Chapter 11 - THE MEETING AT THE RIVER|
The old Stanton Hotel had been closed for almost seven years.
Its grand entrance still faced the Chicago River, but the gold letters above the doors had faded.
Several windows were boarded up.
The marble steps were cracked.
And the beautiful building looked like something the city had tried to forget.
I knew the feeling.
Two days earlier, I had been a maid trying to hide a bruise.
Now I was sitting in the back of an unmarked police vehicle, preparing to speak with the woman who had put it there.
Detective Ruiz sat beside me.
"Claire, I want to be very clear."
"You can change your mind."
I nodded.
"I understand."
"We have officers nearby."
"Nobody expects you to confront Victor."
"Your only purpose is to listen if Vanessa decides to talk."
I looked through the window.
"And if she doesn't?"
"Then we leave."
It sounded simple.
But nothing about this situation felt simple anymore.
Luca stood outside the vehicle, speaking with Nico.
He had insisted on accompanying us to the location.
Ruiz had made it clear that he would remain outside the meeting area.
For once, he hadn't argued.
When I stepped out, he approached.
"Claire."
I looked at him.
"Are you going to tell me not to do this?"
He shook his head.
"No."
"Then what?"
He hesitated.
"I wanted to make sure you knew I was grateful."
I smiled faintly.
"You've said that already."
"I know."
He looked toward the hotel.
"My father died because someone believed he could control another person's choices."
"I don't want to become that kind of man."
I studied his face.
"Then don't."
He nodded.
"Come back safely."
It was such a small sentence.
No orders.
No threats.
No promises of revenge.
Just a wish.
And somehow, it meant more than anything else he could have said.
Detective Ruiz accompanied me inside.
The hotel lobby smelled of dust and old carpeting.
A few temporary lights had been installed for the meeting.
Police officers remained discreetly positioned nearby.
At the far end of the lobby, Vanessa sat beside a broken fireplace.
She was wearing a plain gray coat.
Her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail.
There were no diamonds around her neck.
No expensive evening gown.
No confident smile.
For a moment, she looked like a completely different woman.
Then she saw me.
"Claire."
I stopped several feet away.
"Vanessa."
She glanced toward the detective.
"I thought we'd be alone."
Ruiz answered.
"That was never part of the agreement."
Vanessa pressed her lips together.
Then she gestured toward the chair opposite her.
"Please sit."
I remained standing.
"Tell me what you wanted to say."
Her eyes moved to my wrist.
The bruise was fading.
But the shape of her fingers was still visible.
For the first time, Vanessa looked ashamed.
"I didn't realize I'd hurt you that badly."
I stared at her.
"You watched me pull my hand away."
"You heard me ask you to stop."
She looked down.
"I know."
"Then you knew."
The words seemed to strike her.
She folded her hands in her lap.
"Victor promised me everything."
I said nothing.
"He said Luca would marry me."
"He said I would have a place in one of the wealthiest families in Chicago."
"He told me Rosa was controlling and suspicious."
"And he said anyone who questioned me was trying to destroy my future."
I looked at her.
"You'd known Victor for eight years."
She nodded.
"I worked for one of his companies."
"He helped me when I had nothing."
Then her voice changed.
"At least, that's what I thought."
I remembered the financial records from St. Agnes.
Eight years.
Eight years of working beside Victor.
Eight years of understanding at least part of his business.
"You didn't accidentally become involved in this, Vanessa."
She flinched.
"Maybe not."
"But I didn't know everything."
"Did you know about Antonio's murder?"
She shook her head quickly.
"Not until after I married Luca."
"Victor told me Antonio had betrayed him."
"He said the Moretti family had stolen what belonged to him."
"And you believed that?"
"I wanted to."
Her answer surprised me.
For once, she hadn't blamed Rosa.
Or me.
Or anyone else.
She had admitted that believing Victor was easier than asking questions.
Vanessa reached into her coat and placed a small folder on the table.
Ruiz immediately stepped closer.
"What's inside?"
"Copies of messages between Victor and me."
"Financial transfers."
"And a recording from the night we went into Luca's study."
My breath caught.
"Why did you record it?"
Vanessa swallowed.
"Because Victor had started threatening me."
"He said if I tried to leave, he'd make sure Luca believed I planned everything."
Ruiz looked at the folder.
"We'll need to verify these materials."
Vanessa nodded.
"I know."
Then she looked at me.
"Claire, there's something I need you to understand."
I waited.
"Victor didn't choose me because he thought Luca would love me."
"He chose me because he knew Luca was lonely."
My chest tightened.
"His father was dead."
"His mother was getting older."
"And Luca had built a life where nobody dared disagree with him."
Vanessa's voice became bitter.
"Victor said all I had to do was make Luca feel understood."
"Then slowly convince him that everyone else was against us."
I thought about Rosa.
About the way Vanessa had isolated her.
About her threats to send the elderly woman away.
The pieces finally fit together.
Vanessa hadn't merely wanted money.
She had wanted control over Luca's relationships.
And she had nearly succeeded.
"Did you ever love him?" I asked.
She looked away.
For a long moment, I thought she wouldn't answer.
Then she whispered, "I loved what he could give me."
It was the most honest thing I had ever heard her say.
Ruiz asked another question.
"Where is Victor now?"
Vanessa stared toward the dark staircase.
"I don't know."
"Vanessa."
"I swear I don't."
Then we heard something.
A slow clap.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
A man's voice echoed through the abandoned lobby.
"Beautiful confession, Vanessa."
My blood turned cold.
A tall man emerged from the shadows near the staircase.
He wore a dark overcoat.
On his right hand was a silver ring.
I recognized him immediately.
The man from my photograph.
Victor Sloane.
He looked at Vanessa with open contempt.
"Eight years of work."
"And you throw it away because a housemaid makes you feel guilty."
Vanessa stood so quickly her chair scraped against the floor.
"Victor."
He smiled.
"Hello, sweetheart."
Detective Ruiz moved between us.
"Victor Sloane, stop where you are."
He ignored her.
His gaze settled on me.
"So you're Claire Bennett."
I didn't answer.
He looked amused.
"The little maid who ruined everything."
My heart pounded.
But I forced myself to meet his eyes.
"No."
I shook my head.
"I was the woman who finally told the truth."
Victor's smile disappeared.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
"Did you tell her what happened to Antonio?"
Vanessa began trembling.
"Please, Victor."
He gave a short laugh.
"You always were weak when things stopped going your way."
May you like
Then he reached inside his coat.
And Detective Ruiz shouted for everyone to get down.
