Chapter 8 - The Recording That Exposed the Plan|
Luca listened to the recording three times.
Each time, his expression grew colder.
I stood beside the piano, unable to take my eyes off the little pink device in his hand.
Sophia sat quietly on the bench.
She looked terrified.
"Daddy, am I in trouble?"
Luca immediately stopped the recording.
"No, princess."
"But Vanessa said listening to grown-ups is wrong."
He knelt before her.
"Sometimes adults need privacy."
Sophia lowered her head.
"But when somebody is planning to hurt you, asking for help is never wrong."
He held the recorder toward her.
"How did you get this?"
Sophia rubbed her hands together.
"On Friday, Vanessa made me practice saying something."
"What did she want you to say?"
Sophia swallowed.
"That I wanted to go to Cedar Ridge."
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Did you want to go there?"
"No."
She shook her head.
"But she said if I didn't say it nicely, Daddy would think I was ungrateful."
Luca closed his eyes.
Sophia continued.
"She told me to record myself so I could practice."
"Then what happened?" I asked.
"I left the recorder running in my pocket."
She looked toward her father.
"I forgot to turn it off."
"Where were you?"
"Outside the library."
I remembered Friday afternoon.
Vanessa had insisted that Sophia remain upstairs while she and Adrian Vale reviewed the wedding arrangements.
Apparently, Sophia had been waiting outside the library with the recorder still operating.
"I heard Vanessa talking," Sophia whispered.
"She didn't know I was there."
Luca held her hands.
"You did the right thing by telling us."
Sophia nodded.
"But I was scared."
"Why?"
"Because she said if anybody found out, Claire would get fired."
I felt tears gathering in my eyes.
Sophia looked at me.
"I didn't want you to lose your job."
I sat beside her.
"Oh, sweetheart."
She began crying.
"I thought if I was quiet, maybe everything would be okay."
I wrapped my arms around her.
For months, Sophia had been carrying burdens that no child should ever have been asked to understand.
She had worried about her father's happiness.
Her mother's memory.
My employment.
And now an elaborate financial scheme involving millions of dollars.
All while someone insisted she was merely jealous.
Luca stood.
"Daniel, I want Evelyn here immediately."
The security chief nodded.
"And preserve the original recording before anyone touches the device again."
"Yes, sir."
Evelyn arrived less than an hour later.
She listened carefully while Daniel made a documented copy of the recording.
The voices were unmistakable.
Adrian Vale discussed the proposed financing.
Vanessa referred to Sophia's scheduled departure.
Then Adrian said something especially revealing.
"The trustee is going to question the collateral."
Vanessa replied, "Not if we show them Luca agreed to the arrangement."
Adrian asked whether she had obtained the signatures.
Vanessa answered, "I have everything I need."
There was a pause.
Then she laughed.
"And the little girl will be too far away to complicate things."
Evelyn stopped the playback.
Her face had gone pale.
"This is serious evidence."
Luca looked at her.
"Enough to stop them?"
"Combined with the questionable documents and bank records, it gives us a strong basis to seek immediate protection."
"Then do it."
Evelyn nodded.
"I've already contacted the trust's financial institution and outside counsel."
She placed the copied recording inside an evidence envelope.
"We'll provide it to the investigators through the proper channels."
Sophia watched anxiously.
"Will I have to talk to the police?"
Evelyn softened.
"Maybe someone will ask you a few questions someday, sweetheart."
Sophia looked frightened.
"But the adults will do everything possible to protect you."
Luca moved closer to his daughter.
"You don't have to solve this for us."
She held his hand.
"Okay."
Evelyn turned back toward him.
"I've also reviewed the school enrollment."
"What did you find?"
"Vanessa submitted the application using a scanned authorization bearing your signature."
"Another forgery."
"That appears likely."
Evelyn opened her folder.
"More troublingly, the paperwork named Adrian Vale as the emergency contact authorized to make certain decisions if you were unavailable."
Luca stared at her.
"Why would my wife's attorney have authority over my child?"
"That's precisely what we need to determine."
She showed him another document.
"The proposed arrangement would have placed Sophia at a school outside Chicago with restricted visitor procedures and a third-party contact controlling much of the administrative communication."
I felt chilled.
"So even if Mr. Moretti wanted to visit, the school could have been given misleading instructions?"
Evelyn nodded.
"Until someone independently verified the paperwork, there could have been confusion."
Luca slammed his palm against the desk.
"She's my daughter!"
Sophia flinched.
He immediately stopped.
Then he knelt beside her.
"I'm sorry, princess."
She nodded, but her eyes remained wide.
Luca took a slow breath.
"This anger isn't for you."
"I know."
He kissed her forehead.
Evelyn quietly closed the folder.
"There's one more thing."
Luca looked at her.
"What?"
"I contacted the financial institution that received the proposed eighteen-million-dollar transaction."
"And?"
"Their compliance department flagged the request on Friday."
"Why?"
"The proposed collateral included assets connected to an irrevocable trust, but the paperwork contained inconsistent authorizations."
Luca stared at her.
"So the bank suspected something?"
"Yes."
"Did they stop it?"
"Nothing has been disbursed, but the transaction was scheduled for another review on Monday morning."
I looked at the clock.
Sunday evening.
Less than a day remained.
Evelyn continued.
"I've requested an immediate hold and will be there when the bank opens."
Luca nodded.
"So will I."
He turned toward the conservatory windows.
Outside, the final wedding decorations were being removed from the garden.
His new marriage was barely twenty-four hours old.
And he was already preparing to expose the woman he'd just promised to love.
But then Sophia tugged at his jacket.
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"If Vanessa takes Mommy's money, will we lose our house?"
Luca looked down at her.
For a moment, he seemed unable to find the right words.
Then he knelt.
"Your mommy left that money to protect you."
Sophia's eyes filled.
"She did?"
He nodded.
"And I'm going to protect what she left."
Sophia leaned against him.
"Even if Vanessa gets mad?"
May you like
Luca held her tightly.
"Especially then."
