannot afford to make enemies.
My mother looked down.
The officer carefully placed the letter in an evidence bag.
He asked whether my mother could describe the visitor.
She did her best.
Then he explained how to contact the department if the man returned.
After the officer left, I sat beside her at the kitchen table.
"Mom, I'm thinking about quitting."
She looked at me.
"Why?"
"Because I can't let this happen to you again."
My mother studied my face.
"Do you love that little boy?"
The question surprised me.
"Benjamin?"
She nodded.
I looked down.
"He's a wonderful child."
"That wasn't what I asked."
I smiled sadly.
"Yes."
My eyes filled.
"I love him."
She squeezed my hand.
"Then don't make your decision while you're frightened."
I shook my head.
"Mom, someone came here."
"I know."
"What if they come back?"
"Then we take precautions and call the police."
She leaned closer.
"But we don't let somebody else decide what kind of people we become."
I stared at her.
She smiled gently.
"You've spent your whole life trying to do the right thing, Rachel."
Her eyes filled.
"Don't start believing that telling the truth was wrong just because somebody wants to punish you for it."
I began crying.
She hugged me.
For several minutes, we said nothing.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Frank.
Police report information received. We're reviewing the visitor's description.
A second message appeared.
Please call when convenient.
I called immediately.
Frank answered on the first ring.
"Rachel, are you with your mother?"
"Yes."
"Is she safe?"
"Yes."
He paused.
"We have a possible lead."
My stomach tightened.
"What lead?"
"Daniel Price provided records of several payments from Miss Bellini's office."
I held my breath.
"Payments to whom?"
Frank hesitated.
"A private investigations company."
I stared at the wall.
"And?"
"One of the assignments mentions you."
My hands began shaking.
Frank continued carefully.
"Rachel, we don't know who visited your mother's apartment yet."
I swallowed.
"But the records suggest someone was paid to collect information about your home address and daily routine."
For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
Then he said something I would never forget.
"The assignment wasn't opened after last night's dinner."
I closed my eyes.
"When was it opened?"
"Six weeks ago."
Six weeks.
Before the blue balloon.
Before the canceled cake.
Before I'd called Caroline.
Before Vanessa had any reason to accuse me of ruining her engagement.
Someone had been investigating me for six weeks.
May you like
And suddenly, I understood that the woman in the red dress hadn't simply lost her temper.
She'd been planning to get rid of me long before Benjamin's birthday.
