Chapter 10 - THE PRICE OF A BEAUTIFUL LIE|
The morning after Daniel returned to his family, Gabriel called a meeting in his father's study.
Detective Brooks attended with two investigators.
James Whitmore brought copies of the disputed trust documents.
Anthony stood beside the door.
My mother stayed at the hospital with Vincent.
And I sat at the end of the long wooden table, feeling very much like a housemaid who had accidentally wandered into a courtroom.
Gabriel noticed.
"Claire, move closer."
"I'm fine here, sir."
"You're part of this."
I hesitated.
Then moved to the chair beside him.
The room smelled of coffee and old leather.
Sunlight fell across Eleanor Romano's portrait.
Gabriel placed the letter from Sofia Varela on the table.
"I want to understand why Isabella did this."
Detective Brooks folded her hands.
"We have several possible motives."
"Money," Gabriel said.
"Certainly."
"Revenge?"
"Possibly."
"And Richard?"
"Control."
She opened her folder.
"Richard spent years controlling funds that should have benefited the Romano family."
Gabriel looked at the financial statements.
"He stole from my mother."
"And continued manipulating the accounts after her death."
James Whitmore nodded.
"Some of the transfers were disguised as payments to charitable organizations."
Gabriel frowned.
"My mother's foundation?"
"Yes."
He looked genuinely sick.
"My mother established that foundation for children recovering from serious injuries."
James nodded.
"That's correct."
"And Richard used it to hide money?"
"It appears that he diverted funds through entities with similar names."
Gabriel pushed back his chair.
For several seconds, he stood beside the fireplace.
I watched him struggle to contain his anger.
Then he turned.
"Tell me about Isabella."
Detective Brooks removed a bank statement.
"When Sofia died, Richard became involved in Isabella's upbringing."
"He paid for her education."
"Yes."
"He introduced her to wealthy families."
"Yes."
Gabriel's expression darkened.
"He introduced her to me."
Detective Brooks nodded.
"Three years ago, at a charity auction."
Gabriel laughed bitterly.
"I thought we'd met by chance."
James looked down.
"We now believe the relationship may have been deliberately arranged."
I remembered how Isabella always seemed to know exactly what Gabriel liked.
His favorite restaurants.
His preferred flowers.
The books his mother used to read.
I'd once thought they were signs of affection.
Now I wondered whether she'd researched him as carefully as someone preparing for a business negotiation.
Gabriel returned to his chair.
"So she was supposed to marry me."
"That appears to have been Richard's plan."
"And gain access to the family."
Detective Brooks nodded.
"Then use Vincent's declining health to control additional assets."
I looked at the documents.
"But why keep Daniel alive?"
Everyone turned toward me.
I felt my cheeks warm.
"I mean, if Daniel's inheritance was so important, wouldn't his disappearance have made things simpler?"
James leaned forward.
"That's a good question."
He opened another document.
"Eleanor's trust was structured to protect Daniel even if he was incapacitated."
Gabriel frowned.
"Meaning?"
"His inheritance couldn't simply be absorbed by the rest of the estate."
James adjusted his glasses.
"Without adequate legal proof of his death, the assets remained restricted."
Detective Brooks continued.
"Richard apparently hoped he could eventually obtain control through a guardian or trustee."
"And Isabella was the person he selected," I said.
"Exactly."
Gabriel stared at the table.
"She didn't need Daniel to die."
"No."
"She needed him alive but unable to speak for himself."
The words hung in the air.
I thought about Vincent.
How Isabella repeatedly described him as confused.
How she'd encouraged guests to ignore his attempts to communicate.
Then I thought about Daniel.
Eighteen years inside a facility where other people controlled his visitors, his information, and his decisions.
The same cruelty.
Two generations.
Two vulnerable men.
Both treated as obstacles.
"She was doing the same thing to Mr. Vincent," I whispered.
Gabriel looked at me.
"What?"
"Making everyone believe he couldn't make decisions."
Detective Brooks nodded.
"That pattern may be relevant."
I continued.
"She isolated him."
"She controlled who visited."
"She told people he was confused even when he understood everything."
Gabriel closed his eyes.
"And I believed her."
I wanted to tell him he'd been deceived.
But I also knew he needed to face what had happened.
"You can change that now," I said.
He opened his eyes.
For a moment, he looked at me with something like gratitude.
Then Anthony's phone rang.
He stepped into the hallway.
When he returned, his expression was serious.
