Chapter 11 - THE WOMAN IN THE RED COAT|
I stared at the security photograph until the image blurred.
Vanessa Bellini was standing outside my apartment building.
She wore a red coat, black gloves, and oversized sunglasses.
In her arms was my mother's cedar chest.
The same chest Lily and I had kept for years.
The same chest we had never opened.
And behind Vanessa, smoke was beginning to rise from the basement entrance.
My hands went numb.
"She burned our building."
Detective Whitmore looked at me.
"We haven't established who started the fire."
I turned toward her.
"She's carrying our property."
"Yes."
"She was there before the fire."
"Yes."
"Then what more do you need?"
The detective's expression softened.
"Evidence that will stand up in court."
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I sat down.
Matteo stood beside me.
His face was unreadable.
"Find Vanessa," he said.
Detective Whitmore nodded.
"We're already working on it."
Gabriel looked at the photograph.
"She's not working alone."
Matteo turned.
"What makes you say that?"
"Victor wouldn't trust her with something this important unless he had someone watching her."
I looked up.
"Adrian?"
Gabriel nodded.
"Possibly."
Matteo reached for his phone.
He called Daniel.
"Locate Vanessa and Adrian Bellini."
A pause.
"Yes."
He listened.
Then his expression changed.
"What do you mean she's already at the mansion?"
My heart stopped.
Matteo looked toward me.
"Vanessa returned home."
I stood.
"With the chest?"
"We don't know."
I grabbed my coat.
"Then we need to go."
Detective Whitmore raised a hand.
"Not without officers."
Matteo nodded.
"Agreed."
Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the mansion.
Two police vehicles followed us through the gates.
The morning sun had disappeared behind heavy clouds.
Everything looked strangely ordinary.
The fountains were running.
The gardeners were trimming hedges.
A delivery truck stood near the kitchen entrance.
But inside, the atmosphere had changed.
Rosa met us in the hallway.
Her face was pale.
"Mr. DeLuca."
Matteo stopped.
"Where is Vanessa?"
"In her dressing room."
"Is she alone?"
Rosa hesitated.
"No."
"Who is with her?"
"Her brother."
Adrian Bellini.
Matteo looked toward Detective Whitmore.
She nodded.
Two officers moved toward the staircase.
I followed.
My heart pounded with every step.
Vanessa's dressing room occupied an entire corner of the second floor.
I had cleaned it dozens of times.
The walls were cream-colored.
The furniture was imported.
The mirrors were framed in gold.
And the closet contained more expensive dresses than I could afford in ten years.
But when we reached the door, we heard shouting.
A man's voice.
"You were supposed to destroy it."
Vanessa answered.
"I couldn't."
"Do you understand what you've done?"
"Adrian, stop."
"You brought it here."
"I didn't know where else to go."
Matteo pushed open the door.
Vanessa froze.
Adrian turned.
He was tall and handsome, with slicked-back hair and an expensive gray suit.
A silver watch glittered on his wrist.
For one second, nobody moved.
Then Matteo spoke.
"Where is the chest?"
Vanessa's face drained of color.
"Matteo."
"Where?"
Adrian stepped forward.
"This is a private family matter."
Detective Whitmore entered behind us.
"Adrian Bellini?"
He stopped.
"Yes?"
"I'm Detective Sarah Whitmore."
She displayed her badge.
"We need to speak with you about suspected fraud and the removal of property from an apartment building."
Adrian's expression hardened.
"I want my attorney."
"That's your right."
He looked toward Vanessa.
"Don't say anything."
Matteo stepped between them.
"Where is Claire's property?"
Vanessa began crying.
I had seen her cry before.
Usually when Matteo refused to buy something she wanted.
But these tears looked different.
Her mascara had smudged.
Her hands were trembling.
And the woman who had humiliated Eleanor at dinner now looked terrified.
"It's in the closet."
I moved toward it.
Detective Whitmore stopped me gently.
"Let the officers handle it."
An officer opened the closet.
Behind several designer handbags sat a small cedar chest.
My mother's chest.
I covered my mouth.
The wood was scratched.
One brass corner had come loose.
But it was intact.
I began crying.
Detective Whitmore examined it.
"Miss Bennett, can you identify this?"
I nodded.
"My mother carved our initials underneath."
The officer carefully tilted it.
There they were.
C.B.
L.B.
Claire Bennett.
Lily Bennett.
I pressed my hand against my chest.
Matteo looked at Vanessa.
"Why did you take it?"
She shook her head.
"I didn't want anyone hurt."
Adrian turned sharply.
"Vanessa."
She ignored him.
"I thought if I gave Father what he wanted, he'd leave everyone alone."
Matteo stared.
"Your father threatened Claire's sister."
Vanessa began sobbing.
"I know."
"He tried to steal seven elderly families' homes."
"I know."
"He forged my dead mother's signature."
Her face crumpled.
"I know."
Matteo stepped backward.
"And you still helped him."
Vanessa covered her face.
Adrian spoke coldly.
"She's upset."
Detective Whitmore turned toward him.
"Mr. Bellini, please remain quiet."
He folded his arms.
Vanessa looked at me.
"Claire."
I stared at her.
"Don't."
She flinched.
"I didn't know your father was involved."
I laughed bitterly.
"My father died twenty-one years ago."
"I know."
"No, you don't."
My voice shook.
"You don't know what it feels like to grow up watching your mother choose between groceries and medicine."
Vanessa lowered her eyes.
"You don't know what it feels like to wear shoes with holes because your sister needs new textbooks."
Tears streamed down my face.
