Chapter 4 - THE SECRET BENEATH THE SEWING BOX|
By the time Mrs. Carter returned from the emergency department, it was nearly midnight.
A physician had cleaned the cuts on her wrists, applied fresh dressings, and assured us that the injuries should heal with proper care.
But nothing could erase the humiliation of what Vanessa had done.
I helped Mrs. Carter into her bedroom while the mansion settled into an unfamiliar silence.
The caterers had left.
The flowers were beginning to wilt.
And somewhere downstairs, twenty-four untouched slices of engagement cake sat behind the kitchen doors.
Mrs. Carter lowered herself onto the edge of her bed.
"Olivia, sweetheart."
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Did you keep the key?"
I reached into my pocket.
The tiny silver key was still there.
She closed her eyes with relief.
"Good."
I placed a glass of water beside her.
"Are you going to tell Mr. Moretti what's inside that compartment?"
She nodded.
"Eventually."
"Why not now?"
She stared toward the blue sewing box resting on her dresser.
"Because some secrets need to be understood before they can be forgiven."
I sat beside her.
"Mrs. Carter, Mr. Moretti has already learned that the people he trusted lied to him."
Her eyes filled.
"I know."
"Whatever Giovanni did, hiding it won't protect Luca anymore."
She looked at me for a long moment.
Then she held out her hand.
"Bring me the box."
I placed it on her lap.
She opened the lid and carefully removed the wooden tray.
Then she lifted the faded blue fabric lining.
Beneath it was a narrow compartment.
The silver key fit into a miniature lock.
When it clicked open, Mrs. Carter began crying.
Inside lay three objects.
A sealed brown envelope.
A small brass key.
And a cassette tape labeled in faded handwriting.
FOR LUCA, WHEN HE IS OLD ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND.
I stared at the cassette.
"Whose handwriting is that?"
Mrs. Carter touched the label.
"Giovanni's."
My chest tightened.
"Did he know about Anthony Vale?"
She nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"Did he know Eleanor was alive?"
Her silence answered before her words did.
"Yes, sweetheart."
I looked at her.
"Then why didn't he tell Luca?"
Mrs. Carter pressed a hand over her heart.
"Because he was afraid."
"Of Salvatore?"
"Of what Salvatore would do if Luca learned the truth."
I glanced at the envelope.
"What's inside?"
She looked down.
"A confession."
Before I could ask anything else, footsteps sounded outside the door.
Mrs. Carter immediately closed the box.
Someone knocked.
"Mrs. Carter?"
It was Daniel.
I opened the door.
He stood in the corridor, his expression unusually tense.
"Olivia, I need to speak with you."
I stepped outside.
"What's wrong?"
Daniel glanced toward Mrs. Carter's room.
"One of our cameras recorded someone entering the servants' hallway while everyone was at dinner."
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Who?"
"We haven't identified him yet."
"Was he wearing a uniform?"
Daniel nodded.
"A catering jacket."
I looked back toward the bedroom.
"Did he come in here?"
"We believe so."
My thoughts immediately returned to the sewing box.
"Was anything taken?"
"That's what I'm trying to determine."
He hesitated.
"There's something else."
"What?"
"The caterer says they didn't send anyone matching his description."
A chill ran down my spine.
Daniel continued.
"Until further notice, nobody should move around the estate alone."
I nodded.
"I understand."
He studied my face.
"Olivia, did Mrs. Carter give you anything tonight?"
I hesitated.
Daniel noticed.
"I'm trying to protect her."
"I know."
"Then tell me."
Before I could answer, Mrs. Carter called from the bedroom.
"Daniel."
He stepped inside.
She was sitting upright, the sewing box in her lap.
"Did Luca send you?"
"No, ma'am."
"Then the contents of this box remain between Olivia and me until Luca returns."
Daniel frowned.
"Mrs. Carter, this could be important."
"It is important."
Her voice strengthened.
"That's why I won't hand it over to just anyone."
Daniel looked surprised.
Then he nodded.
"Understood."
He left two trusted guards outside the hallway and returned downstairs.
Mrs. Carter waited until his footsteps disappeared.
Then she looked at me.
"That wasn't distrust of Daniel."
"I know."
"It was a lesson Giovanni taught me."
"What lesson?"
"Never give someone the only copy of a truth."
I glanced at the cassette.
"Do you have another?"
She shook her head.
"Not of everything."
A few minutes later, my phone rang.
It was an unfamiliar number.
I almost ignored it.
Then Mrs. Carter looked up.
"Answer it."