"Sir, the security team found Richard Holloway's abandoned vehicle."
Gabriel stood.
"Where?"
"Near the Hudson River."
"Is he inside?"
"No."
Detective Brooks reached for her radio.
Anthony continued.
"There's a second vehicle nearby."
"What kind?"
"A black sedan."
Gabriel looked toward the detective.
"Isabella?"
"We don't know."
Anthony hesitated.
"There's something else."
Gabriel's voice hardened.
"What?"
"The security footage shows a woman entering Richard's car last night."
"Can you identify her?"
Anthony nodded.
"Isabella."
I felt my stomach tighten.
They were together.
The woman who'd tried to steal Daniel's inheritance.
And the man who'd spent eighteen years hiding him.
Gabriel looked at Detective Brooks.
"Find them."
"We're working on it."
Anthony handed over a photograph from the camera.
Gabriel studied it.
Then frowned.
"Look at her face."
I leaned forward.
Isabella was climbing into Richard's car.
But she didn't look happy.
Her mouth was open.
One hand gripped the doorframe.
And Richard's arm was wrapped tightly around her upper arm.
"He's forcing her," I said.
Detective Brooks examined the picture.
"Possibly."
Gabriel stared at the photograph.
Then spoke quietly.
"Richard doesn't trust her anymore."
James frowned.
"Why not?"
"Because she failed."
Gabriel looked at the blue folder.
"She didn't get my father's signature accepted."
"Daniel escaped."
"And the police are investigating."
Detective Brooks nodded.
"That would give Richard a reason to eliminate a witness."
The room fell silent.
I thought about Isabella's cruelty.
Her threats.
Her mocking voice when Vincent struggled to speak.
Part of me wanted her to experience even a fraction of the helplessness she'd caused.
But another part of me understood something important.
I didn't want anyone murdered.
Not even Isabella.
Gabriel appeared to be thinking the same thing.
He looked toward Detective Brooks.
"Bring her in alive."
She nodded.
"That's the goal."
Later that afternoon, I visited Vincent.
He was sitting in a comfortable chair beside his hospital window.
Daniel sat nearby, showing him photographs on a tablet.
When I entered, Vincent smiled.
"Claire."
His voice was still weak.
But his eyes were bright.
"Hello, Mr. Vincent."
He held out his hand.
I took it.
Daniel smiled.
"Dad has been telling me about you."
I laughed.
"I hope he hasn't complained about my cooking."
Vincent shook his head.
"Good soup."
We all laughed.
It was the first time I'd heard him make a joke since the engagement dinner.
Daniel stood.
"I'm going to get him some water."
When he left, Vincent looked at me.
His smile slowly faded.
"Gabriel?"
"He's working with the police."
Vincent nodded.
Then he reached toward the bedside drawer.
Inside was a small velvet box.
He placed it in my hand.
I frowned.
"What's this?"
"Open."
Inside was a simple silver bracelet.
A tiny blue stone hung from the clasp.
I immediately recognized the design.
It matched Eleanor's locket.
"Mr. Vincent, I can't accept this."
He gently closed my fingers around the box.
"Eleanor."
His eyes filled.
"She would..."
He struggled.
I waited.
He took a breath.
"Thank you."
I looked down at the bracelet.
"You don't owe me anything."
Vincent squeezed my hand.
"Family."
The word nearly brought me to tears.
I had come to the mansion looking for a job.
Somehow, without realizing it, I'd found people who needed me for reasons that had nothing to do with wages.
That evening, Gabriel called.
"Claire, are you still with Dad?"
"Yes."
"Is Daniel there?"
"He's gone downstairs for coffee."
Gabriel exhaled.
"Good."
I frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"We received a message from Isabella."
My heart dropped.
"What did she say?"
Gabriel paused.
"She wants to meet."
"Where?"
"At the old Romano estate in Connecticut."
I immediately thought of the property mentioned in Vincent's disputed paperwork.
"Is she alone?"
"She claims she is."
"Do you believe her?"
"No."
I looked toward Vincent.
He was watching my expression carefully.
"Mr. Romano, please don't go without Detective Brooks."
Gabriel was silent for a moment.
Then he said something unexpected.
"She didn't ask for me."
I frowned.
"Who did she ask for?"
His voice became very quiet.
"You."
My stomach tightened.
"Me?"
"She says she'll tell the truth about my mother's death."
May you like
A pause.
"But only if Claire Bennett comes to hear it."