"And you certainly don't know what it feels like to have someone threaten the only family you have left."
Vanessa whispered, "I'm sorry."
I looked at her.
"Then tell the truth."
She hesitated.
Adrian stepped forward.
"Vanessa, don't."
She turned toward him.
"Stop telling me what to do."
His expression hardened.
"Think about Father."
Vanessa laughed through her tears.
"Father?"
She looked at Matteo.
"Do you know what he told me last night?"
Matteo said nothing.
"He said if I couldn't make you sign the property agreement, I was no longer his daughter."
The room went silent.
Vanessa wiped her face.
"He told me I'd ruined everything."
Adrian stared at her.
"You're being dramatic."
She turned.
"Am I?"
Her voice rose.
"Tell them what happened to the money."
Adrian's face changed.
"Vanessa."
"Tell them."
Detective Whitmore stepped closer.
"What money?"
Vanessa looked at the detective.
"The money from the cottages."
Matteo frowned.
"The properties haven't been sold."
"No."
Vanessa swallowed.
"But Father already borrowed against them."
Robert's warning suddenly made sense.
Victor wasn't merely trying to steal the homes.
He had already used them as collateral.
Matteo stared.
"How much?"
Vanessa looked at Adrian.
He said nothing.
She answered herself.
"Twenty-two million dollars."
Eleanor gasped from the doorway.
I hadn't realized she had followed us upstairs.
Margaret stood beside her.
Vanessa began crying harder.
"Father owes people money."
Matteo's expression darkened.
"What people?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know all their names."
"Who?"
"Investors."
Adrian laughed.
"That's enough."
Vanessa turned toward him.
"No."
She pointed at her brother.
"He prepared the documents."
Adrian's face went white.
"Vanessa."
"He forged the signatures."
"Shut up."
"He told me the cottages were legally available."
Adrian moved toward her.
An officer stepped between them.
"Sir, stay where you are."
Adrian stopped.
His face twisted with anger.
Vanessa looked at Matteo.
"I thought the residents would receive relocation money."
Eleanor stared at her.
"You told me I was stealing."
Vanessa looked toward the elderly woman.
Her face crumpled.
"I know."
"You left me standing in the hallway."
"I know."
Eleanor's voice trembled.
"You told Claire to take me out through the servants' entrance."
Vanessa began sobbing.
"I'm sorry."
Eleanor looked at her for a long moment.
Then she said quietly, "An apology is where responsibility begins, dear."
Vanessa lowered her head.
"It doesn't erase what you did."
Nobody spoke.
Detective Whitmore turned toward Adrian.
"Mr. Bellini, we need you to accompany us for questioning."
He looked furious.
"On what grounds?"
She calmly explained that investigators had obtained evidence connecting his company to the disputed transfers and stolen property.
Adrian demanded his attorney again.
The officers escorted him out.
Vanessa remained standing beside the closet.
Matteo looked at her.
"Why did you agree to marry me?"
She closed her eyes.
The question seemed to hurt more than anything else.
"At first?"
Matteo nodded.
"Because Father wanted it."
My stomach tightened.
Vanessa continued.
"He said our families belonged together."
Matteo's expression hardened.
"And later?"
She looked at him.
"I thought I loved you."
He said nothing.
"But I loved the life more."
Her voice broke.
"The house."
"The parties."
"The attention."
She wiped her eyes.
"I loved being Mrs. DeLuca before I ever became one."
Matteo slowly removed the engagement ring from her trembling hand after she held it out to him.
He looked at the diamond.
Then placed it on the dressing table.
"The engagement is over."
Vanessa closed her eyes.
"I know."
He turned toward Detective Whitmore.
"Please make sure she cooperates with the investigation."
The detective nodded.
Matteo walked toward the door.
Then Vanessa spoke.
"Matteo."
He stopped.
"There's something else."
He turned.
She looked toward my mother's chest.
"Father doesn't just want the trust deed."
My heart tightened.
"What else?" I asked.
Vanessa stared at me.
"He wants the letter inside."
I frowned.
"What letter?"
She swallowed.
"The one Isabella wrote before she died."
Matteo's expression changed.
"Why?"
Vanessa looked at him.
"Because it names the person who helped him hide your father."
The room went silent.
Matteo stepped closer.
"Who?"
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know."
"Vanessa."
She began crying again.
"I swear."
Then she looked at the chest.
"But Father said that if the letter ever became public, everything would be over."
Detective Whitmore examined the lock.
The small silver key we had found inside Isabella's photograph frame fit perfectly.
Matteo handed it to her.
She turned it.
The lock clicked.
Inside were old photographs, children's drawings, and a bundle of letters.
At the bottom lay a sealed envelope.
Across the front was Isabella's handwriting.
TO THE CHILDREN WHO DESERVE THE TRUTH.
Detective Whitmore carefully opened it.
Inside was a handwritten letter and a photograph.
She read the first paragraph.
Then stopped.
Her expression changed.
Matteo leaned forward.
"What does it say?"
The detective looked at him.
"Your mother believed Anthony was alive when she wrote this."
Matteo went still.
"When?"
"Six years ago."
Gabriel gripped the doorframe.
Detective Whitmore continued.
"She wrote that she had finally discovered where he was being kept."
Matteo's voice broke.
"Where?"
The detective looked at the final page.
Then slowly raised her eyes.
"At a private residential facility outside Milwaukee."
I felt my heart pounding.
Matteo reached for the letter.
But Detective Whitmore wasn't finished.
"There's a name."
"Whose?"
"The person who arranged his placement."
Matteo stared.
May you like
The detective swallowed.
"Victor Bellini."