"Hello?"
For a moment, there was silence.
Then a woman's voice whispered:
"Is Margaret Carter with you?"
I stood immediately.
"Who's calling?"
"My name is Rebecca Vale."
I froze.
Vale.
The same surname as Luca's biological father.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Anthony's younger sister."
My heart began pounding.
"How did you get this number?"
"Margaret gave it to me yesterday."
I looked toward Mrs. Carter.
Her expression changed.
"Rebecca?"
I put the phone on speaker.
"Yes, Margaret."
Mrs. Carter covered her mouth.
"Oh, thank God."
Rebecca's voice trembled.
"Is Eleanor safe?"
"She's in the hospital," I answered.
"I know."
"Then why are you calling?"
"Because Salvatore's people came to my house an hour ago."
Mrs. Carter went pale.
"What did they want?"
"They asked about Anthony's records."
I glanced toward the sewing box.
Rebecca continued.
"They said Eleanor had stolen something from the Bellini family."
Mrs. Carter shook her head.
"That man never changes."
I leaned closer to the phone.
"Ms. Vale, where are you now?"
"In a motel outside Milwaukee."
"Are you safe?"
"For the moment."
Her breathing sounded uneven.
"Listen carefully."
I gripped the phone.
"Anthony left something with Giovanni before he disappeared."
Mrs. Carter closed her eyes.
"A recording," I said.
Rebecca fell silent.
Then whispered:
"You found it?"
I looked at Mrs. Carter.
"Maybe."
Rebecca began crying.
"I thought it was gone."
"What is on the tape?"
"I don't know everything."
"Then tell us what you do know."
She took a breath.
"Anthony told me he had proof Salvatore wasn't acting alone."
Mrs. Carter slowly opened her eyes.
"Who was helping him?"
Rebecca hesitated.
"Someone inside Giovanni's organization."
I stared at the phone.
"Who?"
"I never learned the name."
Mrs. Carter began trembling.
Rebecca continued.
"But Anthony said the betrayal came from someone Giovanni trusted more than his own brothers."
I looked toward the bedroom door.
Two guards stood outside.
Daniel was downstairs.
And Luca was at the hospital, surrounded by people he believed would protect him.
"Rebecca, have you told Luca?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know which people around him are safe."
The line suddenly crackled.
Rebecca stopped speaking.
Then I heard a faint sound.
A door opening.
"Rebecca?"
No answer.
"Ms. Vale?"
She whispered something I barely understood.
"They found me."
Then the call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Mrs. Carter was already reaching for the sewing box.
"Olivia."
Her voice was urgent.
"Call Luca."
I dialed immediately.
He answered on the second ring.
"Olivia?"
"Mr. Moretti, someone just called Mrs. Carter."
"Who?"
"Rebecca Vale."
There was a pause.
"Anthony's sister?"
"Yes."
I explained the conversation as quickly as I could.
When I mentioned the mysterious person inside Giovanni's organization, Luca went silent.
Then he spoke.
"Where is the tape?"
I looked at Mrs. Carter.
"In her sewing box."
"Don't play it."
"Why?"
"Because someone just tried to access Eleanor's hospital room using a stolen staff badge."
My blood ran cold.
"Was anyone hurt?"
"No."
He paused.
"But the man escaped."
I gripped the phone.
"Mr. Moretti, Rebecca said someone found her."
"Give me the motel information."
"She didn't give me an address."
Luca cursed softly.
"Send Daniel the number she called from."
"I will."
Then he asked something unexpected.
"Olivia, do you trust the guards outside Mrs. Carter's room?"
I glanced toward the door.
"I don't know them."
"Then lock the door."
My heart began racing.
"Why?"
"Because Daniel just discovered that one member of the estate's security staff accepted money from Salvatore Bellini."
I stopped breathing.
"Who?"
Luca hesitated.
"We're still verifying the identity."
I turned toward the bedroom door.
One of the guards shifted outside.
The floorboards creaked.
Mrs. Carter saw my expression.
She slowly stood.
"Olivia?"
I lowered my voice.
"Mr. Moretti, someone's outside."
His response was immediate.
"Get away from the door."
A quiet click sounded from the hallway.
Then another.
Someone was testing the handle.
Mrs. Carter clutched the sewing box.
The handle turned.
Once.
Twice.
Then a man's voice spoke from the other side.
"Miss Bennett, Mr. Moretti asked me to collect the blue box."
I couldn't breathe.
Because Luca was still on the phone.
May you like
And he whispered:
"Olivia, I didn't send anyone."
